Havana Club
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Havana Club is a brand of rum, made in Santa Cruz del Norte, Cuba. The brand was established by José Arechabala in 1878. After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the distillery and company was nationalized by the Cuban government; subsequently, the Arechabala family left for Spain, then emigrated to the United States. Since 1993 it has been produced by Havana Club International, a 50:50 joint venture between Pernod Ricard and the Cuban government.
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[edit] Grades of Havana Club Rum
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There are various grades of Havana Club. They include:
- Añejo Blanco (White)
- Añejo 3 Años (3 Years)
- Añejo Especial (Special)
- Añejo Reserva (Reserve)
- Añejo 7 Años (7 Years)
- Cuban Barrel Proof
- Añejo 15 Años (15 Years)
- Máximo Extra Añejo
[edit] Añejo 15 Años (15 Years)
The 15 Años Gran Reserva variety is not generally available; it is relatively difficult to obtain outside of Cuba. Often regarded as one of the finest rums in the world, it was created by selecting the best quality reserve rums of Cuba. It is the result of a lengthy and complex aging process. The alcohol by volume (ABV) is 40%.
[edit] Cuban Barrel Proof
With Cuban Barrel Proof, Primer Maestro Ronero Don José Navarro has conceived a unique concept in rum, bottled straight from the barrel at 45% ABV, skillfully combining the lightness and smoothness of a delicate classic sipping rum with the intensity and complexity of carefully aged rums.
As with all Havana Club rums, aging is a vital part of the creation of Cuban Barrel Proof. Don José Navarro blends carefully selected aged rums that will compose the base for Cuban Barrel Proof.
It is then ‘finished’ in specially selected younger oak casks in order to reawaken its oak aroma and bouquet. Finally, the casks are opened and the batch of rum is sent to be bottled, straight from the barrel. The old, smooth rum is rejuvenated and acquires its robust character and rich complexity through this exclusive process.
Cuban Barrel Proof won the gold medal with "Exceptional" Mention at a contest in Chicago (the International Review of Spirits 2004, B.T.I.), in which the world's 56 best rums participated.
This rum has performed outstandingly at the 2006 24th International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), winning the prestigious ‘Gold Medal Best in Class’ award.
[edit] Máximo Extra Añejo
In November 2006, Pernod Ricard announced this new ultra-premium extra-aged rum. This Rum is a complex blend of many years of fine rum, repeatedly blended with fresh sugarcane distillate and then further aged. The final act of blending, the 'toque' produces the finished product. Finally, Havana Club's chief Maestro Ronero, Don José Navarro certifies the process is complete with a boogaloo.[citation needed] This rum is very hard to find and its retail value is set at $1200 per bottle. Havana Club lanza nuevo ron 'Maximo' a 1.200 dolares la botella
[edit] Loco
Havana Club also produces Loco (sometimes called Havana Loco) which is fruit juice mixed with Añejo Blanco rum (loco in Spanish means crazy). The flavors are:
- Limon
- Mango
- Pasión
- Toronja (pink grapefruit)
[edit] International sales
The Havana Club brand is sold outside of Cuba in conjunction with the Pernod Ricard drinks giant. Havana Club is not sold in the United States, however, due to an embargo on Cuban products. Bacardi has purchased the rights and original recipe from the originators (the Arechabala family, who fled Cuba with the recipe) of Havana Club Rum, and will begin to produce it for distribution in the U.S. This new Bacardi version utilizes the original (Pre-1960) recipe, and is a different version than what the Cuban Government currently produces[citation needed]. The Bacardi product, which is made in Puerto Rico, is currently the subject of trademark violation litigation by Pernod Ricard.
A few of these types of Havana Club can be purchased in numerous locations throughout Cental America and the Caribbean, to at least include the duty free shops in the San Jose, Costa Rica airport and stores in St Martin.
[edit] References
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