White rum dept - Bacardi 1909

[mamajuana]

I recently felt the need to inform everyone who may not know of a white rum called rum Bacardi 1909 Heritage. This was run of Bacardi with about 7500 cases produced. It was released in 2010 with bottles of 1L in wood boxes and 750 ML in cardboard sleeves.

Description :

Bacardi 1909 Superior Heritage Limited Edition rum is based on the original design from 1909. It was produced by Bacardi Y Compañia S.A. de C.V. at the Destileria la Galarza in Mexico under the close supervision of José Sanchez Gavito, Maestro de Ron Bacardi. It has been certified as meeting the flavour profile of the first blending in 1862.

So on its base we have a rum produced in Mexico rather than PR their oldest distillery in operation. The ABV is 44.5% rather than 40% and it is aged for 1.5 years in American Oak before Charcoal filtration.

This is an Outstanding aged white rum of classic Cuban style that has not been held back. The flavor it contains is intense and is an easy sipper at room temperature. I know people are thinking really... Bacardi... but yes really this is one of the best white rums that exemplifies a style and has such a full bold vigor that begs to be imbibed to no end. This bottle destroys and can't even be compared to the standard superior. A complex flavorful offering in the 1909 with a lingering finish rather than a subdued vodka many white rums on the market now portray. No burn excellent smoothness from start to finish.

The price varies depending on location in Europe this sadly retails for up 50-100 Euros. The USA is much more merciful in pricing with an average of about 25.00 but as high as 50.00+. I have had about 6 or so bottles of this at this point over several years before making this statement. I was lucky enough to find an outlet with many still available for 13.00. A rum at 13.00 with this quality... its a no brain decision. If you find this rum at close out or this cheap it would be a crime against a great spirit not to pick one or two up you will not regret this. Just limit yourself at this ABV it is easy to go to work still tipsy the next day. Being it's going on 5 years since its single release it is getting harder to find so if you see one grab it.

[Hassouni]

Yeah, the original Bacardi was supposed to be pretty special, and sounds like the 1909 hits it. I have some insider knowledge, that I probably can't divulge too much of, that Bacardi is still very aware of this and to date still makes some highly flavored distillates, which aren't ever released on their own.

It's a shame - with the release of the Caliches and Caña Bravas and other quality Cuban-style white rums, Bacardi is missing an opportunity.

Now if I could only find a bottle....

[Capn Jimbo]

As mentioned elsewhere, I found mine for $17, and trust me, I'm buying more...


Mama is right on the money. Why Bacardi doesn't make a major commitment to this, rather than as a simple one-off to demonstrate that they could is beyond me. But let's face it, their low priced, low alcohol industrially produced tripe sells so well to the now well-trained monkeys, why bother?

My review:

The Bacardi Heritage is crystal clear, no sediment and with the linger, mother of pearl legs that mark its 45% alcohol content. I liked it from the very first sip. Yes, as as a newly opened bottle you do get a bit of alcohol prickle on deeper nosing, but that passes as the bottle is poured. Don't forget - no rum should be judged until it reaches the shoulders of the bottle.

The opening aroma is actually rather rich - banana over anise with a distant, distant sour new leather. Very nice. As for the palate this rum opens with a surprising bit of body - not full, but certainly not thin either - with an initial light sweetness that carries forth with complete consisitency as this lovely spirit reflect the aromas, now of ripe banana and anisette which remain. Without hesitation came a rapidly expanding, mouth coating sweet and hot heat - heat I say - to a beautiful Cuban style white pepper, lingering finish - that lingers longer than I'd ever expect from a new silver rum.

Yes, there's an aftertaste that brings us full circle to the well established banana and anisette.


Score (10 is best): strong, strong 8 (to be revisited)

[Hassouni]

Tried it last night, finally, at Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29 in New Orleans.

AWESOME stuff. I can see what the fuss was about, and it makes me even more pissed off that modern Bacardi is such utter crap. They need to release this more widely, I'd probably pay up to $30 for it.

