Havana Club 7

The fifth and last major standard style, the lighter Cuban rums pioneered by Bacardi, who left their facilities and quality, but not their politics, behind when Fidel lit up. Por Cuba Libre!
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sleepy
King of Koffee
Posts: 156
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:23 pm
Location: Atlanta and points south

Havana Club 7

Post by sleepy »

While up in Canada over the holidays, I poked my head in the small, local LCBO (provincial liquor/wine store) and to my delight found both Havana Club 7 and Flor de Caña 5 on the shelf, both for <$30. Given a certain disdain for jail, etc., I was forced to consume the Havana Club up there, darn it!

Havana Club 7 has long been a most favored rum of mine, though now I can't draw much of a line of preference between that, Seale's 10 and (almost) MGXO.

Now describing this rum is no simple task - sure in the glass, it has an excellent deep golden color with moderate, fairly quick legs, but then it becomes difficult, because both scent and taste are so delicate and well-integrated. The nose has very gentle touches of honey, butterscotch/oak, a tiny bit of well-cured leather, a mild floral, that I can't put a finger on and hidden bits of spice - maybe more cardamom than clove. Never are these all present at once - and each is hard to tease out from the whole.

The mouth feel is extremely smooth and clean - no excess sugars clogging the tongue. The flavor is again delicate and very well balanced. Perhaps, it starts the slightest bite of alcohol, giving way to a hint of leather and Spanish cedar, butterscotch and, maybe it's cardamom and allspice instead of clove. The finish is dry, clear and brief, with the hint of oak and spice carrying a touch of white pepper.

...sort of, until the next tasting when something else surely sneaks in!

What is both delightful and scary is how elegant and smooth the rum is - little alcohol burn and such pleasant delicacy that the glass empties too quickly and dangerously easily.

Beside the Seale, which I tasted along with the Havana Club, I'd almost call this rum feminine - a Portuguese rosé beside a mature Bordeaux - both excellent, but of very different natures. Compared to this, the Matusalem GR is heavier and somewhat coarser on the palate and less balanced. Perhaps, this is more along the line of the San Pablo, which I haven't yet found.

I hope you have the chance to cross the border north or south, where you can try to figure out just what the heck I'm talking about (what the hell - "delicate" booze?!?). :)
Rum Warrior
Swabbie
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu May 11, 2017 11:12 am

Post by Rum Warrior »

Havana Club Haiku

Drink Havana Club
The State Department Won't Care
As long as you share



... By the way, the way you could authentically drink cuban rum is straight from the bottle with friends on the street or in a party. Pour a small amount in your mouth, and don't get saliva on the bottle. Pass it around in a circle. Repeat. No glasses to wash or throw away! Remember to pour a little out as a libation when you first open the bottle.
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