The Real Story about Bacardi Rum
Luzmarie Jové, MBA2 ljove@umich.e
Issue date: 3/26/01 Section: Corporate
What images pop in your mind when you hear about Bacardi Rum? Maybe, you think about a clear and warm Caribbean beach, or maybe the latest Latin Party with lots of salsa and merengue or even you imagine yourself tasting a good piña colada under a palm tree. But would you know what country was Bacardi Rum really born in? Mmmmm…Puerto Rico? No. Bacardi Rum was born in Cuba a couple of centuries ago. The following is a brief story of how Bacardi Rum became the world’s best selling premium distilled spirit and why the roots of this Brand are unknown by many.
Origins
Rum making in the New World was indirectly begun by Christopher Columbus, who brought sugarcane from the Canary Islands to the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. At the turn of the 19th century, rum was a liquor considered to be harsh, rough, unfinished, and cheap, once reserved for Caribbean pirates. It was not consumed by the elite society nor served in fine establishments.
In the late part of the 19th century, a wine merchant named Don Facundo Bacardi Massó changed the popular perception of rum. Don Facundo who had emigrated from Spain to the colonial city of Santiago de Cuba started experimenting with the distillation of rum in his own home. His goal was to find a recipe that would “civilize” rum using European methods. He experimented with every step of the process, including the quality of the raw materials, the fermentation, and the distillation. He then added a step never tried before: mellowing the rum through charcoal filtration to remove impurities. Continuing his experimentation with oak barrel aging and blending techniques, Don Facundo catalogued his work like a scientist and evaluated his results like a connoisseur.
At last, Don Facundo Bacardi produced the type of spirit that met his standards. His rums were mellower and more refined than other rums. By comparison, the local rums seemed more brooding, heavy, and medicinal. Don Facundo’s surprisingly drinkable new light rum and his dark, rich, aged sipping rums had a unique quality to them.
Origins
Rum making in the New World was indirectly begun by Christopher Columbus, who brought sugarcane from the Canary Islands to the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. At the turn of the 19th century, rum was a liquor considered to be harsh, rough, unfinished, and cheap, once reserved for Caribbean pirates. It was not consumed by the elite society nor served in fine establishments.
In the late part of the 19th century, a wine merchant named Don Facundo Bacardi Massó changed the popular perception of rum. Don Facundo who had emigrated from Spain to the colonial city of Santiago de Cuba started experimenting with the distillation of rum in his own home. His goal was to find a recipe that would “civilize” rum using European methods. He experimented with every step of the process, including the quality of the raw materials, the fermentation, and the distillation. He then added a step never tried before: mellowing the rum through charcoal filtration to remove impurities. Continuing his experimentation with oak barrel aging and blending techniques, Don Facundo catalogued his work like a scientist and evaluated his results like a connoisseur.
At last, Don Facundo Bacardi produced the type of spirit that met his standards. His rums were mellower and more refined than other rums. By comparison, the local rums seemed more brooding, heavy, and medicinal. Don Facundo’s surprisingly drinkable new light rum and his dark, rich, aged sipping rums had a unique quality to them.
