Cuban Rum...the rarest? Who has tried it?

[El Presidente]

I know many of us are Cuban rum enthusiasts. Well....many of us are just rum (great) enthusiasts

ken poured this about a month ago at one of our cigar tastings. Who has tried it before? Who knows the history? if you have tried it, what are your thoughts?

[petey]

I'm a definite rum guy, cuban and everywhere else. Some rare and expensive stuff but have never seen Ken's bottle. Tell us more!

[Ken Gargett]

i have done a piece on it for a mag. will dig it out. i'm sure i have mentioned it before. the seal is actually from a cognac bottle - the cork, which was sealed like a rock, later crumbled. the cognac seal worked well. and i pour very tiny quantities through a sieve.

[kwsaw63]

Looking forward to your review Ken. Never had Cuban rum before; I mostly drink Ron Zacapa 23.

[Jeremy Festa]

Rad bottle. Interested in what it was like! From the '60's or '70's right?

Edit:- Anyone who's anyone knows if you want rum in Brisbang you walk to the end of my street and hit up the Brekky Creek's rum bar... Yiiieeeeeooo!

Check out their rum list here --> http://www.breakfastcreekhotel.com/downloads/Breakfast_Creek%20SubStation_Rum_List.pdf

[Ken Gargett]

this is not the full piece and tweaked a little.

Claims of any rum as the GOAT ('Greatest of All Time' – should that be GROAT? Greatest Rum...) is usually the sort of thing best left to very late at night, armed with your favourite contender. It is a debate that will never see universal accord, but that is half the fun.

A candidate, not only for GROAT, but for ROAT ('Rarest of All Time'), is the mythical Cuban rum, 'Isla del Tesoro'.

Never heard of it? Don't worry, most rum experts are in the same boat. Even amongst those that have, many think it the ultimate 'RUM' (that would be 'Rum Urban Myth').

The story? It includes, love him or hate him, one of the most iconic leaders of the 20^th century, legendary cigars, a famous and beloved author and an auction on the other side of the planet from where this mythical rum lay maturing in barrels for so many years.

Most Australians think Queenslanders start drinking rum before they can walk. It isn’t true, of course, but as the famous Bundaberg Distillery has been producing the stuff since 1888, locals do have an affinity for the stuff. In truth, the vast majority of the Bundaberg production is destined for blending with cola or whatever takes the fancy, and regrettably, there is not a tradition of sipping rum neat, or with a little ice, as one might with top malts or cognacs – but it is evolving.

For me, a great rum is as deserving of interest and adulation as any malt, cognac or other spirit. Better still, rum is usually much, much cheaper than malts and cognacs of similar quality. Americans, of course, are denied the pleasures of the best, or indeed any, Cuban rums, thanks to the posturings of politicians, but others will have enjoyed fine Cuban rums from makers such as Havana Club, Caney, Varadero, Cubay and Santiago.

Santiago has long been a personal favourite and on one trip to Cuba, I found a curiously shaped bottle (selling for about US$100) of Santiago rum, very similar to their wonderful '20 Year Extra Anejos', but seemed to be celebrating the 485^th anniversary. The rum was brilliant. The best I had tried – liquid dessert. On subsequent trips, I picked up other bottles, also superb, but there seemed minute changes in labelling (the original suggested only 1,000 bottles while subsequent bottles moved to 10,000 and 12,000?). They were also excellent, though I think that they fell short of the true glories of the first. Fair to say that accuracy and full disclosure has not always been the highest priority when it comes to labelling Cuban products.

Taking to friends from Havana about their great rums, rumours emerged. Not least, about the 'Ron Edmundo Dantes, Gran Reserva 25 Years'. There is a '15-Year' version seemingly commercially available but this was, supposedly, an extremely rare bottling. I left word with friends in the cigar industry to get in touch should they ever find a bottle. They did – a weird triangular porcelain container with a lovely rum, though I don't believe it hit the heights of the Santiago. Not cheap (unless compared to similarly priced malts, etc) but I was delighted and collected it on my next trip.

