Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof

[Markus Lewalski]

Hi there,

below is a press release from Pernod-Ricard, who distribute Havana Club in Europe:

Quote

"LAUNCH OF HAVANA CLUB CUBAN BARREL PROOF

December 2004

Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof is an innovative concept, inaugurating a brand new category in the fast-growing world of super premium rums...

Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof is an innovative concept, inaugurating a brand new category in the fast-growing world of super premium rums.

Hand crafted by Cuba's renowned Maestro Ronero Don José Navarro, this 45° rum is aged in almost centennial oak casks and then it is given an oaky "finish" in specially selected younger casks.

Bottled straight from the cask, it combines a tannic and oaky personality with the traditional roundness and smoothness of Havana Club aged rums.

It has been awarded a Gold Medal, rated as an exceptional product with 92 pts, by the International Review of Spirits 2004 of the famous Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago.

Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof is exclusively available in Travel Retail.

Tasting notes according to Maestro Ronero Don José Navarro :

Aspect:

Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof distinguishes itself by a warm amber hue, with a deep red glow.

Aroma:

A light nose of caramel, toasted pecan and spice aromas which reveals more robust origins with tobacco aromas and the presence of wood character.

Taste:

A round and buoyant entry leads to a complex, flavourful, full-bodied palate of dark caramel, cocoa, coffee, sweet tobacco and brown spices. The pleasant smoky oak and spice finish blends with caramelized fruits to give the experience a remarkable balance."

Unqoute

Although it is supposed to be sold only in Duty Free shops I already found a German online shop which sells is for 42 EUR

http://www.weinquelle.com/

I ordered a bottle and I am very curious how it tastes as I am a big fan of Cuban rums and I love HC Anejo Reserva, HC 7 and HC 15.

Bye

Markus

[Ed Hamilton]

I look forward to finding a bottle of this new rum from Havana Club. I'm suprised that they would tout this as cask strength with only 45% alcohol. I don't know of any other rum that's aged at only 45% alcohol. And I know they age their other rums at a higher proof, so have they put these barrels aside at a lower strength? A lower alcohol strength in the aging process generally yields a better rum, so I look forward to tasting this one.

[ctgm]

I look forward to finding a bottle of this new rum from Havana Club. I'm suprised that they would tout this as cask strength with only 45% alcohol. I don't know of any other rum that's aged at only 45% alcohol. And I know they age their other rums at a higher proof, so have they put these barrels aside at a lower strength? A lower alcohol strength in the aging process generally yields a better rum, so I look forward to tasting this one.

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I agree about the % being marketed the way it is.

Looks like the cellar workers/master have been helping themselves and topping the barrel up with water.

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

seems I've seen some of their regular strength rums @ only 38%

[KOK]

Markus,

Do you know if weinquelle.com ships to the United States?

Thank you,

Kevin

[Ed Hamilton]

In the Dominican Republic some of the older rums are bottled at 38% alc, and I've seen some Cuban rums bottled at the lower proof as well.

As for shipping to the US, several retail stores will ship to you and sometimes you will get what you ordered. The problem isn't that the stores won't ship, it is that US customs prohibits alcohol from being shipped to you unless you have a federal basic import permit. Additionally the US still maintains an embargo against certain Cuban products, though I've seen Cuban cigars being smoked freely in Washington DC.

Prior to 9/11, it wasn't uncommon for rum shipments from Germany to get through the mail inspections, but that has changed.

[Miami Danny]

Additionally the US still maintains an embargo against certain Cuban products, though I've seen Cuban cigars being smoked freely in Washington DC.

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I believe it is not illegal to possess Cuban products, only to import them. That being said, forgive my ignorance, but isn't there a Havana Club Rum that is imported to the US that isn't made in Cuba?

[Ed Hamilton]

Danny, there is a Club Havana that is imported to Miami. That rum was bottled in Grenada but I haven't heard how much damage that facility sustained from hurricane Ivan.

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

I like to order extra virgin olive oil; customs has no problems with evoo Edited April 29, 2005 by Bolivar Petit Corona (log)

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

tasted this rum a coupla weeks ago :yum: it's delicious, but, not worth $100 a bottle

[gtidan]

In the Dominican Republic some of the older rums are bottled at 38% alc, and I've seen some Cuban rums bottled at the lower proof as well. 

As for shipping to the US, several retail stores will ship to you and sometimes you will get what you ordered. The problem isn't that the stores won't ship, it is that US customs prohibits alcohol from being shipped to you unless you have a federal basic import permit. Additionally the US still maintains an embargo against certain Cuban products, though I've seen Cuban cigars being smoked freely in Washington DC.

Prior to 9/11, it wasn't uncommon for rum shipments from Germany to get through the mail inspections, but that has changed.

