the alchemist says...

Above: Every Leap Year, The Leaping Ladies would make an appearance. # Rare Occurrence

Today we are drinking a Leap Year in commemorating Leap Day.

The cocktail was created by Harry Craddock for the Leap Year celebrations at the Savoy Hotel, London, on February 29th, 1928, 84 years ago. It was said to be responsible for more proposals than any other cocktail that has ever been mixed.

Go on, have a Leap Year, you only experience it every 4 years.

…alchemist says

The Leap Year

Ingredients:

1 Dash Lemon Juice

2/3 Gin

1/6 Grand Marnier

1/6 Italian Vermouth

Method:

Shake well and serve in cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top

Adapted from The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock, 1930, First Edition

Above: James Bond insisted the water in his bath always be stirred

A dry martini, ‘he said. ‘One. In a deep champagne goblet.’Oui, monsieur… Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it is ice cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel…Got it? ~ Ian Fleming, Casino Royale

Shaken…not stirred. The sole catchphrase that conjures images of Sean Connery wearing Tom Ford and bedding beautiful double agents whilst imbibing on a drink called the Bradford. A Bradford is a Martini which is shaken rather than stirred. Like the Martini, the origin of the Bradford is lost. 

Author Ian Fleming had James Bond name the Vesper, after Vesper Lynd, a double agent in Casino Royale. Informing his superiors of Vespers death and treason, Bond’s closing words in the novel were “The bitch is dead now”. Ironically, neither was to be heard of again.

Shaking versus stirring is one of the great theological debates surrounding the preparation of this iconic drink. 

According to scientific research, Bond should have requested the drink to be stirred with a wooden spoon rather than shaken. For those seeking a scientific explanation: wood versus an orthodox stainless steel barspoon; metal, a conductive element increases the temperature in preparation of this much debated drink. The article also noted that the reasoning behind the secret agents preference over the stirred variation was; at the time vodka was manufactured with potato, which abdicated an oily residue. Argumentatively, Smirnoff, Stolichnaya, Finlandia and Absolut, all made appearances within the Bond series, all being grain based.

…bruising by definition is a loss in viscosity, a move from solid to liquid, one cannot bruise gin. There is one drink that does bruise that of a Bloody Mary should never be shaken, the tomato juice present within the drink thins with agitation.

Here are some facts with regards to shaking:

1. Shaking rapidly infrigidates a drink.
2. No matter how careful one fine strains and pours, small particles of ice will always make their way into the drink when shaking.
3. The rate of dilution increases when shaking as opposed to stirring.
4. Very rarely, shaking produces the precipitation of very small solid particles from the vermouth, giving the drink a cloudy appearance.
5. Shaking causes a certain class of molecules within alcohol (aldehydes) to combine with oxygen profoundly than stirring. The oxidation of these molecules alters the flavour profile, making it sharper / definitive.

Despite spending my  entire life managing the bar where the phrase was coined, is a stirrer more than a shaker. A gentle stir will allow the ingredients to blend smoothly and maintain the alcoholic content of the martini, whereas shaking with ice will dilute the alcohol quite significantly. Certain cocktails, such as those containing fruit ingredients, might be less of a problem to shake, but he’d never choose to shake a Vesper! ~  Legendary Barman, Alessandro Palazzi, Dukes Bar, St James’s Place, London.

“The Hotel bar which some say concocts one of the world’s best Martinis” ~ New York Times

Shaken and stirred variations of the Martini are dissimilar; they are also equivalent, in that neither has a firm validity on being “better” than the other. In a manner shared by no other drink, the Martini has become an iconic entity that has woven itself within the cultural tapestry of society. The subject has become more of a broad concept than a specific recipe with many variables than a fixed constant. Likened to the English language, the Martini is a constant evolving phenomenon. Shaken…or stirred, the question can only be determined by personal preference, taste and through experimentation to establish the consumers’ needs in relation to the type of spirit base and vermouth, to the palate.

I hope not to hear of within the industry stirring a Martini with a Goldfinger.

…alchemist says

Above: Certificate of Authenticity, Russian Standard is now available in major retail outlets in South Africa. Russian brides not included

Recognised in Russia as the benchmark for excellence, Russian Standard Original owes its name and quality to Dmitri Mendeleev’s classic formula, commissioned by Tsar Alexander the 3rd for optimum balance and purity.  

Russian Standard has come to epitomise vodka in the spirit of Russia, and in the process has become an iconic symbol of modern Russian life and dynamism. 

The dramatic bottle design, inspired by the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in the heart of Moscow, evokes Russia’s Imperial past, and the vital role that vodka plays in Russia’s most elegant traditions.

Striking a balance between Russian heritage and the energy of modern life, Russian Standard Original is a masterpiece of technology, passion and craftsmanship.

One of the many benefits within my industry is of the privilege of being invited to events in the form of either; to compete in mixology related competitions, being part of a judging panel within these competitions, presentations/seminars to the launch of an alcoholic brand/s that have recently entered the country. 

Russian Standard vodka, the number one premium vodka announced the launch of Russian Standard Original and Russian Standard Gold within the South Africa market. Present at the launch was Russian Standard Global Brand Ambassador Tatiana Petrakova, who conducted the presentation at Shaker Bar Academy Cape Town and Johannesburg respectively whereby introducing key members within the industry about the global positioning and growth of the brand within the vodka category.

