Havana Club launches ‘Selección de Maestros’

Havana Club Selección de Maestros is latest addition to the Havana Club range of premium rums and will be available in key markets (including travel retail) from October 2010 at a RRP of €45. 

Highlighting the collective involvement of six experienced Maestros Roneros, led by Don Jose Navarro*, Havana Club Selección de Maestros is an expression of their collective work. Selecting the finest quality rums which stand apart for their exceptional characteristics, these hand-picked rums are then blended and aged in specially selected barrels that are chosen by the Maestros Roneros for the powerful, aromatic potential of their wood. The aged rum is then bottled straight from the barrel at 45% ABV.

Test launched in some markets as Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof, the newly named Selección de Maestros has already been recognised as a high-quality, ultra-premium rum, having been awarded a Gold medal by three of the world’s most influential spirits competitions: the San Francisco World Spirits Award, the Beverage Testing Institute’s International Review of Spirits and the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

Marc Beuve-Méry, managing director of Havana Club International, said: “We are confident that Havana Club Selección de Maestros will invigorate the ultra-premium rum category by appealing to discerning rum connoisseurs around the world, and will eventually mirror the success of Havana Club 7 Year Old in the super-premium category.”

Don José Navarro added: “The Maestros Roneros and I are proud of Havana Club Selección de Maestros, as we dedicate a lot of our personal time and energy to ensure that it is exceptional in its taste and flavour. We are delighted that this unique rum is now more widely available to real rum enthusiasts around the world.”

The packaging of Selección de Maestros reflects this with a bottle reminiscent of the prestige Havana Club expression Máximo Extra Añejo, creating a clear differentiation from the core range, which includes the two flagship rums Havana Club 7 Year Old and Havana Club 3 Year Old. The bottle incorporates a thick base, debossed and embossed luxury labelling and a natural cork closure. A neck tag label further highlights its Cuban roots, while the wood-effect presentation box references Cuban cigars, tradition and craftsmanship. 

* Having dedicated almost 40 years of his life to Havana Club, Don José Navarro, together with his team of five Maestros Roneros, is committed to ensuring quality throughout the unique blending and ageing processes. Through passion, patience and precision, his devotion to the Cuban rum-making tradition is unwavering. The five Cuban Maestros Roneros spend a minimum of 15 years with him, learning the profession and in time, inheriting the production secrets of the authentic Cuban rum.

Selección de Maestros tasting notes
Appearance: Havana Club Selección de Maestros distinguishes itself by a warm amber hue, with a deep, red glow.
Nose: A light nose of toasted pecan and spice aromas that reveals more robust origins with tobacco aromas and the presence of wood character.
Palate: A round and buoyant entry leads to a complex, flavourful, full-bodied palate of cocoa, coffee, sweet tobacco and brown spices.
Finish: A pleasant smoky oak and spice finish blended with candied fruits, to give the experience a remarkable balance.
Perfect serve: Havana Club Selección de Maestros is best enjoyed by rum connoisseurs as a slow-sipping rum, neat or on the rocks.     

About Havana Club International
The Havana Club International S.A. joint venture was established in November 1993 by the Cuban company Cuba Ron S.A., responsible for rum production, and the French Pernod Ricard Group, with the goal of developing the Havana Club brand internationally via Groupe Pernod Ricard’s strong international distribution network
Since 2003, Havana Club International S.A. has also been in charge of the domestic distribution of the Havana Club brand in Cuba, along with key international brands from the Pernod Ricard portfolio
In 2007, Havana Club International S.A. inaugurated its new rum distillery in San José to meet the increasing demand for aged rums.
Since 1994, Havana Club has been a priority brand for Pernod Ricard, and today it is one of the company’s top 15 key brands.
In 2009, Havana Club ranked 23rd in the Impact Top 100. Havana Club is the number-two international rum brand in the world outside the US, with sales reaching 3,5 million 9L cases on fiscal year ending June 2010.
The company is based in Havana and exports to 125 countries, except the US, where Cuban products are banned due to the trade embargo.

1 September 2010 - Felicity Murray