Paul Kushner
Cuba is famous around the world for producing some truly outstanding rums. The warm tropical climate and Caribbean influences have helped cultivate unique rum styles that can’t be replicated anywhere else. Cuban rum makers have been perfecting their craft for centuries, and it really shows in the quality and flavor of their products.
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When it comes to finding the best of the best, there are a few brands that tend to rise to the top time and time again. Master blenders have developed signature tastes that rum connoisseurs love. The blending and aging processes result in rums that are smooth, complex and full of character. Cubans really know how to make a great rum, and these top brands are a great place to start exploring the island’s rum heritage.
Havana Club
Havana Club is a rum company that expresses pride in the specifics and rigors of Cuban distillery traditions, with their master distillers undergoing a grueling 15-year minimum apprenticeship. They offer a variety of rum, with three signature bottles, including Havana Club 7, Havana Club 3, and Havana Club Especial. They’ve more recently come out with modern varieties, like the Cuban Smoky, which caters to Whiskey lovers.
Ron Cubay
A newer distillery on the scene, Ron Cubay originated in the Central Cuban town of Santo Dominico in 1964. Ron Cubay prides itself on making rum in Cuba for Cuban palates. They make a variety of white and gold rums, all with a distinctly sweet flavor. They offer aged rums between three and ten years. The three-year-aged Carta Dorada is especially smooth and mild. It’s the perfect addition to any cocktail.
Ron Santero
Named for the traditional religious practices of Santeria, Ron Santero is a rum maker that offers an especially bold flavored Cuban rum. Their collection of rums includes white, silver, and dark varieties. The aged varieties are aged between 3 and 15 years in white oak barrels. The crowd-pleaser Santero is the 11-year aged bottle with bright amber coloring and an ultra-smooth finish that’s best enjoyed neat.
Santiago de Cuba
Named for the Cuban capital, Santiago de Cuba rum is a Cuban rum brand specializing in light rum. According to the company, Santiago de Cuba is the birthplace of light rum, a beloved tradition since 1862. They offer three bottles, including the young white rum using green sugar cane and the deeper, more complex aged rum. The 11-year-aged rum has delicious notes of almond, coconut, and vanilla.
Ron Mulata de Cuba
Unlike many of the Cuban rum brands on my list, Ron Mulata de Cuba is distilled and aged in various distilleries around the Santa Fe region. They offer a variety of brown, white, spiced, and aguardiente rums. Their spiced varieties feature a uniquely blue-colored Spiced Blue Ice that tastes like spearmint, which would go beautifully with a mojito.
