Ron Cubay is a rum i only had a chance to briefly try at the 2013 UK Rumfest as their table was swamped, and at this last years rumfest i tried them again and up for review i have here the 3 year old white rum, Carta Blanca, the Anejo 7 anos and the Ron Cubay 10 year old Especial Reserva. They are rums of the Spanish style, light, elegant and typically Cuban.
In Cuba rum was first made in the 1700th century when molasses from the Far East was brought there by Columbus via Spain. Growing well in Cuba, the sugarcane became the most important crop and in the 19th century rum production really got going.
Ron Cubay was founded in 1964 in Santo Dominco, Villa Clara, centrally located in Cuba and was only intended for the Cuban market until 2010 when the first shipments for export arrived in Europe and in 2013 i first saw it at the UK Rumfest and briefly wrote about it since a quick tasting usually only gives a very brief first impression.
Ron Cubay is produced with only Cuban molasses from sugar cane since the Cuban legislation forbids using foreign molasses to produce Cuban rum and they are produced by the distilleries of Cuba Ron S.A which also produce Havana Club and distributed in the UK by JBE Imports.
Distillation is done with a Column Still which typically gives these lighter style rums. The rums are aged in American white oak ex whiskey barrels which are re-charred. Nothing is added and Ron Cubay is a 100% natural product with 100% Cuban materials.
Only 3 out of 5 expressions are marketed in the UK, the 3-year-old Carta Blanca,the 7-year-old Anejo and the 10-year-old Anejo Reserva Especial, but maybe also the new Ron Cubay Extra Viejo which they had up for sampling at the 2014 UK Rumfest is released for purchase in the UK – a light gold colored rum which is mix of white rum and extra aged rum reserves.
That is old Cuban rums that are aged for an average of seven years and then some of the best whites that are aged for nearly 13 years in white American oak barrels. From what i remember of the taste of this rum, it had a quite intense fruity flavor, balanced and no harshness at all which was expected. The bottles are individually numbered and comes in a velvet leather effect gift box.
The other two rums are a 4-year-old Carta Dorada and a 5-year-old Anejo Suave, which naturally i haven`t tried, neither do i know if they are able for purchase in Europe, but i guess not, at least not yet.
CARTA BLANCA
The Carta Blanca (38% ABV) is designed for cocktails and is a vibrant, only slightly sweet rum. The color is white with faint yellowish tones. On the nose it`s pretty “green and young”, with green sugarcane and some slight pepper notes, it´s a typical daiquiri rum.
In the mouth you get the same green freshness with a little fruitiness and slight sweetness, it´s not harsh at all but does have some refreshing pepper notes that makes this rum lively, definitely great for cocktails but can also be sipped neat if you wish.
ANEJO
The anejo is 7 years old (38.0% ABV) and has a medium golden amber color. The nose has a lovely honeyed sweetness, with hints of caramel and toffee mixed with a mellow fruitness, like mashed apricots.
In the mouth it´s fruity, just slightly woody, a bit of vanilla, hints of apricots and peaches and warm rich dark sugar.
A good sipping rum but can of course also go in cocktails.
ANEJO RESERVA ESPECIAL
Deep amber in color the Anejo Reserva Especial is 10 years old (40% ABV) it has a rich nose, like a golden stream of honey with apricot, peach and vanilla notes drenched in sugarcane and light hints of spice.
In the mouth i feel more vanilla paired with honey, toffee and peaches, it´s warm and caressing and so soft, just a very slight hint of spices.
I think this rum has a lot to offer and even while it´s not so widely known yet everywhere it will be. I`d use the Carta Blanca as a mixing rum, the Anejo, which i think i prefer of the three i`d use for both sipping and mixing and finally the Anejo Reserva Especial, for sipping when you want something easy on the palate to relax with.
I made a classic daiquiri with the Carta Blanca, that`s the natural thing to do….but there´s a whole range of things you can mix with it that`s not daiquiris! i just happen to really love that drink 🙂
CUBAY DAIQUIRI
2 oz Ron Cubay Carta Blanca
0.75 oz fresh lime juice
0.5 oz sugarcane syrup
Shake ingredients with ice cubes and strain into a chilled cocktail coupe or glass.
This drink is simple and yet it´s so perfect! if you want to really taste the rum in your drink this is the drink to make, rum, lime and sugar, the basis of so many cocktails not the least the tiki drinks! if there was no daiquiri invented there`d be no tiki drinks!
Also this is the perfect cocktail to test how good a rum is because you cannot get a tasty daiquiri with a bad rum. With Ron Cubay the daiquiri is good so my thumb is up!
Here´s their UK Website.
See other Ron Cubay Anejo rum reviews on RumRatings
See other Ron Cubay Carta Blanca rum reviews on RumRatings
See other Ron Cubay Reserva Especial rum reviews on RumRatings