Cuban Rum Made in Panama: The Story of Don Pancho

Carlos Esquival and Don Pancho Fernandez

     When Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez, master blender for Havana Club for 35 years, decided to leave Cuba after the sale of his brand to an international spirits conglomerate, it was to Panama that he retired.   Already having a long history of travel to that country, and having worked in Panama for theVarela Hermanos, there he was able to continue to make his “Cuban style” rum for many years.   This was a natural choice for Don Pancho that worked for him and the makers of Abuelo Rums for many years. However, it was not with the idea that he would continue to make rum or launch his own brand.

Don Pancho Origenes 30 Anos

     After he met and became friends with Carlos Esquivel, a Panamanian who had deep ties to the local spirits industry.   Together, they would  create one of Panama’s, and the rum industry’s, most important sources: Proveedora Internacional de LIcores, S.A. (PILSA) Rums  a custom distiller whose efforts are behind some of the most important names in the category.  The majority of their work is done under contract for rum clientele who are looking for top quality rums to put their own label on. 

     20 years after arriving in Panama, Don Pancho and Carlos are releasing his first effort bearing his name, Don Pancho Originales rums.   Part of the rums are from reserves dating back to when Don Pancho first started making and blending rums in Panama while still living in Cuba.

     Cuban Style rum made in Panama will be discussed along with

Don Pancho Origenes 8 Anos

the story of Don Pancho and Carlos on the July 29^th broadcast of The Connected Table LIVE! Tune in at 2pm ET at www.w4cy.com. The show will be rebroadcast on iHeart.com. Link to cut and past and share: www.iheart.com/show/209-The-Connected-Table-Live– Melanie Young and David Ransom.

    Don Pancho and Carlos are two of my favorite people in the world of rum.  This should be a very interesting and educational show that I hope that  you will take the time to watch.  

Port Au Prince: 1 Million Plus People

     Port au Prince is a city of 13.92 square miles about twice the size of Key West, but it supports 1 plus Million people compare to a population of 25,500 in Key West.  Key West as a population density of 3446 people per square mile vs Port au Prince with 79023 people per square mile.  That is a density 23 time greater.  I can't imagine living in that kind of population density.

Playa Siboney

Arriving at Playa Siboney

     I hear so many people talking about the beautiful beaches of Cuba, but I've had really no experience with them.   Playa Siboney is a south coast  beach, that is used by locals.  They tell me that the north side of Cuba have the beautiful beaches with the power white sand, but this one wasn't bad at all.

     The thing I like about this beach is the lack of commercial stuff like you find at many of the big and "beautiful" beaches.  No resorts, just a few palapas and a lot of local people enjoying the sun and surf of the southeastern coast of Cuba,

     I really feel that the area around Santiago de Cuba is very refreshing.  It has a rural quality about it even though it is a pretty good sized city.   The area is beautiful and so full of history and fun places.  Life is a "beach" and I really liked this one.  ;o)

Playa Siboney this is a "real" beach, quiet and not real crowded

2015 Spirited Awards Announced at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans

     The winners of the ninth annual Spirited Awards were announced Saturday night (July 18), concluding the Tales of the Cocktail conference in the French Quarter. The world's best bars, bartenders, brands and drinks writers were honored in 24 separate categories. See the complete list of Spirited Awards winners below.

     These are the annual winners that are chosen by the members of the panel of industry professionals.   Congratulations to all of the winners and those who were nominated as well.

AMERICAN CATEGORIES

• American Bartender of the Year: Ivy Mix (Brooklyn)
• Best American Bar Team: Employees Only (New York)
• Best American Brand Ambassador: Brooke Arthur (House Spirits)
• Best American Cocktail Bar: Williams & Graham (Denver)
• Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar: Employees Only (New York)
• Best American Hotel Bar: The Broken Shaker (Miami Beach)
• Best American Restaurant Bar: Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks    (Boston)
• Best New American Cocktail Bar: ABV (San Francisco)

