Havana Club
Havana Club is one of the world's fastest-growing rums. The products are all aged in the Cuban tradition to produce a clean palate with exceptional flavour and aroma.
History
Cuba has been at the center of the history of rum since Diego Velasquez introduced the first sugarcane shoots on the island. Sugarcane grew well in the friendly climate and quickly became known as "honey cane" or the "gold that melts in the mouth."
The production of sugar soon followed. By 1570, some 270 families of Spanish origin had settled in Cuba, many of them owned sugar plantations. By 1620 there were fifty sugar refineries in Cuba.
The rum industry was born in the early 18th century from the distillation of molasses, a by-product of sugar production. Seafaring men, pirates, explorers and traders first acquired a taste for rum, taking it around the world on ships, but giving it a rough reputation. Rum was a harsh drink for tough men, freebooters and swashbucklers; it was also used as a cure-all for many aches and pains.
In the 19th century, a new method of distillation was developed, in Cuba, using a swan-neck shaped copper boiler. Other pioneers aged the spirits in pottery jars buried in the earth. These new methods produced high-grade spirits that were delicate and suited to a more refined taste.
During the century, new better rum stills were introduced and railways built to transport cane and spirits to and from more than 200 refineries. By the end of the century, Cuban rum out sold many European brandies.
Today, rum is Cuba's national drink.
Elaboration
Cuba has an ideal climate and soil for growing of sugarcane. The varieties of cane produced in different regions have specific properties. As the first brown and blond sugars are made from cane juice, the molasses or "honey" is produced. This is the raw material of rum.
The Cuban sugarcane produces a high quality, low viscosity molasses, with a hint of acidity. The producers of Havana Club select the purest Cuban molasses. This results in a natural, residue-free fermentation. This is the first secret of the exceptional taste of Havana Club.
Water is the second secret. The pure water used to dilute the molasses is controlled through a series of precise filtration treatments. Once the molasses are purified with water, they form a mixture called baticion. The fermentation process takes place under close supervision in huge metal vats.
An extremely slow distillation process in columns that are especially designed for Havana Club produces the powerful and aromatic aguardientes. The young aguardientes are aged in white oak casks giving style and profile to the future rum.
All Havana Club rums are aged, and are therefore called "anejos". After aging, this light and warm rum is verified barrel after barrel and is tasted by Havana Club's master blenders, the Cuban 'Maestros Roneros'.
A few aguardientes are selected for further aging. These secret Havana Club recipes combine different rums, blended together many times. The production process requires skill, patience and passion to produce the generous taste and exceptional aroma of Havana Club rum.
