Havana Club rums, while not available for sale in the United States, can usually be found when traveling outside the country, and over the years a recurring question has been asked concerning if they are worth the suitcase space. The brand itself is polarizing due to political reasons, as ownership of the Havana Club brand is split between the Cuban government through the Ministry of Food under the name Cuba Ron and Pernod Ricard, each carrying a 50-50 stake in it.
All the rums used to create this product are molasses-based column still rums that have been produced at different distilleries around the island. The different Maestro Roneros for the distilleries select rums from their aging facilities to be included in this blend. The selected rums go through a triple aging process using used white oak bourbon barrels. After this aging process, the Maestro Roneros select the final rums that will be part of the blend. Which is why the rum is fittingly called Selección de Maestros. No age statement is provided, but the rums are blended and bottled at 45% ABV.
Appearance
The rum is sold with and without a brown tube that provides some details about the rum. The bottle is a tall custom 700 ml design with the words “El Ron De Cuba” embossed below the neck. The front and back labels provide a minimum amount of information about the rum and seem by design to want the consumer to focus on the golden hued burnt umber liquid.
The Havana Club branded plastic cap holds a synthetic cork and is secured to the bottle with a black security wrap with the words “Selección de Maestros” wrapped around the neck. The liquid lightens slightly in the glass. After I swirled the liquid, a thin band formed that slowly thickened and released a single wave of equally slow legs before evaporating with only a few beads of liquid remaining around the glass.
Nose
The astringent punch of the ethanol leads the way, quickly followed by notes of caramel, roasted nuts (a combination of toasted almonds and pecans), raisins, lemon zest, and cardamom.
Palate
Like the aroma, the rum’s flavor leads with an astringent punch of charred oak and alcohol. Additional sips reveal notes of raisins, brown sugar, and vanilla, and then a swirl of spices manifesting midpalate—cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. As the palate is conditioned to the rum, the nuttiness from the aroma manifests as caramelized sugar pecans and toasted almonds and coconut, with rich cacao and dried tobacco leaf. This tobacco note gently transitions the rum into a charred oak mineral-rich finish that lingers for quite some time.
Review
For many years this rum expression was considered the pinnacle of the Havana Club line. Recently, the company has released other expressions that may make that consideration outdated, but so far, those rums appear to be limited outside the island. This is a rum that must be sipped slowly and savored as the flavors unfold on the palate. While the rum does not have a vintage or age statement, there are subtle changes to the flavor profile over the years as different rums are used in the blend. There have always been reports of small-level additive usage with this brand, with recent reports stating that up to 10 grams per liter have been detected. I do not believe the additives make the rum overly sweet and found it to be an enjoyable sipper that functioned well in a range of classic cocktails and shined in a few tropical drinks. To answer the opening question, yes, if you like what you read in this review, then Havana Club Selección de Maestros is worth the room in your suitcase.
