by Sarah Clarke Stuart | February 26, 2018
Bacardi’s New Premium Rums: Aged to Perfection
The release of BACARDÍ’s new barrel-aged premium rums celebrates quality, heritage and sophisticated flavor.
Not shaken, not stirred, BACARDÍ’s® new vibrant, elevated spirits have carved out a place at the modern bar for pedigreed sipping rums that stand all on their own.
BACARDÍ first created the original white rum 156 years ago. Since then, it’s become a global icon and the soul of the family-owned company. But the legendary distiller offers many more glasses worthy of toasting than just its Superior rum, beloved for mixing in cocktails.
“We are known for our white rum exclusively,” says Master of Rums David Cid. “But we craft other rums that are much more elaborate, complex and elegant.”
This spring, the company will unveil two new premium selections, BACARDÍ Añejo Cuatro, barrel-aged a minimum of four years, and BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Diez, barrel-aged a minimum of 10 years. The new varieties translate into an adventurous drinking experience that will revolutionize the face of rum. Each of the offerings in the premium line were created for aspiring spirits connoisseurs who are looking for heightened sophistication and superior character in their drinking choices. BACARDÍ Añejo Cuatro is perfect for elevated cocktails, while BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Diez makes for a luxurious sipping rum.
An old favorite, BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho, with notes of wood, apricot, nutmeg and butterscotch, has remained a private family blend for more than seven generations but will debut a fresh look along with the release of the new rums. In addition, the extremely limited release BACARDÍ Reserva Limitada, a blend aged up to 16 years, presents excellently served neat or over ice.
The packaging of each premium rum prominently displays its age, and the fluid architecture of the bottles conveys the warmth and tradition of BACARDÍ.
“Our aim is to ignite the resurgence of rum across the world,” says V.P. Brand Marketing Director of Rums Ned Duggan. “We see our rum as more than a brand, and that’s why starting a dialogue around the premium rum movement is more than just business—it’s personal. With our deep history and heritage, BACARDÍ has all the ingredients, product offerings and responsibility to usher in this new wave of premium rums.”
In the BACARDÍ story, the craftsmen play the leading role. The Maestros de Ron (Master Blenders) are the “gatekeepers and the heroes” in the production process because of their careful attention to the rum’s maturation, according to Cid. They draw on seven generations of rum-making expertise, but the meticulously distilled liquid still takes time and a little help from Mother Nature to evolve into a finely blended, smooth, drinkable product.
“Maturation happens faster in warmer regions, such as the beautiful Caribbean home of BACARDÍ,” adds Duggan. “Our rums tend to age faster than most whiskies or scotches, which are typically aged in cooler climates. Often, you’ll find that a rum has the same level of depth and character as a whisky or scotch that is aged twice or three times as long.”
These mature varieties of rum open the door to a more sophisticated era. Both BACARDÍ loyalists and spirit enthusiasts just discovering rum will fall in love with these diverse, exciting lines that deliver a bold new experience steeped in Latin heritage.
BACARDÍ’s history is deeply rooted in Cuba and the Caribbean, dating back to 1862, when Don Facundo Bacardí Massó founded the company in Santiago de Cuba. It remains a family-owned business today, and the owners stay true to the brand’s historic craftsmanship. Looking to the future, BACARDÍ continues to adapt, distilling its products in Puerto Rico and celebrating the vibrant energy of the Latin Caribbean.
“BACARDÍ is one of the oldest and most respected spirit brands in the world,” says Duggan. “We’re thrilled to fuel the premium rum movement and launch a new, aged portfolio this spring that will lead the charge.”