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES

• International Bartender of the Year: Ryan Chetiyawardana    (London)
• Best International Bar Team: 28 Hong Kong Street (Singapore)
• Best International Brand Ambassador: Claire Smith-Warner (Belvedere Vodka)
• Best International Cocktail Bar: The Artesian (London)
• Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar: The Black Pearl & The Attic (Melbourne)
• Best International Hotel Bar: The Beaufort Bar, The Savoy (London)
• Best International Restaurant Bar: The Blind Pig at Social Eating House (London)
• Best New International Cocktail Bar: Dandelyan (London)

WRITING

• Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication: PUNCH (United States)
• Best Cocktail & Spirits Writer: Dave Broom (United States)
• Best New Cocktail Book: "Liquid Intelligence: The Art & Science of the Perfect Cocktail," by Dave Arnold
• Best New Spirits Book: "Whisky, the Manual," by Dave Broom

OVERALL CATEGORIES

• Best Bar Mentor: Jim Meehan
• Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient: Amaro di Angostura
• World's Best Cocktail Menu: The Dead Rabbit (New York)
• World's Best Spirits Selection: Canon (Seattle)
• Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award: Jonathan Downey

Bacardi Snaps Up Leblon Cachaca and Banks Rum

     The Bermuda-based company has held a minority stake in Leblon Cachaca since 2008,

announcing today that a deal to acquire the remaining shares in the brand had been completed.   It follows a rash of acquisitions by the producer, which only this week announced its acquisition of premium rum brand Banks Rum. 

     Cachaça is a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice, also known as aguardente. Leblon, described as a “premium artisanal cachaça”, is produced at Maison Leblon in Minas Gerais, Brazil’s agricultural heartland.   Spiros Malandrakis, senior alcoholic drinks analyst at Euromonitor International, predicted that cachaça, “fighting old prejudices”, would become a key spirits trend of 2015, shifting from “commodity status to aspirational exoticism”.

        Bacardi also has expanded its portfolio of super-premium rums with the acquisition of Banks Rum.  Banks was founded in 2008 by Arnaud de Trabuc, former CEO of Angostura Group and president of Cognac producer Thomas Hine & Company, of Geneva,  Switzerland.

     The brand is inspired by the travels of 18th-century British explorer and botanist Sir Joseph Banks and is made by blending rums from up to seven different origins including Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, Panama, Guatemala and Java.   de Trabuc’s previous position as former managing director of the Caribbean region for Premier Wines & Spirits gave him the “unique ability to source rums from otherwise competing islands”. 

    Bank’s composition is a closely guarded secret with final blends aged in previously used Bourbon barrels.   It is currently available in the US, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Denmark and Singapore.   Banks currently sells 6,000 cases annually and has a portfolio which includes Banks 5-Island Rum, Banks 7 Golden Age Blend and various limited editions.

People Turn Into One of Four Characters When Drunk

      “Searching for Mr. Hyde: A five-factor approach to characterizing ‘types of drunks’” the study asked 364 men and women to consider their behavior when sober and then again when drunk.   A team of psychologists has categorized drunks into four groups – Mr. Hyde, Ernest Hemingway, Mary Poppins and The Nutty Professor.   Until today, alcoholic lifestyle was determined based on the categorization of the people into two groups – drinkers or non-drinkers.   Now a new study has divided drinkers into four cultural character types, based on their behavior after they have downed two shots.   The four categories suggested by the researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia include Ernest Hemingway, Mr. Hyde, Mary Poppins and The Nutty Professor.   Each category has been associated with a specific set of behavioral characteristics that helped researchers differentiate the alcoholics.

 

    During the study, the researchers found that a majority of people four out of ten belonged to the Hemingway group, meaning that they behaved much the same before and after the two shots.   People belonging to the group Mary Poppins became extraverted after getting drunk.  “The Mary Poppins group of drinkers essentially captures the sweet, responsible drinkers who experience fewer alcohol-related problems.”   Mr. Hyde type of people transformed into hostile characters after  having two shots.   They noticed that people belonging to this group were “less responsible and less intellectual." On the other hand, people who were categorized into the group of The Nutty Professor felt gregarious after two shots and had a tendency to be  shy when sober.

