THE RUM MASTERS 2016 RESULTS

In February 2016 The Spirits Business staged The Rum Masters competition in a drive to find and reward the finest rum brands on the world stage. Chaired by The Spirits Business and a panel of leading spirits specialists, the rums will be judged in a blind tasting, to discover the Rum Masters of 2016. Excellence will be recognized by category, age and design and packaging.

2016 Rum Masters

     There were three teams of judges from all over Great Britan.  No tempting was required for our rum experts, who gathered at Rum Kitchen Notting Hill with eager palates. So expansive was the tasting that our judges were split into three teams to tackle the line-up.

     The first team, chaired by Jamie Kimber, bar manager of Trailer Happiness, comprised Alex Knight, head bartender of The Truscott Cellar; Lewis Hayes, owner of Merchant House; and Martin Hughes, assistant general manager of Rocket Restaurant.

     The second team, chaired by Georgi Radev, bar manager of Mahiki, tackled a flight of White Premium rums.  Chris Gutierrez, account manager of Spirit Cartel; Peter Holland, co-founder of The Floating Rum Shack; and Alex Wolpert, founder of East London Liquor Company found “a few very interesting rums” amongst the offering.

     The third team was made up of Roger Barnes, director of Spirits Elite; Miguel A. Hernandez, beverage manager of Engawa Restaurant; Alessio Franzese, bar manager of Rum and Sugar; and Gareth Bell, bar manager of Rum Kitchen Notting Hill. Chairing was Melita Kiely, senior staff writer at The Spirits Business. The group rounded off the white rums with a flight of super-premium expressions.

Read More  at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2016/03/the-rum-masters-2016-results/

After exhausting sessions of tasting rums, the results are now available below.

