Solera aging of rum is often demonized by enthusiasts, but a closer look reveals that the problem is misleading age representations, not solera. Also, some rums that utilize solera without age-related controversies.
The Solera system, in the rum industry, is often presented as a sophisticated way to categorize blended rum, but in reality, it’s more of a marketing tool than a transformative process. The Solera method truly shines in the production of fortified wines, where it makes complete sense for this type of beverage.
In the sherry industry, the Solera system involves blending older and younger wines to create a consistent and complex product. The older wine, known as the madre (mother), imparts its characteristics to the younger wine, which may contain various microorganisms that contribute to the development of unique flavours and aromas. This process is somewhat akin to maintaining a sourdough starter. However, this system doesn’t translate well to rum production due to the significantly higher alcohol content (around 65% ABV in rum compared to 20% in sherry). The high alcohol level in rum kills off the bacteria and microorganisms that play a crucial role in flavour development in sherry. As a result, the chemical interactions that make the Solera system effective in sherry simply don’t occur in rum.
Another important point about Solera and the use of sherry casks in the spirits industry is that the casks are often not what they seem. The sherry casks used for aging rum or whiskey are typically sherry-infused casks. These casks are made from white American oak and are infused with young, low-quality sherry for about 18 months before being sold to the spirits industry. The sherry used for this infusion is not the high-quality drinking sherry but rather a young wine that is often repurposed into vinegar or distilled after use.
I agree that with regards to microorganisms, using solera aging for wine will be influenced by them, whereas distilled spirits won't.
However, I don't agree that solera is a mere marketing tool. Brandy de Jerez is another distilled spirit that uses solera aging, and to the best of my knowledge we don't see wild claims in Brandy de Jerez like "Solera 23" on the label.
And as for rum, the Serralles solera has been around since 1966, Abuelo's since 1978. and Santa Teresa's since 1992. All started decades before the modern era when some brands thought to use solera as a marketing tool. In fact, Serralles barely mentions their solera, and no mention of it is made on the Centuria and Bayou Reserve bottles. If solera were of so little intrinsic value, I doubt these producers would have maintained soleras for many decades.
It doesn't help that Whisky distilleries that know better like Glenfiddich release spirits from a giant marriage tun and call them "Solera". At least their sister distillery The Balvenie calls their equivalent a "Tun" release. Then tons of Yourtubers jump onto the bandwagon and release content parroting the "One drop" example and proclaim solera maturation dishonest without understanding how one even works.
The only people who have a problem with solera systems are people who aren't willing to put the effort into understanding solera systems. I get it, the math is more complex than just putting a date on a single cask and waiting but as many distilleries find it increasingly difficult to keep up with demand the batches start to wander in flavor, something solera maturation systems don't have to worry about (unless the ratio of sacas to total volume change).
I don't understand why the solera system should be inherently problematic. It's a different standard, but not dishonestly so. I personally find it to be really cool, since it allows younger spirits to attain some of the characteristics of a product with greater age and complexity. Admittedly, I went into this article wondering why the issue was controversial and had a foregone conclusion that it was silly, so I still learned a bit about why the case is as it is.
Thank you for the comment. There are many perspectives in rum, and many new people coming into the category. This story is really just counterbalance to various articles and online comments that say, in effect, "solera is bullshit and you can't trust anything from producers who use it." My goal in this story is to separate the solera process from the controversy.
A very important topic in my opinion! In contact with end consumers, I always see people asking for an ,old’ or ,anejo’ rum, as this is the only benchmark for quality for them. I am happy that one can see some changes here slowly (e.g. Zacapa changing the ,23’ to a less prominently position on the bottle). Its not easy to tell people, that age on its own is not a reliable benchmark for a good rum. And I also think that this misperception of age devalues the worth of some wonderful 3-8 year old bottlings out there🙏
This system is just a warehouse space saver. Barrels should not have an empty space. And then they declared it something exceptional.
