Havana Club is Cuba’s most famous rum, the most liked and known outside the island, and the San José Rum Factory is one of its greatest temples, just after only 15 years of inauguration.
In this facility, located in San José de las Lajas, in the province of Mayabeque, several of the most prestigious rums of the famous brand are made, particularly aged and extra-aged ones. Among them are the iconic Havana Club Añejo 7 Años, the also renowned Tributo Collection, the Havana Club 1519 and the Havana Club Máximo Extra Añejo.
The history of the rum factory dates back to the first decade of this century. Its opening took place in January 2007, after a year and a half of work in the construction and assembly of all its facilities, which occupy more than 20 hectares of land.
Production and bottling plants, laboratories and mixing areas, aging warehouses, along with offices and other infrastructures are part of the San José Rum Factory, Havana Club’s “sweet fifteenth” facility which did not stop its activities even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Belonging to the Havana Club International S.A. joint venture, the young rum factory joins forces with the centenary Santa Cruz Rum Factory in strengthening and expanding the brand. Its creation, according to the company itself, responded to the need to diversify its range of beverages, mainly towards the development of dark rums, and, at the same time, to respond to the growing demand of the markets with a high quality standard.
This indisputable value is based on the knowledge of the Cuban rum masters, recently declared Intangible Cultural World Heritage by UNESCO.
As a result of the announcement of this well-deserved condition, the rum factory opened to the press the doors of its factories, plants and aging warehouses, and our photojournalist Otmaro Rodríguez went there, revealing for us his images of the celebrated “sweet fifteenth” facility.
Author
OnCuba Staff
In Cuba, as in the US, alcohol is the country’s legal recreational drug.