When Armanetti Wine & Liquors in Chicago, Illinois joined the select network of Ron Carúpano retail partners, it made a statement about the kind of spirits experience it is committed to providing. Ron Carúpano is not simply a premium rum brand, it is the benchmark against which Venezuelan rum is measured globally, the standard-setter for what aged Caribbean rum can achieve, and the most decorated spirit to emerge from South America in the modern era.
Ron Carúpano’s origins trace back to the eastern coast of Venezuela, to the Carúpano Valley on the Paria Peninsula, a region that has been producing sugarcane and rum since the 18th century. Here, Spanish Captain Félix del Fierro established what would become one of the Western Hemisphere’s most enduring distilling traditions. More than two and a half centuries later, that tradition continues with the same founding commitment: pure sugarcane molasses, expert fermentation, careful distillation, and aging in sealed American white oak barrels in the natural heat of the Venezuelan tropics. No shortcuts. No additives. No sugar added to cheat the process.
The tropical climate is not incidental to Ron Carúpano’s quality is fundamental. In eastern Venezuela, ambient temperatures regularly exceed 30°C and humidity stays high year-round. These conditions cause the rum to interact with the barrel wood at an accelerated rate, drawing out tannins, sugars, and flavor compounds that would take decades to develop in a cooler climate. The result is rum that achieves extraordinary complexity in 12 years, remarkable depth in 18, and transcendent character at 21 and 25 years, all verified by the pristine tasting notes and competition scores that Ron Carúpano has accumulated over its modern era of global recognition.
At Armanetti Wine & Liquors in Chicago, you can access the full Ron Carúpano range. Each expression represents a chapter in the brand’s story: the Añejo 6 Reserva Especial introduces the house style with approachable vibrancy; the Reserva Exclusiva 12 demonstrates the transformative power of extended tropical aging; the Reserva Limitada 18 showcases the heights that Venezuelan rum can reach in the premium category; the Reserva Privada 21, rated 95 points, stands among the finest aged spirits produced anywhere in the Americas; and the Legendario 25 Single Barrel — 500 numbered crystal decanters per year, 25 years of uninterrupted aging — is simply one of the most extraordinary spirits available anywhere in the United States.
Ron Carúpano’s competition cabinet reads like a highlight reel: Gold and Double Gold from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the most rigorous blind-tasting evaluation in American spirits culture. Top awards from the World Rum Awards, where the brand has been recognized as the best aged Venezuelan rum across multiple categories. Scores of 90, 93, and 95 points from independent critics at the industry’s most respected publications. Recognition in 2024, 2025, and 2026 that has only deepened the brand’s standing as the world’s finest Venezuelan rum.
Visit Armanetti Wine & Liquors in Chicago, Illinois and experience premium rum at its authentic best. Ron Carúpano: built without compromise, measured by merit, and now available at your local destination for the world’s finest spirits.