Then, late one night over rums and cigars, a good friend, Hamlet Parides, one of Havana's finest rollers, mentioned to me an even more mythical rum – the legendary 'La Isla del Tesoro', but he'd never seen it and nor had anyone he knew. I had the impression that he was not even sure it really existed. Few people in Havana are as well connected as Hamlet and if he couldn't get hold of it, let alone lay on eyes on it, then it seemed highly unlikely anyone could. I was immediately entranced. This was surely the Holy Grail of rum.

I made extensive enquiries (and if you think this was easy, try googling it – hard to think of a subject with less information floating around the cyber-ether) to no avail. Legend has it, and I can find no official confirmation or supporting evidence, that it dates back to the early days of the Castro regime. Many will know the story of how Fidel Castro noticed the aromas of the cigar his bodyguard was smoking. As Castro himself said, “a very aromatic, very nice cigar, and I asked him what brand he was smoking. He told me that it was a special blend, but that it came from a friend who makes cigars and he gave them to him. I said, let's find this man. I tried the cigar, and I found it so good that we got in touch with him and asked him how he made it... We found a group of cigar makers. We gave them the material and that is how the factory was founded. Now Cohiba is known all over the world."

Until the 1980's, Cohiba cigars were not commercially available. They were only for use by heroes of the Revolution such as Fidel and Che and as gifts for visiting dignitaries. Such was their allure that when they were eventually released to the world and still to this day, they are considered the pinnacle of the rollers' art.

Legend also has it that Castro wanted something similar for Cuba's other great gift to the world – rum. And so the 'Isla del Tesoro' was born but, unlike Cohiba cigars, this rum has never been made available to anyone other than the lucky few who have been presented with a bottle by the Cuban government. As best as I can discover, and no one in an official position will make any sort of comment at all, it is part of the Santiago production, no doubt an extremely tiny part. One can fairly assume that it has spent a great many years in barrels and that the blend is the very finest they can create.

The name? If forced to guess, I would imagine that Stevenson's 'Treasure Island' was one of the books, along with Shakespeare and various political manifestos, that was read to cigar rollers. The name was a perfect fit.

Curiously, in the days when high-end bottles of whisky, vodka, champagne and others are become more and more, gaudy showpieces on their own, Isla del Tesoro comes in the most modest, unassuming squat, drab-brown container one could imagine. I’m told that it is then boxed in what resembles a treasure chest, with a treasure map, but mine came as is, though it did have a very old and decrepit piece of paper rolled up with it. It is possible that this was once 'the map' but impossible to tell.

Mine? For quite a few years after I had heard the tale, I’d no reason to suspect it was anything other than a myth. Then, out of the blue, I happened to notice at the back of a Langton's auction catalogue in the Spirits section, 'Isla del Tesoro. Cuba. Est $20 to $30'.

Seriously? $20 for such a prize? Saying absolutely nothing to anyone, I put in a bid slightly above the top estimate. For days leading up to the auction, it sat there unchallenged. Then, in the final hours, someone jumped in with a thumping bid of $200. I was, of course, outraged (and very grumpy) that someone else was trying to pinch MY rum. I have no idea if they too, had heard the story or just liked Cuban rum but we entered into a brief bidding war – from memory it went to about $260 – fortunately, it fell my way.

I can remember being utterly and completely underwhelmed when the rum finally arrived. It really is quite unprepossessing (I was reminded of the final scenes of the 'Indiana Jones' movie where he selects the most modest container as the Holy Grail – it seemed to fit nicely). I tried to find out how it got to Australia but all the auction house could tell me was that the vendor told them it was with his family for a very long time.

It sat quietly in the back of the cupboard for a few years – when do you drink something like that? I decided that if the Wallabies beat the Lions or Queensland made it 'eight straight' in the State of Origin, I’d pull the trigger (so thanks, and cheers, to the Queenslanders).

