On February 4, 1862, the Bacardí family, led by Don Facundo, The Bacardí Masso, bought a distillery in Santiago de Cuba. They threw away the rule book and made their own unique blends with a revolutionary rum-making process that would change the way rum was made forever.

Cuban rums, along with cigars, have formed a core part of Cuba's national identity and fueled the country's economy for decades. A huge factor in what makes Cuban rum so fantastic is the country’s unique terroir and climate. It is particularly ideal for growing agricultural products such as sugarcane and tobacco, which is why those Cuban crops are historically so revered around the world. The light, crisp style that people have come to recognise as being distinctly Cuban originated from a request by the Spanish Crown, which preferred its spirits delicate in flavour.