What Rum To Buy In Cuba

What Rum To Buy In Cuba

What Rums Should I Buy when I go to Cuba?  That is usually the second question I get asked after the mandatory one about which cigars should be purchased.  And so, I decided to compile a sort of guide line on what rums are available on our treasured island.

Please keep in mind that common with most things in Cuba, consistency is not one of the island’s qualities.  There may be rums listed in this article that may or may not be available at different times and the various cities in Cuba.  The goal here is to get to the know the different brands available and what to expect from the ever-mounting vast array of price levels we see with Cuban rums.

I have had the fortune to visit several cities and small towns in Cuba for over 20 years.  Initially, the rum selection was varied mostly by brand, not so much by the age of the spirit.  The brands that consistently were seen on shelves and bars were Havana Club, Santiago de Cuba, Ron Caney, Ron Cubay and the rare appearance of Legendario.  If you happened to find a bottle of the highly coveted, and over priced Havana Club 15 Anejo, it was something you “wrote home about”.  Things have changed since then.  One can imagine that the Rum factories located in Havana, Santiago, and scattered around the island starting planning ahead and ageing their barrels.  Hence, the vast new selection of aged rums hailing from Cuba.  It is important to note also, that aside from Havana Club, Legendario, and the occasional appearance of Santiago de Cuba, there are not many Cuban rums that hit the international markets.

On a recent trip to Holguin, Cuba, I took some time to see what was on the shelves, both at the local shops, airports and even the tiny little barn shops we encounter on the side of the farm roads.  I broke the rums down into a few categories and gave tasting notes on the ones I have had the opportunity to sample.  As with cigars, these are personal opinions.  We must also keep in mind that everything tastes better when we are tasting them in close vicinity to the source. 

This is by no means a complete list, but a fair starting point.  Prices, where noted, are in CUC, the tourist Cuban currency.  It sells, in Cuba only for approximately the same rate as USD.

WHITE RUMS & 3 YEAR OLD “COCKTAIL RUMS”

These rums are mostly used for making classic cocktails like Mojito, Daiquari, Cuba Libre, you know them!  They are not meant to be sipped on their own as they lack the smoothness and aromas we would expect from a Rum.

Havana Club 3 Year 

This is by far the most popular and used Cuban Rum when it comes to making straight up classic cocktails.  It is fairly priced and does its’ job.  Slightly yellow in color.

Santiago De Cuba Carta Blanca 

Not as sweet as the Havana Club counterpart.  This brand makes premium aged rums, and so the base quality for their younger offerings still meets an acceptable level of quality.

Ron Mulata Palma Superior

This is an inexpensive, fair, lighter rum.  It has a very molasses flavor that can add a nice texture to a Mojito or Daiquari.  A good option if you are in mood to try something other than Havana Club 3.

WHITE RUMS

The following are used mainly for cocktails at all-inclusive hotels.  There is not much refinement in these rums.  Their purpose to give a little kick to your cola, or your summer-y cocktail of choice.  You can find most of these for about the same price as soft drinks or bottled water.  Adding a few extra dollars and going for the three light rums mentioned above is a far better alternative.  Regardless, here are the main hitters in this category.

Legendario Añejo Blanco

Ron Cubay Carta Blanca

Santero Ron Añejo 3 Years

Santero Silver Dry

Ron Mulata Añejo Blanco

NOT YOUR TYPICAL JUICE BOXES

You have to love a country where rum is available in convenient little juice boxes.  Ron Cubay offers white rum in little 200 ml cardboard boxes.  The Blanco Ligero sells for 1.25 CUC.

DARK, AGED RUMS IN THE “AFFORDABLE” PRICE RANGE

Price Ranges between 9 CUC and 20 CUC. 

These are rums that have been aged between 5 years, 7 years, or simply dark rums with the “Añejo” marking without any age mention. 

Havana Club 7 Year

Largely credited to the strong and vast reaching distribution channels of the international spirits company Pernod Ricard, Havana Club 7 is widely believed to be the best-selling Cuban rum outside of Cuba.  This is a straight forward dark rum, made up of a blend of different rums, each aged for a minimum of 7 years.  In 2018, the recipe was altered by the Master of Cuban Rum Jose Navarro.  If you have a bottle of the older version and newer versions (the bottle changed design), go ahead and compare them.  You will notice a difference.  As a stand-alone sipping rum, it is enjoyable, although it does leave a little bit of a roughness as it travels down.  The typical aged rum flavour is great to mix with a Coca Cola, as it’s most often used.  We have experimented in making a Cuban Old Fashioned and a Cuban Manhattan with it.  Simply replace your bourbon with the Havana Club 7.  It also makes a great “Mulata Daiquari”, giving a more complex flavor to a classic lime Daiquari.

