106-580: Havana Club is a brand of rum created in Cuba in 1934. Originally produced in Cárdenas, Cuba, by family-owned José Arechabala S.A. , the brand was nationalized after the Cuban Revolution of 1959. In 1993, French-owned Pernod Ricard and the government of Cuba created a state-run 50:50 joint venture called Corporación Cuba Ron. They began exporting this version of Havana Club globally, except for
212-422: A by-product of the sugar refining process, could be fermented into alcohol, and then distilled. The earliest record, in a 1651 document from Barbados, mentions the island of Nevis in particular: "The chief fuddling they make in the island is Rumbullion, alias Kill-Divil, and this is made of sugar canes distilled, a hot, hellish, and terrible liquor." By the late 17th century rum had replaced French brandy as
318-475: A "tragic mistake." However, the Associated Press reported that business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce would likely apply pressure on congressmen to accept the diplomatic thaw, and Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona , a supporter of the shift, predicted many congressmen would come around. Like Senator Flake, Senator Rand Paul , a Republican from Kentucky, supports the thaw on
424-601: A Cuban who had worked as an agent for American intelligence and had been in a Cuban prison for nearly 20 years. Additionally, in early January 2015, the Cuban government began releasing a number of imprisoned dissidents, as requested by the United States. On January 12, 2015, it was reported that all 53 dissidents had been released. The prisoner swap marked the biggest shift in White House policy towards Cuba since
530-719: A US commercial flight landed in Havana. By November 2017, however, several airline companies had quit doing flights to Cuba. President Obama arrived in Cuba for a three-day visit on March 20, 2016. Obama headed a delegation of between 800 and 1,200, including businesspeople and congressional leaders who had helped in establishing the 2014 normalization deal. Obama was the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928 . Obama said that he would only visit Cuba if he could meet with Cuban dissidents : "If I go on
636-631: A ceremony at which the flag of the United States was raised over the US Embassy in Havana. Cuban dissidents, however, were not invited to attend the flag raising ceremony. In September 2015, Cuban diplomat José Ramón Cabañas Rodríguez was appointed the first Ambassador of Cuba to the United States in 50 years. On January 28, 2015, while attending a meeting of Latin American leaders in San José, Costa Rica , Cuban leader Raúl Castro asserted that
742-600: A competing brand. The company was considered a "national jewel" by the Cuban government, and in 1977 manufacturing was moved to a new plant in Santa Cruz del Norte . Since 1994, Cuban production and non-US global marketing of Havana Club has continued under a joint partnership between Pernod Ricard and Corporación Cuba Ron . In 1994, Bacardi began producing rum under the Havana Club name in Cataño , Puerto Rico using
848-488: A distillery three years later. The manufacture of rum became early colonial New England's largest and most prosperous industry. New England became a distilling center due to the technical, metalworking and cooperage skills and abundant lumber; the rum produced there was lighter, more like whiskey. Much of the rum was exported, and distillers in Newport of Rhode Island even made an extra strong rum specifically to be used as
954-399: A fuller-tasting rum. Fermentation products like 2-ethyl-3-methyl butyric acid and esters like ethyl butyrate and ethyl hexanoate give rise to the sweetness and fruitiness of rum. The fermented product is then distilled. As with all other aspects of rum production, no standard method is used for distillation. While some producers work in batches using pot stills , most rum production
1060-559: A medium of economic exchange, used to help fund enterprises such as slavery via triangular trade , organized crime, and military insurgencies such as the American Revolution and the Australian Rum Rebellion . The origin of the word "rum" is unclear. The most widely accepted hypothesis is that it is related to "rumbullion", a beverage made from boiling sugar cane stalks, or possibly "rumbustion," which
1166-490: A member of the royal family or, on certain occasions, the admiralty board in the UK, with similar restrictions in other Commonwealth navies. Recently, such occasions have included royal marriages or birthdays, or special anniversaries. In the days of daily rum rations, the order to "splice the mainbrace" meant double rations would be issued. A legend involving naval rum and Horatio Nelson says that following his victory and death at
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#17327734122061272-416: A mixture that became known as grog . Many believe the term was coined in honour of the grogram cloak Admiral Vernon wore in rough weather. The Royal Navy continued to give its sailors a daily rum ration, known as a "tot", until the practice was abolished on 31 July 1970. Today, a tot (totty) of rum is still issued on special occasions, using an order to " splice the mainbrace ", which may only be given by
1378-486: A new market in Cuba. By July 20, 2016, US companies Airbnb and Netflix were operating in Cuba as well. The United States sought to increase revenue from tourism in Cuba by lifting traveling restrictions which can be used for purchase of American agricultural and manufacturing exports to Cuba. On March 20, 2016, Starwood became the first US company to sign a deal with Cuba since the 1959 revolution and agreed to manage two Havana hotels which had formerly been owned by
1484-608: A precondition to reopening embassies. A third round of talks were held in Havana from March 16–17, 2015. However, the talks ended abruptly after just a day, without any public comment. Obama and Castro themselves met at the Summit of the Americas in Panama on April 10–11, where Castro delivered an address praising Obama and apologizing for blaming his government for the ongoing U.S. embargo. After meeting with Obama, Castro called for
1590-477: A recipe given to them by Arechabala family members. While originally sold in only a few US states (primarily Florida), production was expanded in 2006, and in 2012, after winning a critical court battle, Bacardi announced plans to sell the rum more broadly. The Havana Club trademark has been the subject of extensive trademark litigation in the US, Spain, and World Trade Organization (WTO). After José Arechabala S.A.