     During the study – which has been published in the Addiction Research and Theory – the  group of  men and women to fill out a single personality test twice. The first set of test was supposed to be filled thinking that they are sober, and the other thinking that they are drunk.   “These results, as well as the concept of ‘drunk personality’ more broadly, hold promise for developing novel assessment-based and motivational interventions for problem drinkers.”  

Jose Marti: The Key West Visits

     I had an opportunity to visit "Plaza de la Revolucion"in Havana for the first time.  To that it is breath taking is an understatement.  I'll talk about the plaza and all of the things that surround the plaza in a later article.  In the Memorial Tower to Jose Marti, is the Museum Jose Marti.  Wandering through the different pictures and information I ran across several picture of Jose Marti's visits to Key West in 1891 through 1894.

     In 1893 he was pictured at the house of Teodore Perez (Today La-Ti-Da) along with a group of Cuban patriots.   Jose Marti visited a gain in 1894 where he was pictured at the Martello along with Fermin Valdez Domnguez and Francisco (Paunchito) Gomez Toro.  There was also another  picture of Jose Marti with Fermin Valdez Dominguez.

    I didn't realize how important the support of the Cubans in Key West until my visit to the Memorial Jose Marti.

     When the tobacco workers of Key West learned of Jose Martí's ideals and his thunderous visit to Tampa, they requested that the Cuban community leaders of Key West extend him an invitation to visit the city and present his views.   Martí received the news with much joy since he understood the timing could not be more propitious.   He had recently obtained the support of important segments of the Cuban communities in New York and Tampa for his plans to wage war against Spanish colonial rule in Cuba. However, he understood that the support of the Cuban community in Key West was critical to his efforts.

The Cuban exile community of Key West was the

largest and wealthiest, but also the most politically divided.  To obtain their support would be essential, but it would not be an easy task. On Christmas day 1891 Martí departed from Tampa aboard the steamship Olivetti on his first visit to Key West.   He is accompanied by various leaders of the Tampa and New York Cuban communities.

     I guess it was all summed up in the portion of the letter to Jose D. Poyo in December of 1893.  Jose Marti spent a lot of time at the San Carlos on Duval Street.  It houses a lot of information about Jose Marti's visits to Key West and the importance it played to his revolution.  Jose Marti was killed in action just over a year after the revolution began,  He never got to see the "Free Cuba" he dreamed of and worked so hard to make happen. 

     Jose Marti is the most revered and admired person in Cuban history and you can find monuments and tributes to him throughout the country of Cuba.

The Signs of the Bacardi Family in Santiago de Cuba

Bacardi Villa in Santiago de Cuba Today

     The Bacardi family has left a huge footprint in Santiago de Cuba.  It was my pleasure to visit Santiago de Cuba and see all of the historic sites and enjoy the raw beauty of the city.  Santiago de Cuba has a small town charm and attraction that a large city like Havana lacks.  It is a bit of a small town feel that makes it really attractive. 

Museo de Emilio Bacardi Moreau

     The Bacardi family lived very well in Santiago de Cuba and made a large contribution to Santiago de Cuba's prosperity and politics during the family's tenure.
   The Museo de Emilio Bacardi Moreau was closed for restoration while I was there, but I did get to see the family house, the exterior of the Museum, and the Rum Factory.

     "Rum baron by day, freedom-fighter by

Bacardi Rum Factory

night.  Emilio Bacardi Moreau put his life and livelihood on the line to aid Cuba in its fight for independence from Spain."  Arrested, exiled and twice imprisoned for his beliefs and refusal to support Spanish rule, he was rewarded for his patriotism when he returned from exile to become the first freely-elected Mayor of Santiago de Cuba.  In 1960, the revolutionary regime in Cuba illegally confiscated all the Bacardi Company’s Cuban assets without compensation and forced them out of the country. The Bacardi’s lost their business and their home, but as history has proven, not their spirit. "

 

Hatuey Brewery formerly owned by  Bacardi

    In addition to the rum factory, Bacardi brewery is just down the street.  It is still in operation today producing Hatuey Beer for local consumption.  The Hatuey brand originated in Cuba and was owned by the Bacardi family. When the Cuban Government nationalized the brewery, the brand essentially split. While the Bacardi’s own the brand for the global market and produce it under contract, the Cuban government still operates a brewery in Santiago to produce this as a local beer for the locals.

