Drink of the Week: Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Special Blend 

The newest release from Papa’s Pilar arrives just in time for our attention to turn toward the warming flavors of winter. Finished in used Kentucky bourbon barrels, the Marquesas Blend offers up loads of vanilla on the nose followed by even more vanilla and spice on the palate.

Papa’s Pilar Master Blender Ron Call drew upon his 45 years of experience in both blending and distilling to create this limited-edition rum. “I wanted to create a more whiskey-forward experience with a smooth finish,” he says. “I selected once-used #4 Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrels to get the profile I was looking for, then extended the finishing time to draw out more of the characteristic whiskey notes and that bolder flavor.”

Sip it neat or mix it in a Rum Old Fashioned for the perfect segue into winter. SRP: $46.99; papaspilar.com/specialblend