Havana Club

Havana Club history and production

Havana Club from Cuba is a heavyweight in the rum world, and it is also one of the oldest among the large, industrial rum producers (though older, smaller distilleries exist, such as Mount Gay in Barbados, dating back to 1703). Bacardi started in 1862, and Havana Club followed suit in 1878. Both began as Cuban rum companies, but Bacardi has since become an American company with primary production in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Havana Club remains primarily owned by the Cuban state (in a joint venture with Pernod Ricard), and in addition to being Cuba's largest rum brand, it is also one of the world's largest rum brands. A significant part of Cuban rum culture is the crucial role played by their "Maestros del Ron Cubano" in ensuring the quality of the finished product. Becoming a Maestro del Ron Cubano at Havana Club takes no less than 15 years, and throughout this training period, one learns the entire process: the selection of molasses, fermentation, distillation, barrel aging, and the blending of the final product. There are several Maestros del Ron Cubano at Havana Club, and together they are the key decision-makers.

Havana Club rum products

The Havana Club rum range includes rums for cocktails and rums for sipping neat. The light Havana Club 3-year-old rum and the dark Havana Club 7-year-old rum are classics for cocktails and a staple at many cocktail bars. If you want to enjoy a neat rum from Havana Club, the 7-year-old edition might suffice for some, or you can upgrade to the 15-year-old Gran Reserva. At the exclusive end of the Havana Club selection, you will also find the Union and Maximo editions, which are blended versions of some of Havana Club's very old rum reserves.