1696-631: A slave currency. Rhode Island rum even joined gold as an accepted currency in Europe for a period of time. While New England triumphed in price and consistency, Europeans still viewed the best rums as coming from the Caribbean. Estimates of rum consumption in the American colonies before the American Revolutionary War had every man, woman, or child drinking an average of 3 imperial gallons (14 L ) of rum each year. In
1802-426: A surgeon's mate, noted that there was not much for the men to do and drinking rum was very popular. In fact, Ensign Robert Johnstone, one of the officers, "thought proper to turn trader by selling (the) common rum to the soldiers & all others by whom he might gain a penny in this clandestine Manner." To conceal this theft, "he was observed to have filled up several Barrels of common rum with boiling water to make up
1908-648: A type of rum. Seco , from Panama, is also a spirit similar to rum, which is triple distilled, similar to some vodka . Mexico produces a number of brands of light and dark rum, as well as other less-expensive flavored and unflavored sugarcane-based liquors, such as aguardiente de caña and charanda . Aguardiente is also the name for unaged distilled cane spirit in some, primarily Spanish-speaking countries since their definition of rum includes at least two years of ageing in wood. A spirit known as aguardiente , distilled from molasses and often infused with anise , with additional sugarcane juice added after distillation,
2014-527: A type used by CIA agents, which are designed to evade detection, in addition to computer equipment, satellite phones, and internet access to Cuba's Jewish community. Despite initial U.S. refusals, the prisoner swap eventually took place in December 2014 following the President's announcement of intent to move towards normalized relations. In addition to Gross, the swap included Rolando Sarraff Trujillo ,
2120-460: A unique style. For the most part, these styles can be grouped by the language traditionally spoken. Due to the overwhelming influence of Puerto Rican rum, most rum consumed in the United States is produced in the "Spanish-speaking" style. Cachaça is a spirit similar to rum that is produced in Brazil. Cachaca also comes from sugar cane. Some countries, including the United States, classify cachaça as
2226-410: A victory for Bacardi. After this defeat, Pernod Ricard announced plans to market the product in the US under the "Havanista" mark, while Bacardi announced plans to extend distribution of Bacardi's version of Havana Club throughout the US. In Spain, Pernod Ricard's ownership of the mark has been upheld in three court rulings, most recently in 2011. In January 2016, after a thaw in U.S.–Cuba relations ,
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#17327734122062332-529: A visit, then part of the deal is that I get to talk to everybody. I've made it very clear in my conversations directly with Cuban leader Raúl Castro that we would continue to reach out to those who want to broaden the scope for, you know, free expression inside of Cuba." On April 22, 2016, it was announced that travel restrictions on U.S. commercial vessels had been lifted and that the Carnival Cruise Line could travel to Cuba. On May 1, 2016,
2438-715: Is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice . The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak . Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced in nearly every major sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Philippines , where Tanduay Distillers , the largest producer of rum worldwide, has its headquarters. Rums are produced in various grades. Light rums are commonly used in cocktails , whereas "golden" and "dark" rums were typically consumed straight or neat , iced (" on
2544-418: Is based on traditional styles that vary between locations and distillers. Sugarcane is traditionally collected by sugarcane machete cutters who cut the cane near to the ground, where the largest concentration of sugars is found, before lopping off the green tips. A good cutter can cut three tons of cane per day on average, but this is a small fraction of what a machine can cut, therefore mechanised harvesting
2650-430: Is done using column still distillation. Pot still output contains more congeners than the output from column stills, so produces fuller-tasting rums. Cuban thaw The Cuban thaw ( Spanish : deshielo cubano , pronounced [desˈʝelo kuˈβano] ) was a normalization of Cuba–United States relations that began in December 2014, ending a 54-year stretch of hostility between
2756-457: Is now utilized. Sugarcane comprises around 63% to 73% water, 12% to 16% soluble sugar, 2% to 3% non-sugars, and 11% to 16% fiber. To extract the water and sugar juice, the harvested cane is cleaned, sliced into small lengths, and milled (pressed). Most rum is produced from molasses, which is made from sugarcane. A rum's quality is dependent on the quality and variety of the sugar cane that was used to create it. The sugar cane's quality depends on
2862-518: Is one of the most common items brought into the US by tourists returning from Cuba. To avoid charges of customer deception, Bacardi's Havana Club labeling prominently mentions that it is made in Puerto Rico and is often referred to as "Havana Club Puerto Rican rum". Pernod Ricard's labeling, originated by Cubaexport in the 1970s, is gold and red and features the Giraldilla , a weathervane from
2968-600: Is produced in Central America and northern South America. In West Africa, and particularly in Liberia, 'cane juice' (also known as Liberian rum or simply CJ within Liberia itself ) is a cheap, strong spirit distilled from sugarcane, which can be as strong as 43% ABV (86 proof). A refined cane spirit has also been produced in South Africa since the 1950s, simply known as cane or "spook". Within Europe, in
