Cuban rums, along with cigars, have formed a core part of Cuba's national identity and fueled the country's economy for decades. U.S. enforced import restrictions has meant that, as contraband, Cuban-made rum has had a tumultuous history. However, this has always contributed somewhat to the spirit’s appeal, as something of a forbidden fruit. Famous brands that produce Cuban rums include Havana Club, Ron Cubay and Santiago de Cuba.
A huge factor in what makes Cuban rum so fantastic in the country’s unique terroir and climate. It is particularly ideal for growing agricultural products such as sugarcane and tobacco, which is why those Cuban crops are historically so revered around the world. The light, crisp style that people have come to recognise as being distinctly Cuban originated from a request by the Spanish Crown, which preferred its spirits delicate in flavour.
Cuban rum is generally created by squishing harvested sugarcane to extract the guarapo (juice) which is boiled to create molasses and sugar. The molasses is combined with water and yeast in tanks to ferment before the resulting liquid (vino de caña) is distilled in copper-lined columns stills. A condensed liquid is produced from this called aguardiente, which is typically placed into American white oak barrels for ageing. A unique requirement for the Cuban product is that the rum must spend at least two years in there before it can be filtered through charcoal. Cuban rum masters, known as 'maestros roneros', then blend the filtered rums together.