Venezuelan rum Santa Teresa 1796 launches in Asia for the first time

Venezuelan producer Santa Teresa has entered the Asian market for the first time with the launch of its Solera-aged rum in Singapore.

Originating from the valley of Aragua, the family-owned producer started as a sugar cane plantation in 1796.

Santa Teresa will now be present in more than 40 countries, following its launch in Singapore this month.

Santa Teresa 1796 Rum is triple-aged using the Solera method, adopted from Spanish Sherry producers, and is created with a blend of rums aged for up to 35 years.

Alberto Vollmer Herrera, a fourth-generation member of the family, introduced the solera method to the production of Santa Teresa to commemorate the house’s bicentennial in 1996.

The barrels were first filled in 1992, and since then the Solera casks have never been fully emptied. As with Sherry from Jerez, Spain, each time a bottle is drawn, the Solera is topped up with a slightly younger rum blend, meaning that each final bottle has a balance of the ‘Ron Madre’ or Mother Rum blended with the flavour profile of younger expressions.

Santa Teresa is a dry rum, with low levels of sugar.

The house is helmed by fifth-generation chairman and CEO Alberto Vollmer, who said of its presence in Singapore: “We are delighted to introduce our award-winning Santa Teresa 1796 Rum to the vibrant and mature market of Singapore. Our rum carries a rich legacy of heritage and craftsmanship, and we are the third oldest rum producer in the world, with every product in the bottle sourced from our single estate, the Hacienda Santa Teresa.”

Registered in 1909, the Santa Teresa brand boasts the title of Venezuela’s very first rum trademark – as well as proudly carrying the “Ron de Venezuela” (Rum of Venezuela) DOC label.

Santa Teresa Rum is available at select bars across Singapore and can be purchased at La Maison du Whisky for S$135.