Company				Brand		Medal
White Standard
Instil Drinks Co.				The Real McCoy 3 Year Old Rum		Silver
Cartavio Rum Company				Ron Cartavio Blanco		Silver
White Premium
Pernod Ricard				Havana Club 3 Year Old		Master
Maison Ferrand				Plantation 3 Stars Silver Rum		Silver
Beam Suntory				Cruzan Estate Diamond Light		Silver
Edrington Brugal				Brugal Especial Extra Dry		Silver
White Super Premium
Abbey Holdings Inc.				St. Nicholas Abbey White Rum		Gold
Skotlander ApS				Skotlander White Rum		Silver
Gold Aged Up To 7 Years
Remy Cointreau UK				Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum		Gold
R.Tremols & Sons SRL				Ron Tremols El Toro		Gold
Delhaize				Rhum Barbados 5 Years		Gold
Worthy Park Estate Ltd				Rum Bar Gold		Gold
Diva Spirits				Compagnie des Indes Latino 5 Years		Silver
Abbey Holdings Inc.				St. Nicholas Abbey 5 Year Old Rum		Silver
Cartavio Rum Company				Ron Cartavio Superior		Silver
Gold Aged 8-12 Years
Instil Drinks Co.				The Real McCoy 12 Year Old		Gold
Abbey Holdings Inc.				St. Nicholas Abbey 10 Year Old Rum		Silver
Gold Aged Over 13 Years
Village Distillery				Murderer’s Bay Gold Rum		Master
Abbey Holdings Inc.				St. Nicholas Abbey 15 Year Old Rum		Gold
Gold Premium
Paradise Imports LLC				Gubba Gold Rum		Silver
Gold Super Premium
La Hechicera Company				La Hechicera Fine Aged Rum		Master
Skotlander ApS				Skotlander Cask Rum		Silver
Company				Brand		Medal
Dark Aged Up To 7 Years
Cartavio Rum Company	Ron Cartavio Selecto Rum				Master
Cartavio Rum Company	Ron Cartavio Black Rum				Gold
Marauda Rum	Marauda Rum Steelpan				Gold
Paradise Beverages	Ratu Dark Rum 5 Year Old				Gold
Angostura Limited	Angostura 7 Year Old				Silver
Beam Suntory	Cruzan Estate Diamond Dark				Silver
Mangrove	Skipper Rum				Silver
Dark Aged 8-12 Years
Spirit Cartel	Don Q Añejo				Gold
Beam Suntory	Cruzan Single Barrel Rum				Gold
Cartavio Rum Company	Ron Cartavio Black Barrel Rum				Gold
Cartavio Rum Company	Ron Cartavio Solera Rum				Gold
Williams & Humbert	Dos Maderas PX				Silver
Pernod Ricard	Havana Club 7 Year Old				Silver
Dark Aged Over 13 Years
Maison Ferrand	Plantation Trinidad 2003				Master
Williams & Humbert	Dos Maderas Luxus				Gold
Harbour Island Rum Co.	Afrohead Rum				Silver
One Eyed Spirits	Ron de Jeremy XO				Silver
Pernod Ricard	Havana Club 15 Year Old				Silver
Cartavio Rum Company	Ron Cartavio XO				Silver
Dark Premium
Grays Inc. Ltd	New Grove Single Cask Rum – Vintage 2005				Master
Maison Ferrand	Plantation Original Dark Rum				Silver
Beam Suntory	Cruzan Aged Dark Rum				Silver
Dark Super Premium
Spirit Cartel	Don Q Gran Añejo				Master
Remy Cointreau UK	Mount Gay XO Rum				Gold
Berry Bros & Rudd	Penny Blue XO Batch #004				Silver
Angostura Limited	Angostura 1824				Silver
Mangrove	Santa Teresa 1796 Ron Antiguo de Solera Rum				Silver
Edrington Brugal	Brugal 1888				Silver
Company	Brand				Medal
Rhum Agricole
Damoiseau			Damoiseau Pure Cane Rum		Master
Groupe BBS			Maison La Maury Ter Rouj’		Gold
La Martiniquaise			Saint James Impérial White Rum		Silver
Groupe BBS			Maison La Mauny Rhum Blanc Agricole		Silver
Groupe BBS			Trois Rivières Cuvée Spéciale Mojito & Long Drink		Silver
Héritiers H. Clément			Rhum Clément Select Barrel		Silver
Aged Rhum Agricole
La Martiniquaise			Saint James 1765 Cuvée		Gold
Groupe BBS			Trois Rivières Triple Millésime		Gold
Damoiseau			Damoiseau VSOP		Gold
Rhum J.M			Rhum J.M XO		Gold
Damoiseau			Damoiseau 8 Year Old Rum		Gold
Damoiseau			Damoiseau 10 Year Old Rum		Gold
Groupe BBS			Trois Rivières 12 ans d’âge		Silver
Héritiers H. Clément			Rhum Clement VSOP		Silver
Groupe BBS			Maison La Mauny XO		Silver
Groupe BBS			Trois Rivières Cuvée du Moulin		Silver
Spiced Rum
Signature Brand			Old J Spiced Rum		Master
Dark Matter Distillers			Dark Matter Spiced Rum		Gold
Mangrove			Elements 8 Spiced Rum		Gold
Paradise Beverages			Ratu Spiced Rum		Silver
BOTL Wine & Spirit Merchants			Butterfly Cane Spiced		Silver
Company			Brand		Medal
White Overproof
Worthy Park Estate Ltd		Rum Bar Rum			Silver
Gold Overproof
Diva Spirits		Compagnie des Indes Overproof			Gold
Dark Overproof
Paradise Beverages		Bounty Overproof Rum			Gold
Cellar Trends Ltd		Pusser’s Rum Gunpowder Proof			Silver
Overproof Rhum Agricole
Groupe BBS		Trois Rivières Cask Strength Millésime 2006			Gold
Groupe BBS		Trois Rivières Rhum Blanc Agricole			Silver
Rum Liqueurs
Worthy Park Estate Ltd		Rum Bar Cream			Master
Quintessential Brands		Toussaint Coffee Liqueur			G

This Week Put the Sunset on the Month of February, Man I'm Ready for the Warm

     February is traditionally the coolest month here in Key West, and this week we put it behind us.   Now the air can start to warm up and hopefully the winds begin to die down and we will enjoy what the Keys are all about.  It is time for the wonderful water and warmth that are so much a part of Key West.

