Bacardi using cedar barrels?

[mbanu]

I bought a bottle of Bacardi 151 recently, and in the aroma I could swear I smelled cedar. Even rubbed a bit between my palms to reduce the alcohol interference. Still cedar. Smelled almost like those cedar wood shavings you use for hamster cages... Is this smell what happens when you mix oak and caramel?? Or is this simply what used oak smells like? Or am I simply smelling things that aren't there??? If they are using cedar, where in the world are they getting used cedar barrels from??? Granted, I'm not so familar with the scents of various woods, but it doesn't smell like the oak I'm used to...

Edited July 18, 2005 by mbanu (log)

[Ed Hamilton]

To my knowledge no one is using cedar barrels to age rum. However, hints of cedar can be found in a number of rums, though generally in the more complex spirits and are not as prominent in the lighter rums like Bacardi 151. Having said that, it is also possible that some flavoring has been added to that overproof rum.

[scheer]

To my knowledge no one is using cedar barrels to age rum. However, hints of cedar can be found in a number of rums, though generally in the more complex spirits and are not as prominent in the lighter rums like Bacardi 151. Having said that, it is also possible that some flavoring has been added to that overproof rum.

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Next to flavourings their also might be some charcole filtred aged rum in the blend which might give you the cedar smell!?

[danimal]

Hi,

I think that cedar is far too porus to be used for ageing rum in the tropice. I've been a cooper in my past, and cedar is great for lots of things but you'd lose too much rum to evaporation if you used cedar barrels.

Now, from what I've heard there are cachacas that are aged in barrels made from a local wood. I'd like to try that someday.

Dan