Going to Cuba

[Rene]

Hi,

June 23 I'm going to Cuba for 3`1/2 week. I will cross the whole island. Where van I find all the distilleries?

Rene

[viejo majadero]

The Distilleries are in Puerto Rico. But don't drive there from Havana.

Viejo

[Markus Lewalski]

Hi Rene, you lucky guy,

As far as I know Cuba has several disilleries. But in Santiagio de Cuba you should definitely find something.

Maybe you can investigate a bit because the famous real Cuban Matusalem comes/came from Santiago de Cuba. However, it seems, it is no longer produced for some years, but no confirmed information is available. Maybe you can find out more by asking at several distilleries.

Have fun and bring back as much rum as possible (I highly recommend Relicario 7 yo)

Greetings from Brussels

Markus

[Dom Costa]

In Santiago youll'find the distillery where they make Havana Club, but do not expect to find anything glamorous or something similar to the Bacardi visitors center in PR, actually I think they make miracles overthere, everything looks so old , rusty and worn out...

By the way I asked all bartenders I met about Cuban produced Matusalem, but none of them knew anything about, actually most of them did not even know the existance of this rum, and you will not find any in the shelves of the bars in Cuba, I guess someone put the story around that you can still find Cuban made Matusalem in Cuba, but I realized it was actually a legend!!! For a change I suggest Ron Caney, it was a pleasant surprise to me as we don't get it in Italy , very enjoiable neat , in Cuba Libre and Daiquiri as well.

Salud

Dom Costa

[Ed Hamilton]

I can't tell you where the distillery is but Varadero makes some good rums as you probably already know. Good luck with the research.

[Pierre]

Unfortunately, the rums produced in Cuba are inferior to those produced in other parts of the Caribbean.

The Cuban government has continued to "use" the names of some of the more famous rums that were produced there before the communist take-over of the late 1950's. You may find the names of "Bacardi," "Matusalem," and/or "Havana Club" on rums produced in Cuba today, but they are not produced by the original families, or the original companies that own these names. They are often not even produced in the same stills, or in the same locations as the originals.

Pierre

[Nick]

Maybe Cuba has the namesake of this forum - "The Ministry of Rum." Or at least a ministry of distilleries that could point you in the right direction. Say hi to Fidel.. and bring back some cigars.

[Rene]

I will take as much rum with me as I can, and I will take more cigars than I will ever smoke

(actually, I don't smoke)

[Dom Costa]

Actually the only rum I suggest you take back home is Havana Club 15 yo, you can find it on the shelves of the few supermarkets in La Habana at 80 USD a bottle, which is an excellent value considering is on sale at least at 130/150 USD in Europe. All other rums ( Varadero, Caribbean. etc.), except Caney, yuo can find it everywhere in Europe, is useless to bring them with you. Just one suggestion: don't buy cigars on the streets, they are all crap, even if the package looks original inside you may find cigars stuffed with banana or palm tree leaves !!!! Watch it !!!

Dom

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

Unfortunately, the rums produced in Cuba are inferior to those produced in other parts of the Caribbean.

The Cuban government has continued to "use" the names of some of the more famous rums that were produced there before the communist take-over of the late 1950's. You may find the names of "Bacardi," "Matusalem," and/or "Havana Club" on rums produced in Cuba today, but they are not produced by the original families, or the original companies that own these names. They are often not even produced in the same stills, or in the same locations as the originals.

Pierre

I beg to differ. The rums produced in CUBA to many, are the BEST in the WORLD!