Saint Croix Rum Festival “Flavor of Rum”

     St. Croix Rum Festival “Flavor of Rum” is an annual event to promote St. Croix’s historical culture of spirits, food, music and arts. St. Croix Rum Festival takes place on Sunday, May 29, 2016 at the historical Fort Frederik in Frederiksted, St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands; overlooking the magnificent backdrop of the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility. Flavor of Rum is a one day event full of fun experience!   Sunday, May 29, 2016 at 3:00 PM - Monday, May 30, 2016 at 1:00 AM   Fort Frederik in Frederiksted - St. Croix VI.

     This is going to be a very fun event.  I'll be there and involved in the judging for the event.  I'm really looking forward to this event in May.  I has all of the earmarks of being one the years really great events.

     Whether you are ther for the party and the event or maybe going to be a part of the event for the "Flair Bartender Competition or the Bikini Contest, we're looking for you.   In-Box Sweetz Moore or George Moore for more information. 

You must be 21 years of age or older to enter!!! 

Coming May 29, 2016 to Fort Frederik in Frederiksted, St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands!! ‪#‎stcroixrumfestival ‪#‎flavorofrum‪#‎STXRumFestival

The Caribbean Journal Hosts a n Evening with Damoiseau Rhums

Guests Tasting the Damoiseau Expressions

     The Rhum of the French Caribbean Island that make up Guadeloupe remain something of a mystery to the wider world unfortunately so — as they are among the best in the world.   While those of nearby Martinique receive their due praise, Guadeloupe’s rhums tend to remain under the radar, a treasured privilege reserved largely for those who make the trip to the archipelago south of Antigua.

     When it comes to the rhums of Guadeloupe, Damoiseau is perhaps the most famous.  The company is based at its distillery in the town of Le Moule on the eastern island of Grande-Terre, is the market leader in the Guadeloupe Islands. It out sells the other rhums sold in Guadeloupe two to one.

     I have been lucky enough to be invited to a tasting hosted by the Caribbean Journal at their Miami offices.  Damoiseau is presenting their White, VSOP, and XO expressions for our pleasure.  It was a fabulous experience being able to taste these wonderful expressions and being able to talk with the people from Damoiseau.

     This is an experience that I really appreciate being invited to.  I have to say thanks to Alexander Britell of the Caribbean Journal and all of the people from Damoiseau for having me there to enjoy these wonderful expressions.

     Rhum Agricole has been produced at the Bellevue Distillery since the end of the 1800’s on Guadeloupe. The Damoiseau family took over that distillery since the 1940s. Their VSOP is made from fresh, island-grown sugarcane juice.  Damoiseau VSOP Rhum Vieux Agricole  is aged a minimum of 4 years in ex-bourbon casks that have been re-charred to enhance the flavor.  VSOP has an exotic aromas of dried fruits and spices, with a long finish of charred sugarcane and peppery spice notes .

     The Damoiseau XO Rhum Vieux Agricole is aged a minimum of 6 years in ex-bourbon barrels.   Damoiseau X.O. Rhum has a unique combination of power and finesse for an aged Rhum Agricole.   A heavy oceanic character has given an opulent depth and the wood and sugarcane come together to release burnt citrus, spices and notes of tobacco.

Damoiseau Cane Rhum is created from fresh pressed sugarcane juice from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.   This is a silky smooth white rhum, distilled once and aged for 6 months in an oak vat before being  slowly lowered to bottle proof with the distilled natural spring water.   The nature of the rhum is a mix of savory aromas and tropical flavors made in the Guadeloupian style of fine Rhum Agricole.

