Environment
A Clean Finish
With an enthusiasm rivalled only by our passion for quality, we’ve invested significant time, knowledge, and resources in making our distillery a leader in cleaner, green production streams in the spirits industry.
By doing what’s right, not only do we reap the benefits of real energy return and useful post-production streams, but we also get to do what’s best for the people and wildlife of our lovely island, Puerto Rico.
Exceptional Solutions
We approach environmental responsibility as the challenge of finding ecologically conscious solutions within the context of an economically viable enterprise. Our wastewater reclamation program not only allows us to maximize our production capacity, but also allows us to do what’s best for the vibrant ecosphere of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Sea.
Exceptional Leadership
Don Q is a pioneer among spirits producers when it comes to cleaner, environmentally conscious production practices. We have invested millions of dollars and significant time and brainpower in the creation and implementation of our distillery’s wastewater treatment system. Connecting a series of self-contained processes into an innovative cycle of wastewater treatment and energy harvest has proved to be a worthwhile challenge.
Quality
Perfect The Art of Rum
At Don Q, we blend art and science in every bottle. We delight in the craftsmanship behind making our rums—the careful transformation of sugar cane into a rarefied essence. We aim to share our passion with you. It is our enduring pursuit to innovate and perfect the process, always preserving the flavour and character that makes Don Q the preferred rum in the land of rum, Puerto Rico.
Making Don Q Rum
This living process that combines generations of know-how with nature’s transformative power, yielding delicious results is outlined below.
Sugar Cane
Sugar cane is crushed, and the juice is boiled in order to extract crystallized sugar. What remains is molasses, the basis for rum.
Molasses
Molasses retains about 50% of the sugar from the cane juice; this is the basis for the entire rum-making process. We select the finest molasses available to ensure consistent fermentation.
Water
Using the fresh waters that flow from the Río Inabón, we dilute the molasses to prepare it for fermentation.
Starter Culture
The rich aroma of rum is born of a living starter culture—the yeast used to carry out the fermentation process. At Don Q, we have kept our unique strain of yeast alive and in use for over 75 years.
Fermentation
Yeast naturally transforms the sugars in molasses into alcohol, producing other compounds along the way. The tiny organisms act as a one-of-a-kind flavour fingerprint. The specific mixture of elements they activate defines the essential flavour of Don Q Rum.
Molasses "Beer"
Once the yeast has done its work, the resulting liquid is called the “beer”—basically a molasses “mash” with low alcohol content. This is the starting point for distillation.
Distillation
A delicate science that removes unwanted elements, while maintaining the signature flavour of our recipe. Alcohol is liberated from the “beer” and condensed into a spirit. Don Q is distilled five times, removing impurities for exquisite aroma, texture, and a pure, clean finish.
Barrel Ageing
All Don Q rums are aged at least one year in charred American White Oak Barrels to impart flavour and character. The interaction of wood and rum matures and mellows the spirit, as well as endows our Añejo and Gran Añejo varieties with a luxurious golden colour.
Blending
Once the rum has been aged, the exacting Art of Blending begins. This is the exclusive domain of our master blender—AKA “The Nose.” Light and dark rums are meticulously combined with Soleras (overproof rums straight from the barrel). Every batch of our rum passes his expert examination before it bears the name Don Q.
Filtration
For Don Q Cristal, aging and blending is followed by charcoal filtration that creates the subtle yet distinctive flavour profile that is the mark of excellent light rum. The pure, light, and delicate character of Don Q Cristal makes it ideal for a wide range of refreshing cocktails, including the world’s finest mojito.
Infusion
For Don Q flavoured rums, we use only natural ingredients to infuse them with the truest, brightest, and freshest flavours possible. Fresh mint, fresh key lime, or rich coconut are blended with the rum for a precise duration to achieve balance and complexity. In fact, our flavours each have their own proof—each flavour is best unlocked by a specific proof of rum.
Bottling
All Don Q rums are bottled on-site at our distillery to ensure the highest quality and consistency. The spirit in each bottle is a testament to the expert care and centuries of know-how that distinguish Don Q and Destilería Serrallés.
Heritage
Our company's legacy is a living force that drives our constant quest to perfect the art of rum making. It is the collective wisdom passed down through six generations of the Serrallés family through over 150 years at our craft. Our commitment to the people and techniques that define Don Q have made us the unquestionable favourite in the land of rum: Puerto Rico. Now available in the U.S., we are confident you’ll enjoy our steadfast devotion to the excellence of Don Q
Don Juan Serralles
Don Juan vastly expanded the family sugar cane business and founded the Serrallés rum making tradition. Using a copper pot still he imported from France, he produced the first casks of rum sold under the Serrallés name. He also founded the town of Mercedita, named after his wife, Mercedes. Don Juan laid the foundation not only for the Serrallés legacy, but for Puerto Rico becoming the world leader in rum production.
Felix J.Serralles, Jr
During his tenure as CEO of Destilería Serrallés (1981 – 2017), Félix Serrallés Jr. focused his efforts on the consolidation and expansion of the family business through significant investments and modernization. Under his guidance, Don Q rum returned to the U.S. after a decades long hiatus, expanded its range of products, and has adopted environmentally conscious production methods that have made a positive impact on local ecosystems.
Heritage
Refined Flavour - Aged In Oak Barrels
For light rum, subtle hints of oak and floral aromatics, with only a hint of brown sugar, is a sought-after flavour profile. For darker, aged rums, rich complexity is the goal, with vanilla, butterscotch, and caramel flavours standing out over hints of oak, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Distinctive Character - Molasses
A fine rum should be singular unto itself, revealing its origins through its flavours. Its birthplace in molasses should be evident, but not overpowering. One should immediately recognize the aroma as that of rum, and not just any spirit.
Unquestionable Purity - Example of a Pure Rum
Fine rum must be distilled with supreme attention to detail. Like a master carver at a wood block, the distiller must carefully remove extraneous materials to reveal the inner beauty of the spirit. The aroma of inferior rums can be harsh or unpleasant due to rushed, often large-volume production, which does not take care to remove undesirable impurities.
True Infusion - Mint Leaves
In flavoured rums, bright, fresh infused flavours are key, as well as a balance that keeps the flavour of the rum working in harmony with the flavour of the infusion. The finest flavoured rums are carefully blended with select natural ingredients, and do not rely on artificial flavouring.