Today the Former Bacardi Rum Factory produces a very fine line of Santiago de Cuba Rums along with several other rums including Havana Club 15 Year Old Rum.

     As you visit the distillery or the brewery the only reference to its former owners is the faded word "Bacardi" on a derelict unused conveyer belt housing that connects the two parts of the factory.

 

     .

Today is National Daiquiri Day

Ruins from the Old Daiquiri Mine

     National Daiquiri Day July 19! The Daiquiri is said to have been invented by Jennings Cox, an American mining engineer, who was in Cuba at the time of the Spanish-American War. The name “Daiquiri” is the name of a beach near Santiago, Cuba, as well as an iron mine in that area. The drink was originally served in a tall glass packed with cracked ice. Sugar and lime juice were added over the ice, with two or three ounces of white rum completing the mixture that was then stirred with a long, wooden spoon. Eventually, the Daiquiri evolved to be mixed in a shaker with the same ingredients but with shaved ice.

Jennings Cox Daiquiri

     The Daiquiri has consistently gained popularity, especially during the hot, summer months. It has become the drink of choice for many to imbibe during Caribbean vacations, and has evolved into many different variations over the years.  This July 19, why not try something different than the traditional types of this frozen drink on National Daiquiri Day?

El Floridita Daiquiri

     The frozen daiquiri was the creation of Constante Ribalaigua Vert in his now world famous La Floridita establishment on Obispo Stree in Havana.  Arguably, Ribalaigua was the greatest mixologist of the mid-twentieth century.   Ribalaigua told Thomas Sugrue, a British writer, that his “only hobby is his work,” besides inventing a new cocktail practically every day, was to make sure that his customers got the best drinks and the best service, whether they were Ernest Hemingway, Spencer Tracy or the couple visiting from Des Moines.   He was still pulling shifts until he died, in 1952.

 

Enjoying the "Papa Doble" at the El Floridita

     Through the efforts of these two men, along with the fame of Ernest Hemingway's thirst  for the Daiquiri, we are able to enjoy these really great and unique cocktails at home or in your favorite cocktail lounge today.

What is New in Havana?

Nacional Theater in 2013

     The biggest change I have noticed in Havana is the clean up and the restoration of so many of the buildings.  Many of them were in pretty rough shape on my prior visits.  One of the most noticeable was the National Theater next to the Hotel Inglatera.   In prior years this building was black with soot.  Today it looks like a brand new building.  It has been cleaned and painted looking what I have to believe it did when it was first built.

Nacional Theater Today

     From the vantage point at the top of the Bacardi Building Tower it is plain to see how much has been accomplished.  Many of the major buildings and monuments have been or are being restored to their former beauty.  Looking from any direction you can see projects that have been completed and ones that are well under way.  El Capitolio, the building that was modeled after our Capitol Building in Washington DC, has been being restored for the past three plus years and the progress is just unbelievable.   In the foreground an old defunct Mall was being restored to become a 5 star resort with a mall on the ground floor.

     Looking toward the harbor you can see the waterfront buildings looking like new, as well as some of the other historic buildings in the area.  There is a stark contrast between the restored and the unrestored buildings.   The restorations are a huge cleaning up of the city and maintaining the character of the architecture of these beautiful historic buildings and statues.   If you look carefully you can see the huge statue of Jesus Christ, known as "The Christ of Havana", it stands on the hill above the arbor.  This too is undergoing a complete renovation as well.


     The Presidential Palace clean-up is nearly completed as well.  This incredibly ornate building stands out against the background of the harbor entrance and the old fort that guarded the city.   The view in any direction shows all of the progress that has been made in a short two years.  I feel like if I am able to return to Havana at some time in the future it will look like a brand new city.  It is so wonderful to see the improvements and how clean they making this city look.