2016 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

     It is that time of year again, time to make your reservations and get your tickets for one of the most fun events of the year.   It is time for the 2016 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.  This year it will be starting on April 15 and running through April 17.  Get your reservations at the Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center, before the rooms are gon and there are a maximum number of tickets being sold for the event.

     Savvy consumers come to the Miami Rum Festival to discover a truly remarkable range of fine rums from the Caribbean region, as well as North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia -- and from the furthest reaches of the world.

     Rum producers from all over the world come to introduce new products, meet with importers and distributers, buyers and retailers, as well as consultants on the distillation, packaging and marketing of rum worldwide.

Robert and Robin Burr

     For consumers, the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival is one of the world's premier international rum events, presenting a unique and exciting range of great rums to be sampled. For professionals, this is the world's largest and most important trade exposition for rum.

     Enjoy a grand three-day exhibition of the best rum brands, the excitement of the Island Lifestyle Showcase, celebrity seminars, workshops and cocktail competitions, the annual RumXP competition and awards, an opportunity to rub shoulders with dignitaries and notable experts, and more.

          Miami Rum Festival takes place in the sub-tropical wonderland of Miami at the world class Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center. This spacious, Miami hotel was recently renovated and is the ideal location for a large international gathering of rum experts and enthusiasts. Here you will sample the world's finest rums in the center of the rum universe.

Another Beautiful but Chilly Day at Bahia Honda

     This weeks trip to Bahia Honda was not without purpose.   In order to do more traveling out with the "camper" it needs a tender.  we bought a kayak to use a tender.  This allows us to carry it on the hardtop and can be easily gotten on and off the boat.

     When the waters get too shallow for the camper and we want to explore, we can drop the kayak into the water and we can either use the pedal system to propel it or we can paddle it.  Either way, is is the perfect craft to get to shore with.   That doesn't even count the fun of just cruising around and getting some good exercise at the same time.

      This made for a perfect day trip.  My friends Don and Patti and I got to enjoy a beautiful day on the water going up there.  The got to hang out by the beach and on the boat enjoying a cocktail waiting for the kayak to arrive.   All in all just another day of this wonderful way of living ing the Keys.  End of February an out on the water,  A bit chilly, only in the 60's, but clear and the winds had dropped off for a while making for a fun trip.

Spring Cocktail Time is Getting Close

     The end of winter is in sight finally.  Daylight savings time goes into effect this month and the
days are already starting to warm up.  This gets my mind moving to tropical breezes and deserted islands in the keys.  A place I love to bring a thermos of great fruity cocktail and an ice chest filled with ice to be able to sit and sip these wonderful tiki style libations.

     One that has come to mind is a Don the Beachcomber creation call the Sumatra Kula of "Sippin`Safari.  This is a mix of several fruit juices and some really great rums that tastes great especially in the warmth of the sum

Sumatra Kula

• 1 ½ oz. Smith and Cross Rum
• 1 oz.  Damoiseau VSOP  Rhum Vieux Agricole
• ½ oz.  Fresh Lime Juice
• ½ oz.  Grapefruit Juice
• ½  oz. Orange Juice
• ½ oz.  Honey-mix
• 3 Oz. Crushed Ice

Put everything in blender, saving ice for last, blend at high speed for no more than 5 sec.   Pour into a tiki mug and add crushed ice to fill. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Honey Mix Recipe

Equal parts honey and water, warm up to mix, let cool and bottle, keeps in the Ice box for about a week.

Bailey Pryor on What Rum Really Is

Bailey Pryor

     Bailey Pryor, Founder and CEO of Real McCoy Rums has produced a video for Youtube that is a very informative lesson about the reality of rum.

Richard Seale

     During his research for the documentary, Bailey traveled to Barbados where he met Richard Seale. Together Richard and Bailey began to discuss the development of a classic Barbados Rum that  would adhere to the ‘no additives’ philosophy of rum production.   The rums would be blended from both pot and column distillates produced from black strap molasses. The distillates are then matured in heavily charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels.  The Rums have won a many awards from very well known events, all were well deserved.

