Distillation

In Cuba, rum is distilled in continuous columns, not in copper pot stills refilled for every batch. A column is a tall tower with several plates, into which mash flows continuously at the top while steam rises from below. The distillate emerges steadily at the other end, running for days without interruption.

The first distillate is called aguardiente and, under the "Cuba" designation of origin, has 74 to 76 percent alcohol. It still tastes strong and goes into the cask at the first stage. Alongside it, an almost pure alcohol is produced, the "destilado para ron," at under 96 percent alcohol. It passes over activated charcoal, which strips away any remaining harshness.

The older of the two distilleries, Santa Cruz del Norte, supplied the brand alone for decades. The newer one in San José de las Lajas, the main town of Mayabeque, is geared toward the darker rums. Both work with columns, and both belong to Corporación Cuba Ron.

The difference from a pot still shows up in the flavor. A pot still distills batch by batch and retains many aroma compounds, while a column strips them away stage by stage. The higher the alcohol content of the distillate, the leaner it becomes. Cuban rum therefore tends to come across as smooth and dry rather than bold.

The brand's bottlings are built from these column distillates. The range includes the Añejo Blanco, the Añejo 3 Años, and the Añejo 7 Años. They differ less in the distillation than in what happens afterward: in the maturation and in the blending the Maestros prepare.