Available exclusively at DFS airport stores in Los Angeles,
San Francisco and New York JFK until August 31, the Facundo Rum Collection is
core to the Bacardi strategy to develop a premium take on the rum category.
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| The Facundo Rum Collection pays tribute to Bacardi's founder |
“We believe rum is the biggest long-term opportunity in
global travel retail spirits. This is a premium environment and the rum
category is yet to maximise that potential,” said Mike Birch, Managing Director
of Bacardi Global Travel Retail. “There is massive headroom to grow and as the
rum category leader, we have the ability, insights and full range to drive
transformational change.”
While celebrating the 150th anniversary of Bacardi, the
family sampled some of the sipping rums from their private rum library. They
decided to launch a collection of sipping rums as a tribute to the artistry and
vision of Don Facundo Bacardí Massó, founder of Bacardi, in 1862 in Santiago de
Cuba.
Bacardi Limited Chairman Facundo L. Bacardi explained:
“There was a consensus that now was the time to share the art of rum making and
launch a never-before-released collection.”
In creating the collection, Bacardi Maestro de Ron (Master
Blender) Manny Oliver crafted more than 40 blends from over 200 rums and
presented them to Facundo L. Bacardi, a sampling of past Bacardi family master
blenders and a panel of world-renowned experts before selecting the final four.
“We were given carte blanche with the collection,” said Oliver,
who has dedicated 40 years to the craft of rum blending.
To celebrate the exclusive collection launch at selected DFS
stores, the world’s leading luxury travel retailer activated its Mix-it-Bar at
Los Angeles Airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal in March and April,
allowing travellers to sample the rum before catching their flights.
“The collection’s fantastic sampling of some of the finest
sipping rums available as well as the activation at LAX was certainly
appreciated by our fans and we look forward to growing our partnership with Bacardi
and delivering more of these exciting experiences to our customers,” said
Brooke Supernaw, DFS Group’s Senior Vice President Spirits, Wine and Tobacco.
Aged in the Bahamas
Each rum in the collection was traditionally aged in the
Bahamas, where the sun, sea and charred oak barrels all impart a distinctive character
to the liquids. Tropical ageing can accelerate the creation of spirits in the
barrels, and it also accelerates their evaporation to a point where just 5% of
the liquid may remain after 23 years. This means that fewer than 10,000 bottles
will be released.
Each of the four expressions of the collection is 40%abv and
offers its own distinct flavour and style:
Neo (“new”) is an aged, light-coloured sipping rum crafted
from medium younger to heavy-bodied older rums aged up to eight years in oak
barrels and then blended and precision-filtered using specially selected
charcoal. This creates a complex flavour profile with a smooth, delicate finish
and a pale blonde hue. Neo, one of the oldest white rums available on the
market, is crisp and vibrant with a clean, balanced finish, and can be enjoyed
neat, on the rocks or in a new twist on the classic Old Fashioned cocktail.
Eximo is the only rum in the collection that is fully
blended before ageing. The Maestro De Ron tailors the flavour and aroma balance
of the blend before it is matured in fine oak barrels for over a decade. This smooth
rum has deep notes of vanilla, cocoa, caramel and a hint of smoke, a round,
full-bodied texture and a long, rich finish. Eximo is best savoured neat or
with a block of ice. It can also be served as an elevated classic cocktail such
as an Eximo Old Fashioned.
Exquisito, meaning “exquisite”, is a balanced marriage of
seven to 23-year-old rums aged in oak barrels. Finished in sherry casks for a
minimum of one month, the rum delivers a rich, mellow character with robust
notes of raisins, apricots and baking spices, with a hint over butterscotch on
a warm, lingering finish. Exquisito is
best savoured neat or over a sphere of ice.
Paraiso has the highest concentration of the oldest reserve
rums in the collection. This rich rum is finished in French XO casks, some of which
are more than 60 years old. Paraiso imparts sweet fruit, honey and marzipan
notes with a silky finish. It is meant to be savoured neat, to bring out the
full flavour.
All of the collection is hand bottled and sealed. Each
bottle features one-off Art Deco motifs inspired by Cuba’s Golden Era when the
magnificent Art Deco Edificio Bacardí in Havana (1929) housed one of the most
exclusive bars of the time.
The Facundo Rum Collection is available in limited release
in selected hotels, restaurants and exclusive retailers.