    In this video  I think you will find it very interesting to listen to his philosophy and the basic trues about how rum is made and derived. 

   

Enjoy the Video The Truth about Rum at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZpdn6jjbfc 

Happy Birthday 95th to My Mother

     95 Years ago today, my mother was born in Middleborough, Massachusetts.   I just want to take a few minutes to say thanks to this amazing woman who has see me through my nearly 70 years and mad my life a really wonderful one.  Thank You for everything and Happy Birthday.  I love you Mom.

The Latest Zacapa Reserva Limitada is Out

     Zacapa. one of the titans in the premium rum sector.   Often the only premium aged rum that non rum-drinkers can name.  this is due in part to the superb Diageo distribution network. Famous for being aged “above the clouds” in Guatemala, talented master blender, Lorena Vazquez and identified in the store by it's woven palm-leaf bottle adornment.   Zacapa has always been known as an excellent rum, but the ultra premium XO is an especially nice expression.   If you go to the source in Guatemala, you'll find something else: Zacapa’s limited edition blend.

     "Zacapa releases a special edition each year, for sale within Guatemala and select markets around the world (although not the United States).     And Rum Journal was lucky enough to grab a bottle on a recent trip to Guatemala City.      Zacapa’s 23-year blend has rums as old as 23 years; the 2015 Reserva Limitada, however, has a blend of rums between six and 24 years." The rums are matured in American white oak barrels that had formerly held sherry, Pedro Ximenez wine and American whiskeys.

     "The Limited has a rich, slightly dark caramel color.   It has a sweet aroma of vanilla, pepper, candied fruit and the slightest hint of citrus peel.   The flavor profile is marked by tropical fruit, molasses (although this is a sugarcane-juice rum), some vanilla and some spice.   The finish is peppery and oaky."   How is it different from the Zacapa 23 you’re used to?     It’s got a different kind of warmth, a different complexity,  but also a bit more of a raw quality.   Often rums with more aging are a little softer around the edges — this one isn’t — this one has some fire in its belly. And that’s a good thing. "

Read More at http://caribjournal.com/2016/02/19/rum-journal-the-latest-limited-edition-from-ron-zacapa/?utm_source=Caribbean+Journal&utm_campaign=1a94b4a092-Caribbean+Journal&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ea4e1e4090-1a94b4a092-188868865

The New Angostura No.1 is Finally Available in the U.S.

Angostura No. 1 Second Edition

     Americans are now able to enjoy the exquisite flavors of the newest of the Angostura No. 1 Cask Series Collection.   This is the second expression released in the series.  This one is finished in French Oak Casks.  This is the first Angostura Rum to be finished in French Oak Casks.

Angostura No. 1 First Edition

     This new expression with it's purple colored label has a fruity aroma compared to the more nutty and oaky aromas of the first one version which was aged exclusively in American Oak Casks previously filled with bourbon.   On the palate, you taste flavors of dried fruit, nuttiness and a hint of floral.  This is a medium bodied rum much like the original one,   This expression has a very dry finish with a very soft fading away, where the original had a much shorter finish wit hints of chocolate and fruit.

     Both of these wonderful rums are wonderful, but quite different.  The effects of the different barrels is defiantly noticeable.   There are very few of the original Angostura No 1 left around and I doubt that these will last very long either.  I enjoyed this at the Rum Bar in Key West on Sunday and they do have a good supply for you to give it a try.

What is the Top Spirit in Panama?

     I think that you are in for a surprise.   With all of the fine rum produced in Panama, like Abuelo, Don Pancho Origenes, Zafra, and others, but the number one spirit in Panama is Seco Herrerano, a neutral spirit fermented and distilled from pure sugarcane juice.   I had an opportunity to visit the Varela Hermanos Distillery that produces Seco Herrerano in Pesa, Panama in 2011.  This is a very clean spirit that is fermented and distilled no 200 yards from where the cane is cut.   The spirit is passed through 4 column stills, charcoal filtered and bottled.