Havana Club Añejo Especial

In the past, Havana Club’s portfolio included a 5 year old rum.  That has been gone from the shelves, and I believe this rum has replaced it.  The rum is golden in color, has a beautiful aroma and can be a fair sipping rum or very decent mixing rum when budget is a factor.

Havana Club Añejo Reserva

To be frank, I have never understood the purpose and positioning of this rum in the Havana Club portfolio.  The rum is not as refined as the Havana Club 7, and more expensive than the Añejo Especial without offering anything additional.  It’s not that it is bad, however, I prefer the 7 year or Especial from Havana Club when all factors are considered.

Legendario Elixir De Cuba

Legendario is a Cuban rum made by a Spanish company.  On a visit to their factory in Havana, I learned each step of the process of making this very popular “Punch de Rum”.  For those that are not familiar with this edition, this is a sweet liquor type spirit more than it is a rum.  There is a sticker with a “7” on it.  This is not a year mention.  When I asked why they put the “7” on the bottle, I was told that they have a simulation ageing process that makes it taste as though it was aged 7 years.  This simulated ageing process consists of taking young rum, and then adding macerated grapes and syrup to the liquid.  This “mix” is then aged for about 1 year.  The rum is very popular in Spain.  Definitely worth a try, however, do not expect an alternative to your dark Havana Club.  Served chilled, this is worth trying.

Legendario Ron Añejo

A dark rum, with no age mention.  Some might remember that this bottle used to have a “9” sticker on it.  After the realization that it was a misleading age mention, the 9 has now been replaced by a stylish “L”.  This is a straight forward dark rum.  The flavor is what you would expect, and the smoothness is fair.  For some reason, to my palette, it lacks the finishing of the Havana Club and Santiago de Cuba counterparts.  Almost like a tea that has been left brewing too long, there is a slight “tanginess” to it.  Overall, and considering the price, this is worth trying.

Santiago De Cuba Añejo

Ask almost any Cuban, and they will choose Santiago De Cuba rum over Havana Club.  Given the fact that you can find Havana Club 7 practically anywhere on the planet, this Santiago de Cuba dark rum is a wise choice when in Cuba.  It is affordable and versatile.

Ron Cubay Añejo

Dark rum, with no age mention.  I have not tried this rum, however it sells for 9.65 CUC for a bottle. 

Ron Caney Añejo Centuria 

This dark rum is made with honey obtained from sugar cane.  It is then distilled and aged in old barrels.  If you find a bottle of this, it is a great value and should cost you more than 10-15 CUC.

PREMIUM AGED RUMS.  Price ranges 40 CUC and higher

The following rums are a few steps above the previous category.  They combine age, with complexity and overall general more of a refined finished product.  All of these are meant to be enjoyed as a sipping alternative to a fine Cognac, Calvados, Armagnac or single malt whisky.

Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros

This is a Triple Barrel aged rum, finished in white oak barrels.  A more elaborate process is required for this special rum which is released in limited quantities annually.  The process begins in Cuba’s sub tropical conditions where the newly distilled rums, the “Aguardientes” are initially aged in oak barrels and then filtered.

The rums are then blended and aged during a second stage of natural ageing for “as many years as is considered necessary”.  During the next stage, the master “Roneros” (master rum blenders) gather from around the island and meet for the first time in strict confidence in order to select and combine what they consider to be the best reserves.  Those reserves are then blended into a master blend, and the final ageing process begins.  They selected white oak barrels for this final process.

The rum is then left to age in this aromatic wood.  The master Roneros meet one more time to make their final selection by tasting each barrel, ensuring it meets the character profile they are seeking.

Finally, during the final stage, the rum is bottled, unadjusted, at its barrel strength of 45% ABV. 

This is an exceptional rum.  It has the complexity and sophistication of a well produced single malt whisky.

Havana Club Barrel Proof

This amber colored rum was highly popular and not so easy to find when it was originally released (approximately early 2000s).  It has since been discontinued and replaced with the Seleccion de Maestro.  However, a Cuban rum list would not be complete without mention of this rum.  It was revolutionary for its time.  Havana Club took their aged rum and proceeded to age it Oak Casks, then bottled directly from the barrels.  Whenever I tasted this rum with friends, we all felt it was close to a whisky.  The best way to describe this Cuban Barrel Proof rum is a fine dark rum, aged in whisky barrels, given a little bit of the woodiness we would normally taste in a whisky.  It is a blend of rums, chosen by Cuba’s acclaimed greatest master distiller, Maestro Don Navarro.  Needless to say, if you come across a bottle of this at a private location, or bar, give it a try.

