Punta Cana: Oliver Rum Tasting & Taino Store with Pickup

Summary

Dominican rum tasting in Punta Cana with hands-on sugarcane and Taino flavors

You’ll press fresh sugarcane with your own hands in Punta Cana, taste rare Dominican rums aged for decades, and snack on local bites while guides share stories behind every bottle. With hotel pickup included and an easygoing vibe throughout, this day trip lets you feel part of island life for a few hours.

What’s the experience like?

“Try this one — but sip slow,” our guide grinned, sliding a tiny glass across the table. The room smelled like caramel and something deeper, almost smoky. We’d just arrived at Oliver Lab by Taino Gourmet after a bumpy drive from our hotel (pickup was right on time, which honestly surprised me — I’m not used to that). The place felt more like someone’s living room than a shop, with old bottles lined up and bits of sugarcane stacked in the corner. I didn’t expect to actually make sugar juice myself, but there I was, hands sticky and laughing as I tried to work the old press. My first taste was grassy-sweet and weirdly refreshing.

Li, our interpreter, kept switching between Spanish and English — sometimes both in the same sentence — while explaining how rum is basically the Dominican Republic’s history in a glass. She told us about the Solera Method (I had no idea what that meant until she showed us the barrels stacked like a pyramid) and how some of these rums have been aging longer than I’ve been alive. We tasted molasses too — thick, dark, nothing like the syrupy stuff back home. There was finger food on little plates (I’m still thinking about those tiny empanadas), but honestly it was the way everyone lingered over each sip that stuck with me.

At one point someone asked about Cubaney Centenario and Li laughed because apparently my pronunciation was way off (“Don’t worry,” she said, “everyone does that”). The whole thing felt relaxed — nobody rushing you or talking down to you if you didn’t know your rum facts. By the end I’d learned just enough to feel smug ordering rum back at my hotel bar later that night… but mostly I remember the warmth of it all: people sharing stories, sticky fingers from sugarcane juice, sunlight slanting through dusty windows. If you’re even half-curious about Dominican rum tasting in Punta Cana or want something more than just another resort drink, this is worth an afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Rum tasting and cultural experience

• Hotel pickup and round-trip transport
• Introduction to rum history and Oliver House
• Learn about Solera Method
• Make rum sugar juice from sugar cane
• Taste molasses and sugar juice
• Sample premium rums aged 25+ years
• Enjoy finger food international cuisine

Top questions

Is hotel pickup included for this Punta Cana rum tasting?

Yes, round-trip hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

What rums do you taste during this experience?

You’ll try premium rums like Cubaney Centenario, Unhiq XO, Opthimus, and Punta Cana XOX.

Do they explain how Dominican rum is made?

Yes, guides cover the history of rum in the Dominican Republic and explain methods like Solera aging.

Is food provided during the tasting?

Yes, finger foods from international cuisine are served alongside the rum tastings.

Can I try making sugarcane juice myself?

Yes! You’ll press your own sugarcane juice as part of the experience.

Are interpreters available if I don’t speak Spanish?

An interpreter is provided so language isn’t an issue.

Is this activity wheelchair accessible?

The tour is fully wheelchair accessible throughout all areas.

How long are the rums aged that we taste?

The rums sampled are aged 25 years or more.

What’s included

Your day includes round-trip hotel pickup and drop-off in Punta Cana, a guided rum tasting session with premium aged rums at Oliver Lab by Taino Gourmet, hands-on sugarcane pressing and molasses tasting with an interpreter present throughout. Bottled water and international finger foods are served during your visit before heading back to your hotel relaxed (and maybe a little buzzed).