Eminente, the Cuban expression

28 May 2023 | Discover
Eminente, the Cuban expression

It is in the center of the island, not far from Santa Clara that the cellars of Ron Eminente are installed. Where they are, the barrels are equidistant from the two western and eastern traditions of Cuban rums. The first, that of Havana, produces light rums that delight bartenders. On the other hand, that of Santiago de Cuba, generates heavier, fruitier rums, aged for tasting. Eminente succeeds today in synthesizing its various skills to create a new Cuban expression.

For the tasting

Eminente comes from the association between Moët-Hennessy (LVMH) and Cuban Ron, one of the two state companies responsible for distilling rum in Cuba.

This alliance is part of both a premiumization of Cuban rum and a desire to establish itself as a tasting rum on the world market. It is Maestro Ronero César Marti, nicknamed by Rumporter magazine, “the Cuban Mozart of blending and aging” who applies his art to Eminente rum. The specificity of this rum is to contain a high rate of what is called in Cuba, aguardiente. The aguardiente, unlike the light rum which also enters the blend of the Cuban rum, is a distillate which reaches approximately 75%. It obtains the appellation "aguardiente" if it has the required aromatic qualities. If in the Eminente Carta blanca, designed for mixology, the aguardiente represents only 30% of the total volume, it represents 70% in the Eminente Reserva. This makes it a real tasting rum.

The Denominación Origen Protegida (D.O.P.) Cuba imposes a minimum of 10% aguardiente in Cuban rums.

Cuban aging

Aging takes place in three stages. The first consists of aging in a rather young ex-bourbon barrel. Then, a second aging takes place in ex-barrels more patinated, of bourbon, Irish or Scottish whisky. These barrels allow controlled aging. Finally, a last aging takes place in very old barrels. This change of barrel allows both reoxygenation of the rum and better integration of the blend.

Eminente, the anniversary cuvée

César Marti supervised the production of a cuvée selected by the Excellence Rhum and Confrérie du Rhum teams, on the occasion of their joint anniversary. This is a 10-year-old rum, offered in cask strength, resulting from the assembly of two casks.

The first is an ex-whisky cask in which an aguardiente, column strength, grading 75% has been aged. The barrel rested for several years on the greatest height of the cellar in order to obtain a better interaction with the wood, as well as more concentrated flavors. The second cask received a previously reduced aguardiente for a period of 10 years. This elegant aguardiente has thus inherited a beautiful aromatic richness. It is by assembling these two cuvées that the Maestro Ronero of Eminente created the Anniversary Cuvée Excellence Rhum-Confrérie du rhum.

Tasting Note

The Excellence Rhum-Confrérie du Rhum Anniversary Cuvée delivers a very toasted attack with a nice presence of cocoa. Then, between a fragrance of noble wood and a slight vegetal note of the eucalyptus type, rare in the Latin tradition of rum, the fruit imposes itself in a remarkable way. Notes of nectarine and peach invade the palate. We then savor a finish that is just as persistent as it is fruity, reminiscent of rancio.

Eminente in Cuba

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Written by

Matthieu Lange
Matthieu Lange
Conseiller en spiritueux