Cuba, also known as the “Pearl of the Antilles”, is a country that is associated with joy and excitement. From the colorful history, museums, hillside sugar plantations, Cuban Baroque architecture, cabaret, lively jazz, etc., Cuba showcases a rich cultural heritage. Cuban coffee, Cuisine, beaches of Havana, Cuban music, Classic American Cars, Revolutionary Che Guevara, Cigars, and Cuban Rums have attracted a wide variety of tourists across the globe to this famous island of the Caribbean. Recently, the giant spirits company Diageo partnered with Ron Santiago de Cuba rum brand to release the Ron Santiago de Cuba Añejo 8-Year-Old Rum.
In August 2019, Diageo partnered with Corporación Cuba Ron to distribute Ron Santiago de Cuba rum internationally – excluding the US. This deal was the first move of Diageo into the Cuban Rum. It also allowed the Cuban rums to spread internationally across Europe. Diageo X the Cuban distiller partnership gave rise to the brand Ron Santiago.
In June 2021, the Cuban brand was redesigned to boost its presence across Europe.
“We see a tremendous opportunity in the premium space across our key markets in the EU and GB – both outperforming the total rum category. In GB specifically, the premium rum segment is growing at 79% [Nielsen off-trade data], year on year, as consumers seek out new brands and serves to elevate their occasions at home.”
Dayalan Nayager, managing director, Diageo Great Britain,
Ron Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest Cuban rum brand, after Havana Club. The Oriente region has been known as the Cradle of Light Rum since 1862 and Santiago de Cuba is the city where the tradition of the Ron Ligero Cubano found its origins. The sugarcane from this region is infused with minerality from the sea and is aromatically sweet. The molasses extracted from the sugarcane have high sugar levels, low acidity, and low viscosity. This fresh product is fermented, distilled and charcoal filtered to refine its delicate, dry character. The liquid is matured in white oak barrels for a second time after blending for eight years. This process brings out subtle variations of flavor, forms the traditional expertise of the Cuban rum masters. The rum thus created, “dances with rhythm and soul in the glass.”
The añejo expression follows the Carta Blanca, Extra Añejo 11-Year-Old and Extra Añejo 12 Year Old in the relaunched Ron Santiago line.
“The new añejo eight is undoubtedly a rum from the Santiago de Cuba region. The aroma invades us upon the opening of a bottle. The combination of flavor and aroma of this new liquid is perfectly balanced and unique. As a master of Cuban rum, I am extremely proud of what we have created. We want this to be the pinnacle of an eight-year-old aged, Cuban rum.”
The brand’s rum master, Tranquilino Palencia Estruch, added
The official tasting notes of Ron Santiago de Cuba Añejo 8-Year-Old offer notes of honey, vanilla, cacao, and tropical fruit on the palate. The rum of 70 cl bottle is priced at £24 (US$32) and distributed by Justerini & Brooks in the UK. The rum will be released in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Baltics, and Cuba.
Indulge in the Ron Santiago de Cuba Añejo 8-Year-Old Cuban Rum and let the flavors take you on a rich, exciting, and passionate journey to the Land of Cuba.