3074-422: Is referred to by the name screech , while some low-grade West Indies rums are called tafia . Many historians now believe that rum-making found its way to the Caribbean islands along with sugarcane and its cultivation methods from Brazil. The traditional history of modern-style rum tells of its invention in the Caribbean, in the 17th century, by slaves on sugarcane plantations, who discovered that molasses ,
3180-579: Is spoken, the word ron is used. A ron añejo ("aged rum") is a premium spirit. Rhum is the term that typically distinguishes rum made from fresh sugar cane juice from rum made from molasses in French-speaking locales like Martinique. A rhum vieux ("old rum") is an aged French rum that meets several other requirements. Some of the many other names for rum are Nelson 's blood, kill-devil, demon water, pirate's drink, navy neater, and Barbados water. A version of rum from Newfoundland
3286-475: Is used in modern Britain to specify spirits bottled at 57% ABV. In 1866 the Navy fixed the issued strength at 95.5 proof (defined as "4.5 under-Proof", equal to 54.6% ABV). While the ration was originally given neat or mixed with lime juice, the practice of watering down the rum began around 1740. To help minimize the effect of the alcohol on his sailors, Admiral Edward Vernon had the rum ration watered, producing
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3392-493: The 1959 revolution . In addition to Cuba's concern over U.S. migration policy, the Cuban delegation assured the U.S. that normalization talks would not yield significant changes unless Cuba is removed from the U.S. State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism . Cuba was one of four countries on the list, the other three being Iran , Sudan , and Syria . The U.S. government said that it had begun an intelligence review in order to evaluate whether Cuba can be removed from
3498-471: The Battle of Trafalgar , Nelson's body was preserved in a cask of rum to allow transportation back to England. Upon arrival, however, the cask was opened and found to be empty of rum. The [pickled] body was removed and, upon inspection, it was discovered that the sailors had drilled a hole in the bottom of the cask and drunk all the rum, hence the term "Nelson's blood" being used to describe rum. It also serves as
3604-600: The Cuban Adjustment Act . A second round of talks took place in Washington, D.C. , late in February 2015. Negotiators described the talks as productive and said several issues were close to resolution. However, the issue of Cuba's listing among state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. government remained a significant sticking point, although Cuban diplomat Josefina Vidal said its removal was not strictly
3710-668: The Cuban Revolution . But despite his prior backlash against the United States, Castro summarized his speech by praising the recent improvements in American-Cuban relations, and wondered why "the countries of the two Americas, the North and the South, fight together against terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime, without politically biased positions." The Cuban thaw has received a mixed reception among politicians in
3816-696: The Cuban armed forces and interior ministries on November 9th. President Biden initially eased U.S. restrictions on family remittences and visa permits in 2022, but similarly levied multiple sanctions against Cuba thereafter. The U.S. government retaliated against the Cuban government for protest crackdowns and human rights abuse in 2021 and again in 2024 for similar protest crackdowns . Relations have materially cooled due to continued differences on immigration , counterterrorism , civil and political rights , humanitarian aid , trade policy , fugitive extradition and politics in and around Cuba. In May 2012, it
3922-660: The General Court of Connecticut ordered the confiscations of "whatsoever Barbados liquors, commonly called rum, kill the devil and the like". A short time later in May 1657, the General Court of Massachusetts also decided to make illegal the sale of strong liquor "whether knowne by the name of rumme, strong water, wine, brandy, etc". In current usage, the name used for a rum is often based on its place of origin. For rums from places mostly in Latin America where Spanish
4028-704: The MV Adonia , a cruise ship operated by Carnival subsidiary Fathom Travel , departed from Miami and docked in Havana Bay , marking the first time in nearly 40 years that a U.S. passenger ship sailed from the U.S. to Cuba. Carnival said that the Adonia would go from Miami to Havana every other week. Two other Miami-based cruise lines, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian , were interested in running cruises to Cuba and sought Cuban government authorization. A number of Florida ferry companies received authorization from
4134-495: The Minnesota Orchestra performed several concerts in Havana, the first professional U.S. orchestra to play in Cuba since 1999. Major League Baseball (MLB) held talks about playing spring training games in Cuba in 2015, but lacked time to arrange them. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said on March 19, 2015, that the league would likely play an exhibition game in Cuba sometime in early 2016 and on March 22, 2016,
4240-617: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee was an early critic of Obama's decision to normalize relations with Cuba. Writing in USA Today on December 17, Menendez criticized Obama "for compromising on bedrock U.S. values", charging that the Obama administration "has wrongly rewarded a totalitarian regime and thrown the Cuban regime an economic lifeline". Among the few other Democrats who have criticized Obama over
4346-702: The Tampa Bay Rays played an exhibition game against the Cuba national team at Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana with Presidents Obama and Castro in attendance. Sun Country Airlines began operating charter flights between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Havana's José Martí International Airport in March 2015. On May 5, 2015, the United States granted approval to four companies to offer chartered ferry service between Miami and Cuba. In March 2016, Carnival Cruise Line received permission from Cuba to resume cruises from Miami to Havana for