Things didn’t go well. The cork, which had done an admirable job as a seal, crumbled upon sight of the corkscrew. But a minor quibble and it was all glorious from then on. The colour was a deep, quite dark, orange-brown but immediately, the aroma filled the room, like a grateful genie waiting centuries for release from confinement – all orange rinds and caramel notes. A rum that was powerful and richly flavoured. The palate offered a texture that was extraordinary – dense, rich, supple and amazingly long. Imagine skiing in the deepest powder snow. Flavours of florals, tropicals, exotic spices and honeysuckle came in waves. The length was truly astonishing. The rum quite literally gave me goosebumps. If one was forced to demean its glories with a numerical score, then 100/100 is the only possible option. This was like an incredibly complex, treacly, creamy, alcoholic ice-cream.

If there is a better, or rarer, rum on this planet then I want to know about it now.

[Ken Gargett]

Rad bottle. Interested in what it was like! From the '60's or '70's right?

Edit:- Anyone who's anyone knows if you want rum in Brisbang you walk to the end of my street and hit up the Brekky Creek's rum bar... Yiiieeeeeooo!

Check out their rum list here --> http://www.breakfastcreekhotel.com/downloads/Breakfast_Creek%20SubStation_Rum_List.pdf

it is a fantastic list of rums but no prices? do they have these rums or are these just all the names they find?

i get really concerned by any place claiming expertise in rums that then list bacardi and matusalem as cuban. seriously?

[Jeremy Festa]

this is not the full piece and tweaked a little.

Claims of any rum as the GOAT ('Greatest of All Time' – should that be GROAT? Greatest Rum...) is usually the sort of thing best left to very late at night, armed with your favourite contender. It is a debate that will never see universal accord, but that is half the fun.

A candidate, not only for GROAT, but for ROAT ('Rarest of All Time'), is the mythical Cuban rum, 'Isla del Tesoro'.

Never heard of it? Don't worry, most rum experts are in the same boat. Even amongst those that have, many think it the ultimate 'RUM' (that would be 'Rum Urban Myth').

The story? It includes, love him or hate him, one of the most iconic leaders of the 20^th century, legendary cigars, a famous and beloved author and an auction on the other side of the planet from where this mythical rum lay maturing in barrels for so many years.

Most Australians think Queenslanders start drinking rum before they can walk. It isn’t true, of course, but as the famous Bundaberg Distillery has been producing the stuff since 1888, locals do have an affinity for the stuff. In truth, the vast majority of the Bundaberg production is destined for blending with cola or whatever takes the fancy, and regrettably, there is not a tradition of sipping rum neat, or with a little ice, as one might with top malts or cognacs – but it is evolving.

For me, a great rum is as deserving of interest and adulation as any malt, cognac or other spirit. Better still, rum is usually much, much cheaper than malts and cognacs of similar quality. Americans, of course, are denied the pleasures of the best, or indeed any, Cuban rums, thanks to the posturings of politicians, but others will have enjoyed fine Cuban rums from makers such as Havana Club, Caney, Varadero, Cubay and Santiago.

Santiago has long been a personal favourite and on one trip to Cuba, I found a curiously shaped bottle (selling for about US$100) of Santiago rum, very similar to their wonderful '20 Year Extra Anejos', but seemed to be celebrating the 485^th anniversary. The rum was brilliant. The best I had tried – liquid dessert. On subsequent trips, I picked up other bottles, also superb, but there seemed minute changes in labelling (the original suggested only 1,000 bottles while subsequent bottles moved to 10,000 and 12,000?). They were also excellent, though I think that they fell short of the true glories of the first. Fair to say that accuracy and full disclosure has not always been the highest priority when it comes to labelling Cuban products.