The Solera system, in the rum industry, is often presented as a sophisticated way to categorize blended rum, but in reality, it’s more of a marketing tool than a transformative process. The Solera method truly shines in the production of fortified wines, where it makes complete sense for this type of beverage.
In the sherry industry, the Solera system involves blending older and younger wines to create a consistent and complex product. The older wine, known as the madre (mother), imparts its characteristics to the younger wine, which may contain various microorganisms that contribute to the development of unique flavours and aromas. This process is somewhat akin to maintaining a sourdough starter. However, this system doesn’t translate well to rum production due to the significantly higher alcohol content (around 65% ABV in rum compared to 20% in sherry). The high alcohol level in rum kills off the bacteria and microorganisms that play a crucial role in flavour development in sherry. As a result, the chemical interactions that make the Solera system effective in sherry simply don’t occur in rum.
Another important point about Solera and the use of sherry casks in the spirits industry is that the casks are often not what they seem. The sherry casks used for aging rum or whiskey are typically sherry-infused casks. These casks are made from white American oak and are infused with young, low-quality sherry for about 18 months before being sold to the spirits industry. The sherry used for this infusion is not the high-quality drinking sherry but rather a young wine that is often repurposed into vinegar or distilled after use.
If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, I discussed it in detail with Nicolas Kroeger, the owner of Wagemut Rum, in a recent podcast episode. Check it out for deeper insights: https://theglobalglug.com/a-deep-dive-into-rum-solera-aging-sherry-casks-and-sugar-insights-from-nicolas-kroger-of-wagemut-rum/
Thanks for the detailed comment.
I agree that with regards to microorganisms, using solera aging for wine will be influenced by them, whereas distilled spirits won't.
However, I don't agree that solera is a mere marketing tool. Brandy de Jerez is another distilled spirit that uses solera aging, and to the best of my knowledge we don't see wild claims in Brandy de Jerez like "Solera 23" on the label.
And as for rum, the Serralles solera has been around since 1966, Abuelo's since 1978. and Santa Teresa's since 1992. All started decades before the modern era when some brands thought to use solera as a marketing tool. In fact, Serralles barely mentions their solera, and no mention of it is made on the Centuria and Bayou Reserve bottles. If solera were of so little intrinsic value, I doubt these producers would have maintained soleras for many decades.
It doesn't help that Whisky distilleries that know better like Glenfiddich release spirits from a giant marriage tun and call them "Solera". At least their sister distillery The Balvenie calls their equivalent a "Tun" release. Then tons of Yourtubers jump onto the bandwagon and release content parroting the "One drop" example and proclaim solera maturation dishonest without understanding how one even works.
The only people who have a problem with solera systems are people who aren't willing to put the effort into understanding solera systems. I get it, the math is more complex than just putting a date on a single cask and waiting but as many distilleries find it increasingly difficult to keep up with demand the batches start to wander in flavor, something solera maturation systems don't have to worry about (unless the ratio of sacas to total volume change).
I don't understand why the solera system should be inherently problematic. It's a different standard, but not dishonestly so. I personally find it to be really cool, since it allows younger spirits to attain some of the characteristics of a product with greater age and complexity. Admittedly, I went into this article wondering why the issue was controversial and had a foregone conclusion that it was silly, so I still learned a bit about why the case is as it is.
Thank you for the comment. There are many perspectives in rum, and many new people coming into the category. This story is really just counterbalance to various articles and online comments that say, in effect, "solera is bullshit and you can't trust anything from producers who use it." My goal in this story is to separate the solera process from the controversy.
A very important topic in my opinion! In contact with end consumers, I always see people asking for an ,old’ or ,anejo’ rum, as this is the only benchmark for quality for them. I am happy that one can see some changes here slowly (e.g. Zacapa changing the ,23’ to a less prominently position on the bottle). Its not easy to tell people, that age on its own is not a reliable benchmark for a good rum. And I also think that this misperception of age devalues the worth of some wonderful 3-8 year old bottlings out there🙏