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4452-690: The U.S. Department of the Treasury to begin service to Cuba, but the companies were waiting on Cuban government permission. In June 2019, the Trump administration made a policy reversal by banning cruise ship travel to Cuba. Raúl Castro , the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba , served as the leader since 2011 and one of the leaders of the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s, declared in 2013 that "a slow and orderly transfer of
4558-568: The U.S. embassy in Havana and the Cuban embassy in Washington , which both closed in 1961 after the breakup of diplomatic relations as a result of Cuba's close alliance with the USSR . On April 14, 2015, the Obama administration announced that Cuba would be removed from the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list. With no congressional action to block this within the permitted time period, Cuba
4664-531: The United States . The normalization agreement was secretly negotiated in preceding months, facilitated by Pope Francis and largely hosted by the Government of Canada . Meetings were held in both Canada and Vatican City . The agreement would see the lifting of some U.S. travel restrictions, fewer restrictions on remittances , U.S. banks' access to the Cuban financial system , and the reopening of
4770-434: The naval base is not something that we wish to be closed." This issue has yet to be resolved. The United States government stated specific goals in improving trade with Cuba. Roberta Jacobson , an American diplomat, suggested bolstering Internet access and mobile phone service in Cuba to help its integration into the world economy . This provided American telecommunication companies including Verizon and Sprint with
4876-433: The penal colony, established in 1788, faced severe food shortages, compounded by poor conditions for growing crops and the shortage of livestock. Eventually, it was realized that it might be cheaper for India , instead of Britain, to supply the settlement of Sydney . By 1817, two out of every three ships which left Sydney went to Java or India, and cargoes from Bengal fed and equipped the colony. Casks of Bengal Rum (which
4982-582: The " U.S. interests section " in Havana being upgraded to embassies. A ceremony was held at the Cuban Embassy to raise the flag of Cuba , with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla holding a joint news conference afterward at which they emphasized both the step forward in bilateral relations and the remaining political differences between the Cuban and U.S. governments. Kerry flew to Cuba in late July for
5088-492: The 18th century, ever increasing demands for sugar, molasses, rum, and slaves led to a feedback loop that intensified the triangular trade. When France banned the production of rum in their New World possessions to end the domestic competition with brandy, New England distillers were then able to undercut producers in the British West Indies by buying cut-rate molasses from French sugar plantations. The outcry from
5194-613: The Arechabala family was forced to leave Cuba for Spain and the United States, while other members of the family were imprisoned. The Cuban government sold rum abroad under the Havana Club name beginning in 1972, focusing primarily on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The government focused on Havana Club because (unlike the Bacardi family) the Arechabala family had not established plants outside of Cuba and so could not produce
5300-473: The Arechabala family's remaining rights in the brand and began producing limited amounts of rum bearing the name. 922 cases were sold in the US in 1995 and 1996. This drew litigation from Pernod Ricard. Pernod Ricard was successful in two of the first three court holdings issued in this litigation. However, in 1998, after heavy lobbying from Bacardi, the US Congress passed the "Bacardi Act" (Section 211 of
5406-530: The British changed the daily ration of liquor given to seamen from French brandy to rum. Navy rum was originally a blend mixed from rums produced in the West Indies . It was initially supplied at a strength of 100 degrees (UK) proof, 57% alcohol by volume (ABV), as that was the only strength that could be tested (by the gunpowder test ) before the invention of the hydrometer . The term "Navy strength"
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#17327734122065512-544: The British rum industry led to the Molasses Act of 1733, which levied a prohibitive tax on molasses imported into the Thirteen Colonies from foreign countries or colonies. Rum at this time accounted for approximately 80% of New England's exports, and paying the duty would have put the distilleries out of business: as a result, both compliance with and enforcement of the act were minimal. Strict enforcement of
5618-424: The Cuban government. The first of these hotels opened three months later on June 27. A number of American companies support further economic ties with Cuba, as do advocacy groups like Engage Cuba . On December 11, 2015, the United States and Cuba agreed to restore postal service between the two countries for the first time since 1963. A week later, on December 17, 2015 – the first anniversary of D17 – an agreement
5724-497: The Czech Republic and Slovakia, a similar spirit made from sugar beet is known as Tuzemak . In Germany, a cheap substitute for genuine dark rum is called Rum-Verschnitt (literally: blended or "cut" rum). This drink is made of genuine dark rum (often high-ester rum from Jamaica), rectified spirit , and water. Very often, caramel coloring is used, too. The relative amount of genuine rum it contains can be quite low since