Taking to friends from Havana about their great rums, rumours emerged. Not least, about the 'Ron Edmundo Dantes, Gran Reserva 25 Years'. There is a '15-Year' version seemingly commercially available but this was, supposedly, an extremely rare bottling. I left word with friends in the cigar industry to get in touch should they ever find a bottle. They did – a weird triangular porcelain container with a lovely rum, though I don't believe it hit the heights of the Santiago. Not cheap (unless compared to similarly priced malts, etc) but I was delighted and collected it on my next trip.

Then, late one night over rums and cigars, a good friend, Hamlet Parides, one of Havana's finest rollers, mentioned to me an even more mythical rum – the legendary 'La Isla del Tesoro', but he'd never seen it and nor had anyone he knew. I had the impression that he was not even sure it really existed. Few people in Havana are as well connected as Hamlet and if he couldn't get hold of it, let alone lay on eyes on it, then it seemed highly unlikely anyone could. I was immediately entranced. This was surely the Holy Grail of rum.

I made extensive enquiries (and if you think this was easy, try googling it – hard to think of a subject with less information floating around the cyber-ether) to no avail. Legend has it, and I can find no official confirmation or supporting evidence, that it dates back to the early days of the Castro regime. Many will know the story of how Fidel Castro noticed the aromas of the cigar his bodyguard was smoking. As Castro himself said, “a very aromatic, very nice cigar, and I asked him what brand he was smoking. He told me that it was a special blend, but that it came from a friend who makes cigars and he gave them to him. I said, let's find this man. I tried the cigar, and I found it so good that we got in touch with him and asked him how he made it... We found a group of cigar makers. We gave them the material and that is how the factory was founded. Now Cohiba is known all over the world."

Until the 1980's, Cohiba cigars were not commercially available. They were only for use by heroes of the Revolution such as Fidel and Che and as gifts for visiting dignitaries. Such was their allure that when they were eventually released to the world and still to this day, they are considered the pinnacle of the rollers' art.

Legend also has it that Castro wanted something similar for Cuba's other great gift to the world – rum. And so the 'Isla del Tesoro' was born but, unlike Cohiba cigars, this rum has never been made available to anyone other than the lucky few who have been presented with a bottle by the Cuban government. As best as I can discover, and no one in an official position will make any sort of comment at all, it is part of the Santiago production, no doubt an extremely tiny part. One can fairly assume that it has spent a great many years in barrels and that the blend is the very finest they can create.

The name? If forced to guess, I would imagine that Stevenson's 'Treasure Island' was one of the books, along with Shakespeare and various political manifestos, that was read to cigar rollers. The name was a perfect fit.

Curiously, in the days when high-end bottles of whisky, vodka, champagne and others are become more and more, gaudy showpieces on their own, Isla del Tesoro comes in the most modest, unassuming squat, drab-brown container one could imagine. I’m told that it is then boxed in what resembles a treasure chest, with a treasure map, but mine came as is, though it did have a very old and decrepit piece of paper rolled up with it. It is possible that this was once 'the map' but impossible to tell.

Mine? For quite a few years after I had heard the tale, I’d no reason to suspect it was anything other than a myth. Then, out of the blue, I happened to notice at the back of a Langton's auction catalogue in the Spirits section, 'Isla del Tesoro. Cuba. Est $20 to $30'.

Seriously? $20 for such a prize? Saying absolutely nothing to anyone, I put in a bid slightly above the top estimate. For days leading up to the auction, it sat there unchallenged. Then, in the final hours, someone jumped in with a thumping bid of $200. I was, of course, outraged (and very grumpy) that someone else was trying to pinch MY rum. I have no idea if they too, had heard the story or just liked Cuban rum but we entered into a brief bidding war – from memory it went to about $260 – fortunately, it fell my way.

I can remember being utterly and completely underwhelmed when the rum finally arrived. It really is quite unprepossessing (I was reminded of the final scenes of the 'Indiana Jones' movie where he selects the most modest container as the Holy Grail – it seemed to fit nicely). I tried to find out how it got to Australia but all the auction house could tell me was that the vendor told them it was with his family for a very long time.