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Correct on the shipping to the US but it's OK to bring it back when your out of the country. Rum is not on the embargo list.............so bring some home. I bought three bottles of HC in the B.V.I. and had no trouble going through customs in Miami

[Ed Hamilton]

Correct on the shipping to the US but it's OK to bring it back when your out of the country. Rum is not on the embargo list.............so bring some home. I bought three bottles of HC in the B.V.I. and had no trouble going through customs in Miami

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Customs in Miami International Airport has historically been pretty good to rum drinkers, but don't push your luck. I've been told, by Customs officers at MIA, that you aren't allowed to bring Cuban rum into the US. If you're returning to the US from the BVIs they typically ask where you came from and not the origin of the rum you are carrying with you. If you tell Customs that you've got Cuban rum with you, expect to loose it.

[gtidan]

Correct on the shipping to the US but it's OK to bring it back when your out of the country. Rum is not on the embargo list.............so bring some home. I bought three bottles of HC in the B.V.I. and had no trouble going through customs in Miami

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Customs in Miami International Airport has historically been pretty good to rum drinkers, but don't push your luck. I've been told, by Customs officers at MIA, that you aren't allowed to bring Cuban rum into the US. If you're returning to the US from the BVIs they typically ask where you came from and not the origin of the rum you are carrying with you. If you tell Customs that you've got Cuban rum with you, expect to loose it.

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Words to live by for sure, thanks.

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

"I have nothing to declare." Or, "I have X number bottles of liquor" (think 6 is the current limit).

[Kaptain Karrot]

I... um... may or may not have just brought a bottle of this stuff back from Belgium ( I am in Oregon). When I was asked if I had any fruit, plants, bacteria cultures, or liquor, I just said "yeah, I got some booze". I feel that the use of this more uh, colloquial term tends to engender fairly immediate disinterest and I breeze through customs. I was much more concerned when I brought back the HC 15 year (certainly worth a thread of its own) from Barcelona in May. Much, much, more expensive and I had some authentic absinthe on me as well. But the same casual approach with the customs officials worked just fine.

Back to the barrel proof: my girlfriend tasted first and remarked: "sweet". I was surprised because I had figgered that something cask-strength would have more bite. It was excellent with a Neuhaus dark chocolate praline that also came from duty-free at the Brussels airport.

The question of the moment seems to be: Does anyone have the inside skinny on how long this stuff is in wood?

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

:lol: "booze or hooch" both work fine, too

[Ned Christiansen]

I noticed last time I had Havana Club that one of the awards it has won was something like "Chicago, 1972". I thought it was odd that it could be awarded a medal where it is contraband.

I don't think there's such a thing as rum not being on the proscribed list. Anything Cuban, anything that puts American money into Cuba, is prohibido, that's my undertanding.... could be wrong though!

[Ed Hamilton]

I think the Chicago award was probably more like 1872, but I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time, and definitely won't be the last.

[Ned Christiansen]

I think the Chicago award was probably more like 1872, but I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time, and definitely won't be the last.

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Pretty sure it was '60's or '70's of the twentieth, but I could be wrong. Anybody got a bottle handy?

[Soren Nielsen]

This is a very good rum.

I bought a bottle of this from a German online store about a week ago. It is well worth the 45 euros for a litre. A sweet, balanced rum with a bit more robustness than the usual HC stuff. Definately a must try for HC fans!

Oh, and I also got a bottle of Barbancourt 8-year (0.7L) for 21 euros which I consider a bargain, at least in this region of the world.

Merry Christmas to everyone

[WoBuJiDao]

Looking at my Chinese-labeled bottle of HC7, it has an award from the "World Spirits Championship" in Chicago, 1997. Excellent, excellent stuff, and I find myself ignoring the rest of my liquor collection when I have a bottle around.

[El Ron de Cuba]

As I sit here reading my 2-year old bottle of HC7, it says Spirits World Championships in Chicago in 1997 and 1995 for the 7 anos and in 1997 for the Anejo Reserva.

As for being contraband, isn't there some sort of deal where if you get it through customs "you're golden"? I brought back 6 bottles with me in spring 2004 right before the US gov't. tightened up the travel restrictions.

[KOK]

As for being contraband, isn't there some sort of deal where if you get it through customs "you're golden"?  I brought back 6 bottles with me in spring 2004 right before the US gov't. tightened up the travel restrictions.

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When you say you "brought back 6 bottles", was that from Cuba? If not, if you get the rum through customs, you're safe in that you made it through. If the government found out you had contraband, they could sieze it.

It's my understanding that if you get government permission to visit Cuba (very hard to do), you may bring back rum (and cigars) for personal consumption, but I believe it's only two bottles.

I've been lucky to never have had any of my Havana Club siezed in customs coming back from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, etc, but I wouldn't go writing to Uncle Sam to invite him over for a drink .

Thanks,

Kevin

Edited January 9, 2006 by KOK (log)