Dan Smith

Greetings, Great post Bolivar. Very informative article. But, I think that they got the tasting down pretty well, except for... wait a second... [flame suit]except for the exaggerated Havana Club comments[/flame suit]. I like Havana Club, but there are much better rums out there, not only Cuban... like; Cruzan Single Barrel, Pomparo Aniversario, Santa Teresa 1796 Solera and of course Zacapa Centenario. Of course it all boils down to your individual taste. That's what makes the world so interesting and exciting. If we all liked the same thing, I don't think there'd be a forum on the topic... right They liked Matusalem Anejo Superior (my all time favorite) the best in the Premium category and Ron Santiago 45th (I have the 12 year old and it's my second fav) and the HC Grand Reserva in Super Premium (I can only dream). Varadero 7 Year Old and Caribbean Club 7 Year Old (my 3rd fav) both came out strong in the Anejo category. Which also makes sense. Those mentioned above are some of the best rums in the world. I'm headed back to Havana this summer and I'm feverishly counting the days.... Cheers

Ya, it would seem so BPC I got your email and have responded, as you will probably well know by the time you read this. Thanks, it sounds great. I can't wait to try it. I'll let you know when I want some... a bottle that is... Cheers

Thanks for the great info Lesley. I live close to Montreal and I'm always looking for new things to experience. I'll probably go at least once, if I do, I'll let you guys know what I thought of the event. BTW, your provided link does not work

Greetings, We have the 3 year old available here in the Montreal, Quebec, Canada market. The 3 Year Old is nothing to be excited about... but I hear that the 7 year old is a great rum. Cheers

Thanks, I'm glad to have found this forum. Great place, great peolpe, great topic. Dan

Greetings, I would just like to add that Flor De Cana 7 year old AND the 12 year old Centenatio are among my favorite rums. Cheers

Greetings, I do not know if anyone is still interested in this tread, but I have just yesterday bought a bottle of Ron Zaya. I got it at Hi Times Wines Cellar in Costa Mesa, CA. I have also seen it at a liquor store in Miami, FL two weeks ago. The shop is located on NW 7th st, east of the "9" and south of the "836" in Miami. Hope that it helps out a little. Cheers

Greetings, I do not know if anyone is still interested in where to find Ron Zacapa Centenario. I just two weeks ago bought a bottle of it in Miami, FL USA for 36.00 USD. I found it at a liquor store located on NW 7th steet in Miami east of the "9" and south of the "836". I hope that it helps. Good luck. Cheers

Greetings, I've tryed four true Cuban rums, Matusalem, Santiago, Caney and Caribbean Club. They are in a class of their own, minus the Ron Caney. I have 38 individual rums in my collection, including all of the "heavy hitters" like; Ron Zacapa Centenario, Pomparo Anaversario, Santa Teresa 1796 Solera, Ron Zaya, El Dorado 15 year old, Cruzan Single Barrel, Flor de Cana Centenario 12 Year Old... Matusalem Anejo Superior is by far my favorite. Folowed by a close second, Ron Santiago De Cuba. Cheers

Greetins Bolivar Petit Corona, I would love to know how to get a hold of Matusalem Anejo Superior from Cuba... but your email is set to private... can you get a hold of me PLEASE? ehfidan@hotmail.com Thanks, Dan

Greetings, I went to Cuba this summer and brought back a bottle of Matusalem anejo Superior. After I drank the bottle and I realized that it was in a class of it's own (with a VERY close second Santiago De Cuba). Since then I went insane trying to find this rum. I could not. I contacted Tim Forsythe at Caribbean Week Newspaper and we lead me to the Matusalem Company based in Miami. After responding to an e-mail I sent to the Matusalem Company concerning the Cuba rum, Jim Tirel (Sales Manager for Matusalem Co.) called me. We had a long conversation about Matusalem and the Cuban variant of their rum. It all boils down to Castro and the revolution. Matusalem was producing their rum in Cuba, business as usual. Then came the revolution. They fled Cuba. The next part is a little sketchy, Jim Tirel did not tell me all of it. I don't know about the Bahamas part. Jim told me that they set up in Miami and Castro took aver their plant in Cuba and he then continued to produce rum under the Matusalem banner. After a ~17 year long legal battle, in 1998, maybe 1999, they finally won back the world rights to their name and product. They now are distilling their product in St-Croix, US Virgin Islands, and bottling it in Miami USA. And Castro still produces his version of Matusalem in Cuba. BUT... if he exports any of it, Matusalem Miami has the right to sieze the shipment (just as Bacardi has done in the past, so says Jim T.). That's all that I know, Cheers, Dan Smith, Montreal, Canada