The Cuban archipelago, full of attractions for thousands of vacationers who visit the island's tourist destination every year, complements its offer of leisure with elements that mark traditions that have lasted for years.

A powerful sun, the tropical climate par excellence, beautiful white-sanded beaches and a centennial culture go hand in hand to create a unique mixture, capable of meeting the most demanding needs, without neglecting those customs that include the enjoyment of beverages from the largest Antillean island.

Among them is the Cuban rum, which is considered a liquor for great occasions, and whose origin goes back to the time in which sugarcane was introduced in Cuba. Since then, it has become an irreplaceable companion in meetings.

Cuban rum has its precedence in a beverage obtained from molasses during the sugar-producing process, which is initially used in rituals by African slaves brought to Cuba from the so-called black continent,

Between 1762 and 1792, Cuba supplied the world market with rum, which evolved to the genuine Cuban rum until the 18th and 19th centuries and accumulated a rich history of tradition that have overcome the passage of time.

For many vacationers who arrive in Cuba, the enjoyment of a cup of excellent rum is closely linked to a good Havana cigar, in a sort of ritual that is in vogue both in the archipelago and in regions of millenarian culture such as the Old Continent.

It is precisely in countries such as Italy, Germany and France that the volumes of rum being exported surpass the quantities that can be assimilated by the Cuban market, an unequivocal sign of its acceptance.

According to experts, rum results from a group of exclusive factors, including the climate, the land from where the raw material come from, the kind of aging and the care it receives during its elaboration.

Moreover, each distillery contributes a specific brand to the market, with aromas, tastes and peculiar colors, thus creating its own circle of adepts.

The most common brand in Cuba is the Havana Club, which is made in one of the biggest rum factories in Latin America, and can produce up to 30 million litters a year.

That factory produces the so-called Silver Dry, which is excellent to prepare cocktails, as well as other products such as the 3-year-old Carta Blanca, the five-year-old Carta Oro and the 7-year-old Añejo, among other qualities of the beverage.

The eastern city of Santiago de Cuba produces such brands as Matusalén, Paticruzado, Caribbean Club, Varadero and Caribe. Santa Clara, in central Cuba, produces Decano, Siboney and Mulata, while Havana produces Legendario, Bocoy, Bucanero and Antillano.

However, beyond the name, all rums have a common origin for their production and the intention of filling a gap in domestic and foreign tastes, together with the goal of enjoying the pleasure felt when drinking a glass of good rum at the right moment.