5830-584: The King as commander-in-chief, as occurred on 29 June 2010, when previous monarch Queen Elizabeth II gave the order to the Royal Canadian Navy as part of the celebration of their 100th anniversary. Rum became an important trade good in the early period of the colony of New South Wales . The value of rum was based upon the lack of coinage among the population of the colony, and due to the drink's ability to allow its consumer to temporarily forget about
5936-538: The Leakage." Ensign Johnstone had no trouble selling this diluted rum. The popularity of rum continued after the American Revolution; George Washington insisting on a barrel of Barbados rum at his 1789 inauguration. Rum started to play an important role in the political system; candidates attempted to influence the outcome of an election through their generosity with rum. The people would attend
6042-641: The Molasses Act's successor, the Sugar Act , in 1764 may have helped cause the American Revolution . In the slave trade, rum was also used as a medium of exchange . For example, the slave Venture Smith (whose history was later published) had been purchased in Africa, for four gallons of rum plus a piece of calico . In "The Doctor's Secret Journal", an account of the happenings at Fort Michilimackinac in northern Michigan from 1769 to 1772 by Daniel Morison,
6148-549: The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1998), which protected trademarks related to expropriated Cuban companies, and effectively ended the first phase of the litigation by eliminating Pernod Ricard's standing . The statute has been applied only to the Havana Club trademark, and was ruled illegal by the WTO in 2001 and 2002, on grounds that it singled out one country (Cuba). The United States has not yet acted to address
6254-479: The U.S. government awarded a trademark for Havana Club to the Cuban government, which was "expected to reignite longstanding tension between Bacardi Ltd. and the Cuban government". Bacardi appealed the decision, and in 2017, a bipartisan delegation from the Florida House of Representatives asked new President Donald Trump to reverse the decision. Pernod Ricard's Havana Club is the fifth-largest rum brand in
6360-400: The United States defines rum, rum liqueur, and flavored rum. In Australia, rum is divided into dark or red rum (underproof known as UP, overproof known as OP, and triple distilled) and white rum. Despite these differences in standards and nomenclature, the following divisions are provided to help show the wide variety of rums produced. Within the Caribbean, each island or production area has
6466-421: The United States due to the embargo put in place by the U.S. government. Bacardi , another Cuban family that had left Cuba after the Cuban revolution, after purchasing the original Arechabala family Havana Club recipe, also began producing Havana Club Rum in 1994, a competing product made in Puerto Rico and sold in the United States. Bacardi and Pernod Ricard have engaged in ongoing litigation about ownership of
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#17327734122066572-494: The United States should return the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and lift the embargo on Cuba if relations were to be considered fully normalized. The White House responded the next day, saying that it had no intention to return the base. White House spokesman Josh Earnest indicated any such move is out of the question. "The President does believe that the prison at Guantánamo Bay should be closed down, but
6678-400: The United States. Prominent critics include Senator Marco Rubio of Florida . Rubio, a Cuban-American Republican , said that "diplomatic recognition [would] provide legitimacy to a government that doesn't deserve it." The 2014 congressional elections were a month prior to the announcement of the thaw. Senator Bob Menendez , a Cuban-American Democrat from New Jersey and chairman of
6784-631: The WTO ruling, despite a 2005 deadline and requests from the European Union. Following the initial round of litigation, the second round of litigation occurred, through both the US Federal court system and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board , focused in part on the allegedly deceptive nature of the use of "Havana" in the name of a rum produced outside of Cuba. This round of litigation lasted from 2009 to 2012, and again resulted in
6890-452: The basis for the term tapping the admiral being used to describe surreptitiously sucking liquor from a cask through a straw. The details of the story are disputed, as many historians claim the cask contained French brandy , whilst others claim instead the term originated from a toast to Admiral Nelson. Variations of the story, involving different notable corpses, have been in circulation for many years. The official record states merely that
6996-405: The body was placed in "refined spirits" and does not go into further detail. The Royal New Zealand Navy was the last naval force to give sailors a free daily tot of rum. The Royal Canadian Navy still gives a rum ration on special occasions; the rum is usually provided out of the commanding officer's fund and is 150 proof (75%). The order to "splice the mainbrace" (i.e. take rum) can be given by
7102-694: The colony until the arrival of Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1810. In India, rum was not traditionally produced as the production processes used to make jaggery from sugarcane do not produce molasses as a by-product. Rum was not produced in India commercially until the introduction of cane sugar production processes which did. The production of spirits along with the core commodity of sugar allowed for these plantations to have high economic returns. Production expanded rapidly to meet both domestic and export markets (however exports to Great Britain were restricted by protectionist policies). Rum production continued after
