Bacardi

The Bacardi company was established by a Spaniard who emigrated to Cuba during the early 20th century; Don Facundo Bacardi Masso was born in 1814 in Catalonia and arrived in Santiago in his early teens. Facundo set about producing smooth, refined rums. His methods involved barrel ageing and charcoal filtration. Along with brother José, Facundo Bacardi established a distillery in 1862. The building also housed a population of fruit bats, thus the logo emblazoned on every bottle. After the Cuban War of Independence, some of the most popular cocktails were created in Cuba. Amongst their number were the Cuba Libre and the Daiquiri - both of which were conceived with Bacardi rum. Ernest Hemingway was said to request his daiquiri be made with Bacardi White Rum. In 1930, the Bacardi acquired a bottling plant in Mexico to sustain the massive influx of orders. A distillery was acquired in Puerto Rico, where Bacardi produces today. Bacardi rum has remained the number one best-selling spirit in the United States for over twenty-five years.