Best Sherry Cask Finished Rums

Don Q Double Cask Sherry Cask Finish Rum was first launched in 2019 and is produced at Destilería Serrallés in Puerto Rico. Created by sixth-generation rum maker Roberto Serrallés and master blender Jaiker Soto, it blends rums aged 5 to 8 years in American white oak barrels before finishing an additional year in American oak casks that previously held Spanish oloroso sherry.

Papa’s Pilar Sherry Cask Finish Rum is a blend of rums sourced from Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela, and Florida. The blend is aged in bourbon and port casks before spending additional time finishing in Spanish oloroso sherry casks. The brand name references Ernest Hemingway—nicknamed “Papa”—and his fishing boat, Pilar. Crafted under the direction of master blender Ron Call, the rum is bottled at 43% ABV.

Ron Zacapa XO Rum is produced in Guatemala using sugarcane honey—concentrated sugarcane juice—rather than molasses. The rum is distilled at sea level before aging in Quetzaltenango at an elevation of 7,544 feet. It is matured in a solera-style system using rums aged 10–25 years in ex-bourbon, oloroso sherry, and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, before finishing for an additional year in former cognac barrels. The “XO” designation references this cognac cask finish.

Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado Rum takes its name from 1888, the year the Brugal family founded the company in the Dominican Republic. Often referred to simply as Brugal 1888, the rum is first aged in ex-bourbon casks before undergoing a second maturation in European oak casks that previously held oloroso sherry. The rum is produced under the direction of Maestros Roneros Jassil Villanueva and Miguel Ripoll, both fifth-generation descendants of the founding family.

Ten To One Oloroso Sherry Cask Select Rum is a limited-edition expression from Ten To One Rum, founded by Marc Farrell. The Caribbean rum blend features rums sourced from Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic and is finished for eight months in oloroso sherry casks before bottling. Bottled without added sugar, coloring, or flavoring, it is presented at 43% ABV.

Don Papa Sherry Cask Finish Rum debuted in 2018 and is released annually as a limited edition. Produced in the Philippines from molasses and distilled in column stills, the rum is first aged in American oak ex-bourbon casks before undergoing further maturation across four types of sherry casks: fino, Pedro Ximénez, cream, and palo cortado. The rums from these casks are then blended before bottling unfiltered at 45% ABV.

Ron Abuelo XV Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish Rum is produced at Varela Hermanos Distillery in Pesé, Panama and is part of the brand’s XV Cask Finish series alongside Napoleon Cognac and Tawny Port expressions. The rum is a blend of rums averaging 14 years of age, initially matured in American oak bourbon barrels before spending an additional year finishing in oloroso sherry casks.

This is a limited edition release from Dos Maderas is the first in its Origen Series, featuring a rum distilled in Thailand from local sugarcane. It is matured for at least 12 years in ex-bourbon American oak casks. It then traveled to Jerez, Spain where it was aged an additional 6 months in 80-year-old Oloroso sherry casks. Only 4,000 bottles were released worldwide, at 55.7% ABV (SRP $83/700ml)

Diplomático Ambassador Rum differs from most rums in the Diplomático portfolio by using 100% pot-still rum rather than a blend of column and pot-distilled spirits. The rum is first matured for 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels before being finished for two additional years in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. It is bottled at a higher proof and presented in a wooden display case.

Mount Gay Master Blender Collection No. 6: PX Sherry Cask Expression is the sixth release in the distillery’s Master Blender Collection and the fifth overseen by Master Blender Trudiann Branker. The rum is a blend of pot and column still rums aged a minimum of 20 years in ex-American whiskey barrels in Barbados before finishing for an additional year in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. It is bottled without chill filtration at 45% ABV. Approximately 4,200 bottles were released globally beginning in June 2023.