     Why is this not technically a rum?  It is lake Cachaca in Brazil, it is a neutral spirit.  In Central and South America the spirit must spend 2 years in a barrel to call it rum.  Seco is distilled to 95% ABV which will kill all of the flavor in the spirit and bottled at 80 proof.  Though it is made from sugarcane juice, it is truly a neutral spirit like Vodka.

    “When people try our Seco cocktails, they can’t believe it tastes so good because Seco’s reputation isn’t very sexy,” says Jose Carles whose Donde Jose restaurant offers more than 20 flavors of Seco infusions.  Seco takes on the flavor of what ever it is mixed with, neutral spirits have no flavor of their own.  It is a smooth spirit that infuses well with almost any mixer.  One of the favorite mixes in Panama is milk.   

Cubaexport Secures United States Havana Club Trademark

     This is the press release from Pernod Ricard announcing the renewal of their "Havana Club" trademark until 2026.

     Havana Club: Trademark Renewal in the USA Pernod Ricard S.A. confirms that Cubaexport, the Cuban entity that owns the U.S. trademark registration for Havana Club rum, applied for and received a specific license from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control allowing it to renew the trademark registration in the United States. The Havana Club trademark registration has been renewed at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office through January 27, 2016. A renewal of the trademark registration through January 27, 2026 has also been submitted.

     This marks the start of another long and drawn out court battle between Pernod Ricard and Bacardi over the trademark here in the U.S..   “We are filing this Freedom of Information Act request because the American people have the right to know the truth of how and why this unprecedented, sudden and silent action was taken by the United States government to reverse long-standing U.S. and international public policy and law that protects against the recognition or acceptance of confiscations of foreign governments,” said Eduardo Sánchez, Bacardi’s senior vice president and general counsel.

Read More at http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/international-business/article57948323.html#storylink=cpy 

     The good news to this is there is very likely to be quite a bit of time for all of these proceedings to be concluded before the United States Congress gets around to lifting the embargo.   This is still somewhat of "hot potato" in this presidential election year.   I'd be willing to say that it will not come to be until the elections are over in November.

"Rum Lovers" to WIRSPA Toward Purity and Honesty in True Rum...

     This is a petition that is being circulated by the "Save Caribbean Rum".  It is interesting to see what they are asking for.   I find that the majority of the industry is looking for the same results.  The biggest thing in my mind is that of honesty of ingredients.  I have no problem with blenders adding ingredients to the blend, but if they do, that information should be made available to the consumer, allowing the buyer to get the rum that they really want and know what is in the mix.  

 

    One of the petition signers Richard Seale of Foursquare Distillery in Barbados says "The Caricom rum standard does NOT permit the addition of sugar and WIRSPA must not pretend that it does just to suit the practices of certain members."   This has been a long ongoing issue and it will be interesting just what effect that the petition has in the larger scheme of things.

 Petition published by Save_Caribbean_Rum  on Feb 16, 2016

Target: WIRSPA (West Indian Rum & Spirits Producers Association, CARICOM, EU, TTB

Region: GLOBAL

Website: https://www.facebook.com/save.caribbeanrum

Celebrating Don the Beachcomber's 109th Birthday Today

     Today we celebrate the works of a man that was arguably the Father of the Tiki scene.   Born in New Orleans on February 22, 1097 and named Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt.    Gantt made do in the Depression economy through his wits and odd jobs.   he would work in restaurants in Chinatown, parking cars, and doing a bit of freelance bootlegging in the months prior to the end of Prohibition.  His sociable and charming personality allowed him to befriend such Hollywood personalities as David Niven and Marlene Dietrich.   Through them he was able  to find occasional work as a technical adviser on films set in the South Pacific.