7208-547: The end of the Cuban embargo . Fidel Castro appeared to welcome the thaw between Cuba and the United States in a statement published by Granma on January 26, 2015. Despite saying that he "does not trust United States policies", he stated, "We will always defend cooperation and friendship with all the peoples of the world, among them our political adversaries." However, later in 2016, Fidel Castro asserted his criticism of Obama, acknowledging his own anger with Obama's March trip to Cuba in which he called for Cubans to look toward
7314-529: The end of the colonial era. Today, most spirits produced in India labeled as whisky, vodka, and gin are made with a neutral rum derived base. Old Monk is the primary brand of dark rum consumed in contemporary India. Commercial rum production was introduced into Taiwan along with commercial sugar production during the Japanese colonial period . Rum production continued under the Republic of China, however, it
7420-559: The exchange alcohol of choice in the triangle trade . Canoemen and guards on the African side of the trade, who had previously been paid in brandy, were now paid in rum. After the development of rum in the Caribbean, the drink's popularity spread to Colonial North America . To support the demand for the drink, the first rum distillery in the Thirteen Colonies was set up in 1664 on Staten Island . Boston, Massachusetts , had
7526-619: The fermentation process. While some rum producers allow wild yeasts to perform the fermentation, most use specific strains of yeast to help provide a consistent taste and predictable fermentation time. Dunder , the yeast-rich foam from previous fermentations, is the traditional yeast source in Jamaica . "The yeast employed will determine the final taste and aroma profile," says Jamaican master blender Joy Spence . Distillers that make lighter rums, such as Bacardi , prefer to use faster-working yeasts. The use of slower-working yeasts causes more esters to accumulate during fermentation, allowing for
7632-487: The first US commercial airline in more than 50 years to land a plane carrying US passengers at a Cuban airport when Flight 387 took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and landed in Santa Clara, Cuba . More flights have since followed, and two planes from JetBlue and American Airlines also made history by landing in the capital city of Havana on November 28, 2016, marking the first time in more than 50 years that
7738-458: The first day of closed-door talks in the capital's Convention Center. The talks reportedly centered around migration policy. In particular, Cuban representatives urged the U.S. to end its immigration privileges to Cuban refugees, also known as the wet feet, dry feet policy , which allows any fleeing Cuban citizens U.S. residency and citizenship , as long as they are found on U.S. soil and not at sea. Reuters reported that civilian uncertainty about
7844-511: The first time in fifty years. Cuba, however, still prohibited the Cuban-born from returning by sea, and Carnival therefore refused to accept reservations from the Cuban-born. Following public protests against such an exclusionary policy, Carnival told the Cuban authorities it would not sail unless the policy was changed, the Cuban government relented, and the first Carnival cruise sailed from Miami on May 1, 2016. Between January and May 2015,
7950-533: The future. A week after the trip, Castro wrote a sternly worded letter admonishing Obama to read up on Cuban history, and declaring that "we don't need the empire to give us anything." In December 2014, Raúl Castro publicly thanked Pope Francis and the Catholic Church for their role in the secret talks that led to the U.S.–Cuban prisoner exchange. According to Church officials within Cuba, several plans to build Catholic churches, which have been blocked since
8056-459: The government of Cuba, however following the oil price drop resulting from the 2010s oil glut , could no longer afford to do so. (see also Pink tide#Decline ) On January 21, 2015, the United States and Cuba began bilateral talks in Havana to discuss further normalization issues. The U.S. delegation led by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Roberta S. Jacobson , and Josefina Vidal Ferreiro , Cuba's head of North American affairs, sat down for
8162-512: The history of Cuba's foreign relations. Throughout the speech, he condemned the United States' history of manifest destiny , detailing a basic history of American and Cuban relations. After talking about the United States' policy in Cuba, he went on to condemn the United States' assistance in installing the "terrible dictatorships in 20 countries, 12 of them simultaneously", referring to the United States' supporting of Latin American dictatorships. Following that, Castro detailed Cuba's history following
8268-498: The hustings to see which candidate appeared more generous. The candidate was expected to drink with the people to show he was independent and truly a republican. Eventually, the restrictions on sugar imports from the British West Indies , combined with the development of American whiskeys , led to a decline in the drink's popularity in North America. Rum's association with piracy began with English privateers ' trading in
8374-512: The import and export of goods between each country. In his 2015 State of the Union Address to Congress , Obama called on lawmakers to lift the embargo against Cuba , a message he reiterated in 2016 . In February 2015, Conan O'Brien became the first American television personality to film in Cuba after the thaw, and only the third in more than half a century, culminating in the first Conan Without Borders special . In May 2015,
8480-455: The imposition of the embargo in 1962, and removed a key obstacle to bilateral relations. Since the exchange, Gross has become a vocal advocate of the normalization of relations, even offering to visit Cuba again in support of such a result. Although the Cuban trade embargo can only be ended by the U.S. Congress, the Obama administration took executive action to ease some restrictions on travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens, as well as restrictions on
