Bacardi unveils new Havana Club rum and design

Bacardi has unveiled a new expression, packaging design and marketing campaign for its Havana Club rum, which is set to roll-out across the US as trademark disputes with Pernod Ricard continue.

Havana Club has launched a new campaign to coincide with its aged rum brand expansion

In February this year, Pernod Ricard confirmed the trademark for its own Havana Club rum had been officially renewed in the US until 2026, provoking a legal battle with Bacardi.

The following month, Bacardi asked a US district court to “strike” the Havana Club trademark from the official register in the latest move in a battle with Cubaexport over the rights to the brand name in the country.

Dark rum expression Havana Club Añejo Clásico – designed to complement Havana Club Añejo Blanco – is due to initially launch in Florida this June, before being rolled out across the US throughout the summer.

Havana Club Añejo Clásico is aged in oak casks for one to three years before being put through selective filtration and blending, to deliver “robust” notes of sweet fruits such as pineapple and apricot, as well we oaky notes with hints of almond and vanilla.

Havana Club Añejo Blanco is made from sugarcane molasses and double aged in oak barrels for a year. After blending, the rum is put back in oak casks for a second maturation period of two months to deliver white rum with tropical fruits and floral notes.

The new packaging features the family crest to celebrate the brand’s Cuban heritage, which is decorated with hand-lettered typography to give a “sleek, yet timeless feeling”.

Havana Club Añejo Clásico has been added to the brand’s portfolio, along with a new packaging design

“Our family could not be happier that Bacardi is launching Havana Club Añejo Clásico, which is based on the original recipe created by the Arechabala family in 1934,” said Jose Arechabala, a great-grandson of founder Jose Arechabala Aldama.

“Our families knew each other before we were both exiled from Cuba and with Bacardi being the premiere rum company in the world, it’s only fitting that they continue our legacy by paying proper homage to the capital city of Cuba, a place we once called home.”

The new variant and product redesign will coincide with the new brand campaign, titled ‘The Golden Age, Aged Well’, which aims to emulate the “glamorous, effervescent feeling” of the Golden Era in Cuba and reflect Havana Club’s heritage.

Tag lines for the campaign include “The Freedom, The Decadence, The Dazzle, The Glamour. If Only Someone Had Bottled It”, “Even a Revolution Couldn’t Topple The Rum”, and “Always True to Its Rumba Loving Soul”.

“This is the ultimate convergence of two Cuban families in exile coming together to continue the legacy of this incredible brand and introduce it to a new generation,” said Fabio Di Giammarco, global vice president of rums for Bacardi.

“We are thrilled to launch Havana Club Añejo Clásico and share it, alongside Havana Club Añejo Blanco, with the support of the ‘The Golden Age, Aged Well’ creative campaign, which highlights the stunning Cuban historical period during which this rum was most revered.

“It is an honour that the Arechabala family has entrusted us to continue their family’s legacy and have no doubt that we’ll be able to bring to life all the things that made it a legendary brand.”