REFINED VICES

Continuing with the Havana Club rum reviews next in line is Havana Club Añejo Especial, a blend of rums aged up to five years in white oak barrels. I am fortunate enough to be living in Europe where I have access to the most celebrated authentic Cuban cigars and rums such as the Havana Club Añejo 7 Años and Cuban Barrel Proof that I've already reviewed here on Refined Vices.

Together with Puerto Rican rums, Cuban rums are lighter and more delicate in style when compared to most other rums.

"Cuban rum is the expression of the Cuban cultural mix." - Fernando Ortiz

Since the introduction of sugar cane to Cuba, native Africans were brought over to harvest the sugar cane and at the same time they became an important part of the Cuban ethnic mix - A combination of African, Spanish and natives.

When the Africans arrived in Cuba, they drank a fermented drink that was soon replaced by the fermented sugar cane nectar called Tafia, a rough and strong flavoured and usually a rather cloudy drink, favoured by swashbucklers and pirates.

Cuba became the birthplace of the world's first light rum when the harsh Tafia was converted into a more sophisticated spirit through the innovation of Pedro Diago, one of the founding fathers of Cuban rum, who had an idea to age aguardientes to change their flavour and aroma.

Click here to read the full review on the frontpage.

Count, you are a lucky man indeed. Blessed may be a better description. What I would do to gain access to fine Cuban rum and cigars! Now as you know I'm mad for the history and tradition of rum and Cuba, as most would recognize, plays a very important part. Indeed it established one of the four basic styles identified by Dave Broom, and codified by me as one of the five basic styles, represented here in the U.S. by Ron Matusalem, as close to authentic Cuban as we get here.

I was therefore very interested in the history included with this Havana Club Anejo, which I'd guess comes from the manufacturer, yes? I'd like to clarify at least one point. In the history it is claimed "...the harsh Tafia was converted into a more sophisticated spirit through the innovation of Pedro Diago, one of the founding fathers of Cuban rum, who had an idea to age aguardientes to change their flavour and aroma."

Ian Williams disagrees.

He advises that by 1827, Cuba had over 300 distilleries in operation. By 1860 it was over a thousand. He states that the Cubans used French alembic pot stills likely imported from Haiti. Still, he says, the Jamaican rum was considered much better. Then Fernando de Arritola developed a swan neck still with coils (like the modern Portuguese copper alembics) which did improve the rum.

But - and this is key - they had yet to age rum in oak. The above named Mr. Diago - though he did try burying the rum in pottery jars, failed to improve he flavor! Innovative he was - successful he was not. Rather than a "founding father" he was more like the "crazy uncle of Cuban rum", lol. It was not until later, when the Spanish offered a prize for a lighter better rum, that Bacardi finally developed the processes that led to the desired quality product.

Another important name is that of Justo Gonzalez of Cuba, who escaped with a supply of rum, moved to Curacao and established the very hard to find San Pablo authentic Cuban rums. Sue Sea and I have been VERY fortunate to find, taste and appreciate this fine rum (which is reviewed at the forum).

Link to Rum San Pablo Review

Rum San Pablo and Ron Matusalem are probably as close as we are going to get here. Both were rated very highly by us.

I'm not sure I am so much blessed as you are cursed because of the trade embargo but I do appreciate immensly that I have the option to sample these Cuban delicacies.

Thank you for correcting me Jimbo, this teaches me never to do my research in a hurry. I have now "fixed" this sentence. And yes, my source was the manufacturers website.

Next Havana Club rum review will be of the Añejo Blanco which is great for Mojitos. The other remaining rums are unfortunately out of my reach at the moment, really looking forward to finding the Havana Club 15 year one of these days.

I don't personally hold Havana Club rums in such high regard as a lot of people seem to do and I think its reputation is partly increased because most Americans can't get their hands on the rum, which makes it sort of a rare treat or a forbidden fruit in similar way smuggled liquor tastes always better. Not that I know anything about smuggled liquor ...

Count you are so right - the grass is always greener, particularly when there's a fence inbetween. On the other hand, when you lust after as many gorgeous Cuban women as I do here in South Florida, something tells you there must be something special about their rum and stogies....

Yes the cigars are still fabulous even if I don't hold the rum in such high regard. I should really visit Cuba sometime, for now I must settle for the Little Havana cigar bar in my town.