It sat quietly in the back of the cupboard for a few years – when do you drink something like that? I decided that if the Wallabies beat the Lions or Queensland made it 'eight straight' in the State of Origin, I’d pull the trigger (so thanks, and cheers, to the Queenslanders).

Things didn’t go well. The cork, which had done an admirable job as a seal, crumbled upon sight of the corkscrew. But a minor quibble and it was all glorious from then on. The colour was a deep, quite dark, orange-brown but immediately, the aroma filled the room, like a grateful genie waiting centuries for release from confinement – all orange rinds and caramel notes. A rum that was powerful and richly flavoured. The palate offered a texture that was extraordinary – dense, rich, supple and amazingly long. Imagine skiing in the deepest powder snow. Flavours of florals, tropicals, exotic spices and honeysuckle came in waves. The length was truly astonishing. The rum quite literally gave me goosebumps. If one was forced to demean its glories with a numerical score, then 100/100 is the only possible option. This was like an incredibly complex, treacly, creamy, alcoholic ice-cream.

If there is a better, or rarer, rum on this planet then I want to know about it now.

Get farrrked! Great story! Want some! At least the bottle when you're done. My youngest daughter's name is Isla!

[Jeremy Festa]

it is a fantastic list of rums but no prices? do they have these rums or are these just all the names they find?

i get really concerned by any place claiming expertise in rums that then list bacardi and matusalem as cuban. seriously?

I have only actually been in there (Substation 41 that is) twice, considering the beer off-the-wood is also available and we are usually there with the family having steaks etc

But, from recollection, it is in fact all overpriced, but it is a bar, so that's why they probably don't have their prices online. However, they have specials and features up on the chalk board all the time. We should have a little Brisbang shindig with all the lads down at BCH one time soon. I have also smoked cigars there! Hooray!

[Ken Gargett]

I have only actually been in there (Substation 41 that is) twice, considering the beer off-the-wood is also available and we are usually there with the family having steaks etc

But, from recollection, it is in fact all overpriced, but it is a bar, so that's why they probably don't have their prices online. However, they have specials and features up on the chalk board all the time. We should have a little Brisbang shindig with all the lads down at BCH one time soon. I have also smoked cigars there! Hooray!

the beer on the wood has been famous longer than i've been alive.

[paulF]

Wow!!!!! Thank you both Rob for bringing this up and Ken for the brilliant write up!!!

[PuffDaddie]

Good info,thanks.

[Jimmy2]

Ken just a brilliant story and review as always .

[Maplepie]

this is not the full piece and tweaked a little.

THIS CONTEST IS OVER!!!! Give that man the Ten Thousand Dollars!!!

[Pedro2486]

Great article Ken, cheers. I don't even drink and your description got my juices flowing

[Chunks96ss]

Great read and what a find

[fookite]

Sounds great, mix me up a Dark & Stormy, would you?

[Bartolomeo]

Nice piece Ken

Love Cuban rum more for sipping than mixing

[Overproof]

That was a great read, thanks!

[Wil]

An excellent piece. I could almost taste it!

[Fuzz]

I know many of us are Cuban rum enthusiasts. Well....many of us are just rum (great) enthusiasts

ken poured this about a month ago at one of our cigar tastings. Who has tried it before? Who knows the history? if you have tried it, what are your thoughts?

I remember this rum. Ken was asking about info on it back in 2010.

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=103371

[Ken Gargett]

I remember this rum. Ken was asking about info on it back in 2010.

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=103371

well done, fuzz.

and i would take this opportunity to draw el despot's attention to the post re him fiddling in my rum cupboard! goes triple after tasting it.

[Fuzz]

Read somewhere that Fabrica de Ron Bocoy were the makers of Isla del Tesoro, however they have recently closed.

[ArtemusGordon]

Awesome writeup ken! thank you for posting, great stuff

[paulF]

@Ken, do you have any more similar Rum write ups please?!