Havana 15 year Old 

175 CUC

In the late 90’s, and during the first few years of the new millennium, finding a bottle of the Havana Club 15 always posed a challenge.  After hitting the main La Casa del Habano shops and reputable retail locations, I remember finding my first bottle at a remote, tiny shop in the middle of Vinales in Pinar Del Rio.  The price was steep, ringing in at 150 CUC. 

In retrospect, after having sampled various rums, both Cuban and non Cuban, my personal opinion is that the Havana Club 15 is a good rum, but a little over-rated and certainly overpriced.  To compare, a bottle of El Dorado 15 hailing from Guyana retails for one third of the price, and is a higher quality spirit.  The Havana Club 15 rise to glory came at a time when there not many other alternatives in older Cuban rums.  Many bars in Havana offer this on their menu, so go ahead and order one to form our own opinion of it.  

Santiago de Cuba 11 Year

This is highly considered one of the best rums coming out of Cuba.  During a period of a couple of years between 2012 to 2014, this was found in most premium cigar shops on the island.  As years went by, it became more challenging to find this bottle.  This 11 year old rum is extremely smooth, round in texture with a sugar cane meets honey flavor.  It pairs exceptionally well with a medium bodied Havana cigar.

Santiago de Cuba 12 Year

This age expression of the Santiago de Cuba rum can be found outside of Cuba.  In Quebec, we see some bottles roughly once per year at the local SAQ shops.  But hurry, even at $100 CAD per bottle, they fly off the shelves quickly.  This 12 year old is very enjoyable, although does not present the same smoothness that we get from the 11 year edition.

Many people ask what the difference is between the 11 year and 12 year Santiago de Cuba.  Yours truly is digging some information and will hit you back shortly with its own article on that topic.  And no, the answer is not, just “1 year”.

Santero 11 Añejo

40 CUC

This rum house was founded in 1844 and is produced and distilled in the province of Ciego de Avila located right in the center of the island.  Overlooked by many, this 11 year expression is one of the better rums not only from Cuba, but in general.  It is sweet, smooth, has an incredible roundness to it.  It is achieved by the fermentation of sugar cane molasses, very specific distillation process, followed by 11 years of ageing in oak casks. Thanks in part to the fact that it is not a big distillery, it retails for a very fair 40 CUC.

Ron Cubay 10 Year

25 CUC

This rum was popular well stocked at the shops I visited.  The house makes a decent dark rum and the price is not steep.  Without having tasting it, I would guess based on those 2 factors that it is worth a try.

Ron Cubay

75 CUC

Ron Cubay offers this expression of sugar cane juice in an elaborate bottle and box presentation.  The quality of the rum is higher than the 7 year versions, but in my opinion, not distinctive enough to justify the higher price point, especially without an age mention. 

Pacto Navio

40 CUC

Pacto Navio was first seen on the island around 2016.  It is created by Havana Club, and uses the marquee “When Cuban Rum Meets French Wine”.  The bottle is very attractive and stands out on a shelf with other Cuban rums just based on the simple fact that the graphics and presentation are more professional than its Cuban counterparts.

The name derives from the “Pacto” or treaty that was signed among European nations, restoring peace in Europe, and once again opening up commercial routes.  The Americas then were able to resume their desire for some of the goods from both sides of the ocean, including French wine.  At the beginning of the 14^th century, Havana was a thriving city in the Western Hemisphere, and because of its strategic location, was known as a “key to the New World”.  It linked Europe to the Americas.  Once the French arrived, they unloaded the sweet Sauternes wine.  After the barrels were emptied, they were filled with dark Cuban rum and transported back to France.  The journey across the Atlantic was three months, and so this Cuban rum now had the benefit of time to age in the very same barrels that housed the sweet French wine.  A chance encounter that resulted in a rum that was never tasted before.

The Pacto Navio rum is a tribute to this tradition. Aged Cuban rum is aged in Sauternes barrels from the Bordeaux region.

The story is good, and the finished product delivers.  Although there is no age mention, the amber colored spirit has the smoothness of a 12 to 15 year old rum.  There is sweetness, but less from the sugar cane and more from the sweetness of the grapes used in Sauternes.  This is well worth a try.

Unfortunately, I have not tasted these and cannot provide any notes on them.  However, here are some pics and the pricing for each.

Ron Santero Añejo 15 Year (100 CUC)

Ron Varadero Añejo 15 Year (100 CUC)

ULTRA AGED RUMS  

With the rising popularity of super premium cognacs, whiskies, Armagnacs and other fine spirits, Cuba decided that rum should also be part of this exclusive club.  It has released bottles that are aged, and priced not too far off from its French and Scottish counterparts.