8586-554: The lack of creature comforts available in the new colony. The value of rum was such that convict settlers could be induced to work the lands owned by officers of the New South Wales Corps. Due to rum's popularity among the settlers, the colony gained a reputation for drunkenness, though their alcohol consumption was less than levels commonly consumed in England at the time. Australia was so far away from Britain that
8692-476: The leadership of the revolution to the new generations" was already in progress. Castro pledged not to seek reelection in 2018. In announcing the agreement in December 2014, Castro struck a balance between praising the Marxist revolution that brought him and his brother Fidel to power almost 60 years prior and extolling the benefits that would be brought about by improved relations with the United States, namely
8798-546: The legal minimum is only 5%. In Austria , a similar rum called Inländerrum or domestic rum is available. However, Austrian Inländerrum is always a spiced rum, such as the brand Stroh ; German Rum-Verschnitt , in contrast, is never spiced or flavored. The grades and variations used to describe rum depend on the location where rum was produced. Despite these variations, the following terms are frequently used to describe various types of rum: Unlike some other spirits, rum has no defined production methods. Instead, rum production
8904-547: The list. On April 14, 2015, President Obama informed the U.S. Congress that he had decided to lift the designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism because "the government of Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism during the preceding six-month period", and it "has provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future". The U.S. Congress could have blocked this by passing legislation within 45 days, but no member of Congress even introduced such legislation, and Cuba
9010-530: The name "Havana Club". The Arechabala family founded a distillery in Cardenas, Cuba in 1878. Later renamed José Arechabala S.A. , the company created the Havana Club brand in 1934 and sold rum under that name in both Cuba and the United States. The company was nationalized without compensation by the Castro government in 1960. The Arechabala family allege it was taken from them at gunpoint. Subsequently, much of
9116-446: The nations. In March 2016, Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. The normalization of relations lasted from July 2015 to June 2017, with relations further deteriorating under Presidents Donald Trump , and later, Joe Biden . On December 17, 2014, U.S. President Obama and Cuban leader Raúl Castro announced the beginning of the process of normalizing relations between Cuba and
9222-551: The number of Americans visiting Cuba who had no family ties there was 36% higher than during the same months in 2014. A report by the Pew Research Center found that the number of Cubans entering the U.S. in 2015 was 78% higher than in 2014. It has been said that the United States–Cuban thaw was spurred by Cuba's main international partner, Venezuela, experiencing sharp economic decline. Venezuela subsidized
9328-475: The old fort of Havana. Pernod Ricard has announced plans to use similar gold and red labels on their "Havanista" product in the United States. In 2016, Bacardi announced new branding and sells their version of Havana Club nationally, distilled in Puerto Rico and bottled in Florida. 23°09′08″N 81°55′03″W / 23.15222°N 81.91750°W / 23.15222; -81.91750 Rum Rum
9434-412: The reopening of the embassies, while both presidents said they were looking forward to more direct engagement between Cuba and the United States despite their differences. The Vatican and Pope Francis played a symbolic but substantial role in helping facilitate the normalization of diplomatic relation between the U.S. and Cuba. The Catholic Church has remained in close cooperation with Havana even after
9540-491: The revolution in 1959, are being processed. The first church is to be built in Sandino . It will be the first Catholic church to be built in Cuba since 1959, when the communist Castro regime declared the country an atheist state. At a CELAC meeting in 2015, Raúl Castro gave a speech claiming "Cuba will continue to defend the ideas for which our people have assumed the greatest sacrifices and risks." In that speech, he detailed
9646-609: The rocks "), or used for cooking, but are now commonly consumed with mixers. Premium rums are made to be consumed either straight or iced. Rum plays a part in the culture of most islands of the West Indies as well as the Maritime provinces and Newfoundland , in Canada. It has associations with the Royal Navy (where it was mixed with water or beer to make grog ) and piracy (where it was consumed as bumbo ). Rum has served as
9752-455: The shift in relations with Cuba are two members of the House of Representatives: Albio Sires and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz . Congressional opponents of the new Cuba policy vowed to try to block its implementation, with Rubio announcing he would hold up the confirmation of any U.S. ambassador to Cuba whom Obama might nominate. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas described the policy as
9858-402: The soil type and climate that it was grown in. Within the Caribbean, much of this molasses is from Brazil. A notable exception is the French-speaking islands, where sugarcane juice is the preferred base ingredient. In Brazil itself, the distilled alcoholic drink derived from cane juice is distinguished from rum and called cachaça . Yeast and water are added to the base ingredient to start