     A couple of years after he arrived in Los Angeles, Gantt happened upon a newly vacated tailor shop at 1722 North McCadden Place,  just off Hollywood Boulevard.   Where he built a little bar that seated about two dozen customers and scattered a few tables around the rest of the area. The decorations for the place were his South Pacific mementos, along with some old nets and pieces of salvaged boats he scavenged from the coastline.    His watering hole became Don the Beachcomber.

     It was Gantt’s outgoing personality and the uniqueness of his cocktails that proved irresistible to the locals as well as the Hollywood celebs.    Among the first drinks was the Sumatra Kula, which cost a quarter. A well-dressed man named Neil Vanderbilt came in one day and ordered one, then another and another. He said it was the best drink he’d had in years. He was a writer for the New York Tribune, and he soon came back with friends, including Charlie Chaplin. Word of Don the Beachcomber began to spread through Hollywood and beyond. “If you can’t get to paradise, I’ll bring it to you,” is what Gantt would tell his customers.

     Today he is best remembered for being the "father of the Tiki scene" and his famous Zombie cocktail.  This is a man from the past that is still having a huge influence on the cocktail world today.

Evening is Staying Brighter for a Longer Time These Days

The sun is setting a bit later as we move toward the spring solstice, Heading out on the water gives us some new views for the trip to the Hurricane Hole and cocktail time.  The clouds give such an ominous impression.  It is got a bit of rain in the clouds, but mostly just bluffing as we scoot across the waters of Cow Key Channel.

BACARDI DEMANDS US REVERSES HAVANA CLUB RULING

Bacardi has formally requested that the US government revokes a license allowing Pernod Ricard and the Cuban Government to renew their joint venture trademark for Havana Club.  Litigation between Bacardi, the Cuban government and Pernod Ricard is continuing.

     The Bermuda-based drinks group said it has “demanded” that the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) reverse its decision to grant the renewal of Cuba-made Havana Club’s trademark in the US, reiterating that it is the “current and lawful owner of all rights and claims” related to the mark in the country.   In January this year, the OFAC and the US Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) granted Cubaexport, the Cuban entity that owns the US trademark registration for Havana Club, permission to renew the brand’s mark in the US, where Bacardi sells its own brand of Havana Club Rum.

     Bacardi acquired the US rights from Havana Club’s founders, the Arechabala family, and has been selling the Puerto Rico-made rum in the market since the mid-1990's.   Pernod Ricard owns the trademark for Havana Club in the rest of the world as part of a joint venture with the Cuban Government, which seized the Arechabala family’s business assets during the Cuban revolution more than 60 years ago.

Bacardi has expressed outrage since its competitor was given trademark approval last month and has now outlined to the OFAC what it calls a “history of fraud” of the Cuban government in relation to the matter.

 “OFAC’s decision to grant the license to the Cuban government reverses it prior decision in 2006 to deny that very same license and contradicts its own defense of that decision in various US courts,” said Eduardo Sánchez, senior vice president and general counsel for Bacardi.   “OFAC has acted in violation of well-settled US law and Congressional intent in a covert action that is unjustified in law. We request that OFAC revoke License 837-1 retroactively to prevent Cuba – and its business partner Pernod Ricard – from their continued trafficking in illegally confiscated property.”   He added: “OFAC should comply with the letter and spirit of US law and revoke Cuba’s license.”

     Speaking to the press in London today, Alexandre Ricard, CEO of Pernod Ricard, said it was “big news” for the company when Barack Obama announced that relations between the US Cuba would be normalized, with the hope that the trade embargo would be lifted.   “The US represents 40% of the global rum market,” he said. “Pernod Ricard managed to make Havana Club the third biggest rum brand in the world without having access to this market.   “We always said when the embargo is lifted we will try to be the first one to launch a beautiful Cuban Rum in the market. Our job is to be ready.”

Read More at http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-bacardi-havana-club-idUSKCN0VA3R8