    



Ron Santiago de Cuba 12 Anos

     A visit to Santiago de Cuba wouldn’t be complete without a visit the Santiago de Cuba Rum Factory to taste some of their excellent rums.  The former Bacardi factory is the place where this wonderful rum is produced today.   The old factory still looks much the same as it did when it was nationalized back in the early sixties.  Still located across the street from the train yard and is still using the pure waters from the Santiago de Cuba water aquifer.  

     This is rum that from the first sip to the long lasting smooth and flavorful finish will leave you with a huge smile on your face.   The oaky and spicy aroma leads you into the first sip that fills the palate with a very lightly sweet fruity and lightly peppery flavor.  The flavor slowly fades to a finish that keeps on going for such a long time.   I can sit and sip this rum all evening long and it never loses its appeal.

     When the Cuban rums come to the states either the 11 or the 12 anos expressions are among the ones you want to have at the top of your list.  All of the rums that come from Santiago de Cuba are very wonderful in their flavor, aroma and appearance.  I can’t recommend these any higher.

 

Port au Prince through the Windshield

Hillside Housing in Port au Prince

People headed to work

"Fresh" Poultry Sales

     Urban crowding is not an issue anywhere that I have ever been that can match Port au Prince, Haiti.  The houses and the people are stacked one upon another.   People and cars are jammed on the sidewalks and in roads.   Between the “human trucks” carrying their wares on their heads and livestock being sold on the city streets, this is a place that I have never seen the lies of before.  The people are very warm and friendly in the service industry and take very good care of us getting from place to place.  In the hotels, the service is wonderful and the food was very good.

 

    Unfortunately, we were not able to make connection with Alain from Barbancourt Distillery and visit the factory.   The plane was late arriving and we didn’t get into Port Au Prince until after 4:30 pm.  Our schedule didn’t allow us to go on Tuesday morning, as we were boarding an early flight to Santiago de Cuba.  

 



Gravel Roads

     The houses are stacked like cord wood one on top of the other with only stairs and narrow walkways between them if anything at all.  Some of the houses are very colorful and others are basic concrete grey and brown.    These dwellings are stacked on the lower hillsides and the better houses are further up the hills.  To fit 1,100,000 plus people into a city with as small a footprint as Port au Prince (13.92 Sq. Mi.), takes a lot of vertical building and very close together to house all of them.

Human Trucks
 

     I found this city to be very interesting to say the very least, the stark poverty to the 5 star hotel in which we stayed you could find very unusual things under one roof, car wash, restaurant and bank all in one shop.   Along the way to and from the airport, we found many things the likes of I’ve never seen before.  Veggies and produce on the sidewalks for sale in their version of a fresh market, and poultry still alive and sold right on the sidewalk.   People and cars seem to be in an almost continuous gridlock throughout the city.  It takes 45 minutes to go approximately 3 miles to the airport from the hotel.

MotoTaxi's

     Look out Santiago de Cuba we are on our way to see what this has to offer.   Really excited about the visit and all of the historic things to see there.   ;o)

 

Back in the Real World

     After eight days in the era of 1959, it is great to be back in the modern world with internet and everything.   Cuba was wonderful and very exciting to revisit in Havana and see for the first time in Santiago de Cuba, but I do miss many of the things that I take for granted in my everyday life.

     The photos and places that I have visited in the past 8 days will fill a year of stories, so I will be able to tell you about all of these over quite a spread of time.  I'm currently at the Reef Resort on the East End of Grand Cayman.   I'm a bit late this morning getting this out, but it was late when we got in here last night.

General Antonio Maceo and his Machete wielding Army

    I got the chance to visit many places in Havana that I have never been, as well as all the places of interest in Santiago De Cuba.  Today I will just show you one of the most impressive monuments that I have ever seen.  The park that contains the massive monument and park that honor General Antonio Maseo and his machete wielding soldiers located in central Santiago de Cuba.  This was a very impressive park and show how important winning their freedom from Spain was at the end of the 1800's.  The top statement was by Antonio Maceo and the bottom one by Jose Marti.  Sorry my Spanish is not good enough to interpret today.

     I'll have more to tell you about all of my adventures in Cuba, Haiti and Grand Cayman in the next few weeks.  ;o)