[mamajuana]

Tried it last night, finally, at Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29 in New Orleans.

AWESOME stuff. I can see what the fuss was about, and it makes me even more pissed off that modern Bacardi is such utter crap. They need to release this more widely, I'd probably pay up to $30 for it.

Great to hear you finally found some. You should be able to find a few bottles here and there. Unless I'm just lucky to have 5 stores that have it in stock around me that I know of.

It's sad though to see Bacardi go in the total opposite direction with their newest white rum release "Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro Rum."

This rum is now available in the US all over now. It was release earlier this month on May 4th. The marketing on this one really isn't even that good either.

Here is a portion of the press release:

Paying tribute to its rich history and heritage, BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron is named after the Maestros de Ron (Master Blenders) that have safeguarded the secrets of the family's rum-making process for more than 150 years. Inspired by the pursuit of creating the ultimate white mixing rum, BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron is expertly crafted and double-aged using white oak casks that impart soft notes of oak, creating a spirit with a superbly smooth taste.

1. Paying tribute with this rum? Since when in history did their founders release a rum laced with additives and dare to call it "super premium" ? This rum is in direct contradiction to the Bacardi Heritage 1909 rum that does actually represent what the true Bacardi Heritage is.

2. So it's claim to fame is that it is aged in white oak? Are they serious right now? Don't they age all their products in white oak or do they use old wine skins? How does this possibly set itself apart from any other product? They claim this gives the smooth taste and not all that added sugar?

3. They call this "double-aged using white oak." They give no reference to what barrels(first fill vs 2nd etc) are used in this process and they are not telling either. I saw this bottle at one of my weekly rum runs and the label states: aged for 1 year in oak barrels then blended and aged for a further 3 months and then bottled. So wait a second here they double aged a 1 year blended rum in the same wood for 3 more months and that did something special? For all we know they blend it and dunk it back into the same oak barrel it came from. Their column distillate could not hold up in a first fill barrel so the prior conclusion is more than likely.

4. Bacardi Superior is aged for a minimum of 1 year by law already in white oak. Superior is also not laced with additives its actually a pure rum that far more represents its heritage than this new offering. This huge new idea to toss the blend into white oak again for 3 months somehow transforms this rum into something totally different and makes it way smoother? Its not the double aging here its the sugar they tossed into the mix. May as well toss a few sugar cubes in a bottle of Superior shake and call it "Maestro."

5. A 1.75 ML bottle of Superior is 20.00 or less. This new bottle on the shelve at the store I frequent which tends to have very competitive pricing was 27.99 for a 750ML bottle! This is insane! A product that is nearly identical in distillation, filtering and aging aside from a stated additional 3 months in white oak is almost 3 times the cost!! Does all that added sugar in the Maestro really cost that much?

This rum is a total fleece and anyone who considers its purchase is being totally duped by a doctored up product that dares to call itself super premium and claims its paying homage to the heritage of its founders. I bet those Maestro's are turning in their graves right now.

How dare Bacardi swindle its customers with this fraud in a designer bottle!

[Capn Jimbo]

Nice piece, nice analysis Mama... thank you.

[Hassouni]

Great to hear you finally found some. You should be able to find a few bottles here and there. Unless I'm just lucky to have 5 stores that have it in stock around me that I know of.

You are lucky. It is not available anywhere remotely local to me (DC, VA, MD area).

As for the new product, have you tried it? What's your source on it having additives?

[mamajuana]

Great to hear you finally found some. You should be able to find a few bottles here and there. Unless I'm just lucky to have 5 stores that have it in stock around me that I know of.

You are lucky. It is not available anywhere remotely local to me (DC, VA, MD area).

As for the new product, have you tried it? What's your source on it having additives?

Sugaring/additive information can be found on this website in the sugar tests section.

[Hassouni]

Found two bottles for sale locally! Snatched them up, obviously.

[da'rum]

I've skipped this thread a few times because of the word 'Bacardi' but I shouldn't have. Nice write up.

[da'rum]

Over 50€ here. That isn't going to happen.