Kirk and Sweeney Gran Reserva is a smooth, aged Dominican sipping rum, the sort of warm, after-dinner pour that rewards an unhurried evening at Grappa in Queen Anne.

About the Distillery

Kirk and Sweeney takes its name from a wooden schooner famed for running rum from the Caribbean to the American Northeast during Prohibition. Today the brand is handcrafted in the Dominican Republic, a country with deep rum heritage and strict standards for what may carry the “Dominican rum” name. The Gran Reserva is its flagship aged expression, made for sipping rather than mixing.

Style & Production

This is an aged Gran Reserva blend built from Dominican molasses, carefully fermented and distilled, then matured in oak in the island’s warm tropical climate. The blend draws together rums of varying maturity, aged in American and French oak, which gives the final spirit both depth and roundness. Tropical aging works quickly and intensely, concentrating flavor and softening the spirit into something notably smooth.

Tasting Notes

Expect an inviting nose of vanilla, caramelized sugar, and warm oak. The palate is full and gently sweet, with dried fruit and raisin, baking spice such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and a thread of charred oak underneath. The finish is long, smooth, and softly spiced — a rum that feels at home as a dessert in its own right.

What to Pair It With

Its caramel-and-spice richness is made for dessert. Pair it with our Flourless Chocolate Cake for a deep, indulgent finish, or with Mama’s Tiramisu, where the vanilla and oak meet coffee and cream. It also closes out a Charcuterie Board with quiet elegance. See the full dine-in menu for more.

How It’s Served at Grappa

We pour Kirk and Sweeney Gran Reserva neat, as a sipping rum is meant to be enjoyed, or in a cocktail, at $13.

FAQ

Where is it from?

Kirk and Sweeney Gran Reserva is handcrafted in the Dominican Republic, named after a Prohibition-era rum-running schooner.

What does it taste like?

It is smooth and gently sweet, with vanilla, caramelized sugar, dried fruit, baking spice, and a touch of charred oak on a long finish.

Is it meant for sipping or cocktails?

It is an aged sipping rum, best enjoyed neat to appreciate its depth, though it also makes a refined cocktail at Grappa.

When you are ready, book a table, browse the cocktail & spirits list, and the dine-in menu.