Isla del Tesoro

650 CUC

This “Treasure Island” rum comes in a porcelain jar, and housed in a wooden type crate paying tribute to the pirate lore of the rum history.  The Cuban corporation “Cuba Ron S.A.” produced this rum in its’ famed Rum Factory of Santiago de Cuba (most of the rums on this list were produced there).  It is the equivalent of the Habanos cigar factories, in which multiple brands are made in the same factories.   There is a lot of marketing behind this rum, given the elaborate packaging.   There is no age mention for this rum.  I have tried this rum.  It was good, but I must say that it seems like a lot of work was put into the marketing and presentation.  Personally, with a price tag as high as that, some more information on the product would have been appreciated, and perhaps, earned more respect for this otherwise fair spirit. 

Havana Club Maximo

$2000 CAD

The Maximo is the Louis XIII of the Cuban rum family.  This consists of a blend of rare and old rums, for which Havana Club only produces 1000 bottles per year.  This rum was created by Maesto del Ron Cuban Don Jose Navarro.  This gentleman was also responsible for the Havana Club 7 year old expression.  The bottle, a hand-blown crystal decanter is beautiful and is something to be keep once it becomes transparent.

The price must come into the equation.  Not only is it positioned far above many other rums, both Cuban and non Cuban, it is priced to compete with the exclusive houses that produce very old single malt whiskies and cognacs.  One of the points in that comparison is that the single malt and cognac producers include an age mention, along with very detailed distilling, ageing and overall information on their respective spirits.  The Havana Club Maximo would earn itself more respect from the spirits community if it offered the same for its pricey bottle.

Havana Club Cohiba Atmosphere Union

400 CUC

The first time I tasted this rum was at the Habanos Festival Closing Gala dinner.  The very expensive ticket did not give much in the way of food, however, each table had 1 of these special bottles.  That in itself is special enough. 

This Cohiba Atmosphere rum comes from the Havana Club Iconica collection, and was developed by Maestro del Ron Cubano Asbel Morales and the renowned Cuban cigar sommelier Fernando Fernandez. The raison d’etre of this rum is to be a perfect pairing partner to the flagship Cuban Cigar, the Cohiba. The tasting notes include Smoky Oak, Coconut, Dried Fruits and Dark Chocolate This rum is full bodied, intense and complex.  Despite the absence of an age mention, it is in my opinion one of the best Cuban rums on the market.  There are select bars and restaurants in Havana that offer this a la carte.  It is worth trying at the very least one glass of this rum.

RARE BOTTLES

The ones that you get only if “you know someone that was El Comandante’s doctor, but don’t tell anyone where you got the bottles from”. 

Ron Matusalem 15 Year

There is a famous saying amongst the Spanish speaking community that translates into “It’s older than Matusalem”.  The name Matusalem is Spanish for Methuseleh, the Old Testament patriarch said to have grazed the planet earth for 969 years.  This name was chosen as a reference to the ageing process used in producing this rum. 

During Cuba’s golden age, the most sought-after rum brand was Matusalem.  It was first produced in Santiago de Cuba in 1872 by the Alvarez family.  The founders brought their secret recipe from Spain which made the distillation and blending process unique.  This led to the rum by the same name that is now produced in Santiago in Dominican Republic and sold internationally.  When Fidel Castro nationalized companies, the Alvarez family fled and took their recipe and formula with them.  Supposedly, that version of the rum has not been officially sold in Cuba since then. 

However, since 2002, there exists a Matusalem rum that is being produced in Cuba, allegedly by the Cuban government.  The Cuban version of this rum could not be exported seeing as the Alvarez family continues to own the trademark of this storied rum.

This 15 year old rum is absolutely delicious.  It is complex, smooth, has a defining roundness on the palette and brings out a rich sugar cane flavor.  The bottle presentation is dull, the printing on the label is of low quality, however, there is not a rum I have tasted as unique as this one. 

Edmundo Dantes 15 Year

Produced initially for the duty-free shops, this rum was sold with the Montecristo Edmundo Dantes cigars, along with a custom music CD, (produced by yours truly from a previous life).  The rum is exceptional, and although the original production released in 2007 was limited to a production run of 3000 bottles per year, there are bottles that pop up here and there on the island.  The quality is, in my opinion, equivalent and higher than some of the ultra expensive Cuban rums listed above.

I hope you enjoyed this list.  Now go pour yourself some Cuban rum – but remember, always pour a little shot for the spirits first!

We’d love to hear your comments on these and other Cuban Rums.  

Photo Credits

Most photos in this article taken by Antonio Marsillo, while the rest we’re taken from the producer’s website.