Joining the Havana Club

JOINING THE HAVANA CLUB (THEN AND NOW)

When done right, food and wine and spirits combine science, art, and history — combined with memory and imagination.

Something special happened last night.

Chad Holloway gifted me a new bottle of Havana Club (rum). What makes this so special? Allow me to provide some background and share a personal story or two, which puts Chad’s generosity into perspective.

For those who are not aware, most Cuban-produced products are banned here in the United States. This embargo has been in force since 1959, the date of the Cuban Castro-led revolution. The embargo has been a complete failure, since then. Consider the consequences. The most popular consumer items made Cuba are easy — cigars and rum. They’re regarded the best in the world, and the fact you can’t “legally” buy them in the United States makes these products even more coveted. Note: The best way to make something popular is to *ban* it. That’s certainly true for alcohol, drugs, gambling, and sex.

To be clear, I’m not a rum aficionado. Most commercial rums (what we drink in bars and restaurants) are commonly diluted by powerful mixers, like fruit juices, which render elite authentic rums as unnecessary overkill–unless you’re doing a tasting with rum shots served straight up. But, something labeled as “Havana” should authentically be from Havana. Call me difficult and demanding.

When I lived in Romania (1989-1991), Havana Club was considered THE DRINK. Usually, drank in shots. Romanian Army soldiers drank it. Stolichnaya (vodka) was the other popular liquor that was widely available, at least in the capital. Reason is — bottles were cheap. In the 1980s, Communist countries had reciprocal trade agreements with each other, so Romania had plentiful bottles of Havana Club and Stolichnaya (imported from Russia). I think they cost $3, but that was back in the ’80s so it would be like $10 today. A steal!

When I departed Romania, I took back several bottles of Havana Club with me. Diplomatic privileges and no annoying customs meant personal effects and shipping bans weren’t enforced. BTW, most diplomats take advantage of this perk–don’t bother reporting me for breaking the law. Fast forward nearly 40 years later: I’m now down to my very last bottle of authentic Havana Club, made in Cuba, sold in Communist Romania, which was shipped back here to the USA when I returned. [SEE PHOTO]. I have only about a third of the bottle left, savoured for special occasions. Marieta and I have toasted anniversaries with this final bottle, as I can still remember purchasing it from a bar in central Bucharest (they didn’t have liquor laws).

Chad and his fresh new bottle to the rescue! Reinforcements have arrived!

Havana Club has a complex and somewhat confusing history. In fact, two versions of Havana Club exist today. One is real. The other is a fraud:

REAL: International Havana Club (from Cuba) is produced in by Corporación Cuba Ron and sold globally (bit not in the USA) by French-owned Pernod Ricard. It is crafted using traditional Cuban methods and represents the classic Cuban rum style. Everything about this product is identical to the origins and methods of the 1950s.

FAKE: Havana Club (USA version–from Puerto Rico): Mass produced by Bacardi. Due to the US trade embargo, Bacardi—which acquired the original recipe and rights from the exiled Arechabala family—marketed and sold this bastardized version exclusively inside the United States. Bacardi is a fairly decent well-house liquor, but it’s not Cuban sugar cane. It’s a fraud. This name should not exist on this product because it has NOTHING to do with Havana.

So, don’t be fooled by “Havana Club” on the shelves of many American liquor stores. It’s like buying a BMW made in South Carolina. That’s not a “German” car. That’s a bad joke. And Puerto Rican Havana Club is not “Cuban.”

Last night was a surprise and a special treat. In a few years, this won’t be a big deal. I presume — one way or another — Cuba will go through some changes (I’ll make some predictions later in another post). Five or ten years from now, you’ll be able to purchase real Havana Club in grocery stores.

Until then, I’m going to enjoy this. Toasting rebellion and the revolution.

__________

[Photo: 1, Chad and I; Upper photo: Latest Havana Club; Lower photo: Communist Romania 1989 Havana Club]