9964-481: The spirit. The differences in definitions include issues such as spirit proof , minimum ageing, and even naming standards. Mexico requires rum be aged a minimum of eight months; the Dominican Republic, Panama and Venezuela require two years. Naming standards also vary. Argentina defines rums as white, gold, light, and extra light. Grenada and Barbados use the terms white, overproof, and matured, while
10070-460: The status of U.S. immigration policy following the thaw was promoting a surge of emigrants fleeing Cuba for the U.S. In regard to U.S. interests, the U.S. delegation made it clear that "improved human rights conditions, including freedom of expression and assembly", remain a central element of U.S. policy in normalizing U.S.–Cuban relations. Furthermore, despite Cuban objections, the U.S. stated that it will stand by its Cuban migration policy under
10176-415: The valuable commodity. Some of the privateers became pirates and buccaneers, with a continuing fondness for rum; the association between the two was only strengthened by literary works such as Robert Louis Stevenson 's Treasure Island . The association of rum with the Royal Navy began in 1655 when a Royal Navy fleet captured the island of Jamaica . With the availability of domestically produced rum,
10282-572: The world, with almost 4 million cases sold in 2012–2013. It is sold in over 120 countries. Its strongest markets include France, and Germany, where marketing plays off the brand's distribution in East Germany during the Cold War. Since 2008, it is also bottled in India, the world's second-largest rum market. Pernod Ricard plays heavily on Cuban themes in its marketing, including labeling Havana Club as "El Ron de Cuba" ("The Rum of Cuba"). It
10388-457: Was a slang word for "uproar" or "tumult"; a noisy uncontrollable exuberance, though the origin of those words and the nature of the relationship are unclear. Both words surfaced in English about the same time as rum did (1651 for "rumbullion", and before 1654 "rum"). There have been various other theories: Regardless of the original source, the name was already in common use by 1654, when
10494-547: Was intimately involved in the only military takeover of an Australian government, known as the Rum Rebellion . When William Bligh became governor of the colony, he attempted to remedy the perceived problem of drunkenness by outlawing the use of rum as a medium of exchange. In response to Bligh's attempt to regulate the use of rum, in 1808, the New South Wales Corps marched with fixed bayonets to Government House and placed Bligh under arrest. The mutineers continued to control
10600-463: Was nationalized, the Arechabala family fled Cuba and was forced to stop producing rum. The US trademark registration for "Havana Club" lapsed in 1973. The family alleges that this was due to the company's lawyer, Javier Arechabala, remaining imprisoned at the time. Taking advantage of the lapse, the Cuban government registered the mark in the US in 1976. The brand was then assigned by the Cuban government to Pernod Ricard in 1993. In 1994, Bacardi obtained
10706-472: Was neglected by Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation which held the national liquor monopoly. The industry diversified after privatization and the de-monopolization of the Taiwanese alcoholic beverage industry. Dividing rum into meaningful groupings is complicated because no single standard exists for what constitutes rum. Instead, rum is defined by the varying rules and laws of the nations producing
10812-409: Was officially removed from the list on May 29, 2015. On May 20, 2015, the Cuban government opened a bank account in the United States, enabling it to do non-cash business in the United States for the first time since the embargo began. Cuba and the United States officially resumed full diplomatic relations at midnight on July 20, 2015, with the " Cuban interests section " in Washington, D.C. , and
10918-674: Was officially removed from the list on May 29, 2015. This marked a further departure by the U.S. from the Cold War conflict and its strain on Cuba–U.S. relations. On July 20, 2015, the Cuban and U.S. " interests sections " in Washington and Havana were upgraded to embassies . On June 16, 2017, President Trump indicated a reversal of multiple policies easing the U.S. embargo against Cuba , while expressing an interest in further dialogue. Select restrictions on travel to and from Cuba reactivated on November 8th, with new restrictions imposed on "direct financial transactions" with businesses linked to
11024-624: Was reached to re-establish regularly scheduled flights between the U.S. and Cuba for the first time since the Cuban Missile Crisis . The agreement, which allows for 110 flights a day, took effect on February 16, 2016. Mail service between the two countries resumed on March 17, 2016. On July 7, 2016, it was announced that eight US airline companies had been given tentative approval to fly to airports in Cuba and that flights, which would be limited to educational trips, would begin as early as September. On August 31, 2016, JetBlue became
11130-464: Was reported that the U.S. had declined a "spy swap" proposed by the Cuban government, wherein the remaining three of an original group of Cuban prisoners the U.S. had convicted of espionage known as the Cuban Five , in prison in the U.S. since the 1990s, would be returned to Cuba in exchange for USAID contractor Alan Gross . Gross had been imprisoned in Cuba for providing illegal cellphone chips of
11236-549: Was reputed to be stronger than Jamaican Rum, and not so sweet) were brought back in the depths of nearly every ship from India. The cargoes were floated ashore clandestinely before the ships docked, by the Royal Marines regiment which controlled the sales. It was against the direct orders of the governors, who had ordered the searching of every docking ship. British merchants in India grew wealthy by sending ships to Sydney "laden half with rice and half with bad spirits". Rum
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