In Russia, vodka is a national entity, when we drink, It is not about mere consumption but commemoration. 

Although Russian Standard Original and Russian Standard Gold are only available within the South African market, members were fortunate enough to imbibe on the Russian Standard Platinum expression, a super premium vodka made only with the finest Russian ingredients. Russian Standard Platinum is filtered four times through charcoal and twice through silver impregnated charcoal, a production process / technique allowing an ultra clean finish with hints of aromatics.

From Russia with love, Vashe Zdorovie…here is to your good health

…alchemist says

Words by: Nick Koumbarakis

Bringing home the bacon…an expression widely used in boxing, and it is in that sport the expression first became widely used. Gans fighting for the world lightweight championships in 1906 received a telegram from his mother before the fight. “Joe, the eyes of the world are on you. Everybody says you ought to win. Peter Jackson will tell me the news and you bring home the bacon.”

This form of expression has no correlation within my article. If it was somewhat misleading I do express some form of regret for those thinking the article would educate those on ways to significantly raise their monthly salary.

For the bartender and the benighted, this is a technique that has been used within the industry by venue owners and seasoned bartenders to add another dimension to the consumers drinking experience within their menu…a multi-sensory drinking experience.

Every single cocktail is unique, simply because it has its own personal story behind it. We are not trying to break the rules, we are simply creating one.

Seasoned bartenders understand that every spirit is unique in terms of; aroma and complexity. Bartenders are refining techniques, infusing spirits in different forms to extract /impart certain flavours. Infusions need not be alcoholic, water and natural sugars can also be infused. The higher the alcoholic proof, the greater the rate and more pronounced extraction of flavours are present. When higher proof alcohol is utilised, bartenders refer to the infusion as a tincture, highlighting a single imparted flavour.

Relatively established within the industry, apart from South Africa, fat-washing is a multi-sensory technique, infusing certain meat fats which impart certain aromas and flavours into a complimentary spirit base.

For those in search of scientific explanation…Fat is non-polar / hydrophobic, alcohol will contain water which is polar / hydrophilic, preventing fat fluidifying. Alcohol is both polar and non-polar allowing both water and fat compounds to fluidify, allowing flavourful compounds from the fat to impart into the alcohol whilst separating the actual fat. This method, combined with the higher freezing point of fat versus the lower freezing point of alcohol allows the fat to solidify. Similarly, the same process is utilised in the manufacturing of perfumes and other cosmetology related aspects.

What we noticing in the industry with regards to fat-washing are very interesting flavour combinations. Duck fat infused with Rye Whiskey, smoked Prosciutto with Mezcal / Scotch whisky, preferably from Islay, where the whisky has a distinctive smokiness due to the high peat content, etc. ”Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t” ~ Hamlet, Act II, Scene II

Is the technique a mere trend within the industry? If one reads between the lines, not only am I educating you, the bartender on a technique, I am educating the consumer with regards to the industry and how it has evolved.

Within my experience, there has been a global shift in attitude towards the craft of bartending, whereby the bridge between bartender and culinary artisan has ever increasingly shortened, bartenders have become integral to any venue, understanding the demands and needs of the “consumer” on a daily basis. Drinks are being recognised as a culinary art form / expression where bartenders are creating an unforgettable drinking experience to the consumer through smell, aesthetics, sound, feel and taste. 

In time, consumers who appreciate the art of fine dining, will appreciate the craft of bartending is not a mere trend…but a profession.

…the alchemist says

In our previous segment of No School like Old School we celebrated 150 years of Bringing People Together where we commemorated on a timeless classic…the Cuba Libre, a drink that since its creation in 1900 there have been more than 80 billion Original Bacardi Cuba Libre cocktails served worldwide.

“By Jove!, that is the real hanky-panky!” ~ Sir Charles Hawtrey

The Hanky-Panky, indeed the name of a drink which was invented by no other than Ada Coleman, a barmaid in a world of male bartenders, it was she “who made” the American Bar, following Frank Wells and a series of nameless bartenders who elevated the illustrious Savoy Hotel since its inception. In the first five years Harry Craddock worked at the Savoy, tending the service bar while Ada was the face of the American Bar that the public eye saw.

In honour of this pioneering woman have a Hanky-Panky…the drink that is.

…the alchemist

The Hanky-Panky:

Ingredients:

45 ml Gin

45 ml Sweet Vermouth

2 Dashes Fernet Branca

Method:

Stir well with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish and twist a small swathe of orange peel over the surface of the drink.

Adapted from Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh

Ada “Coley” Coleman:

In our previous segment of Bar Icon we covered no other than Professor Jerry Thomas. The man responsible for pioneering and popularising cocktails across the United States. In addition to writing seminal work on cocktails, his creativity and showmanship established the image of the bartender as a creative profession, notably with his iconic signature drink…the Blue Blazer.

To the uneducated and benighted within the industry who think women cannot deliver behind the bar and should wait on tables rather…think again. Ada “Coley” Coleman, described by the Daily Express as the “most famous barmaid” was, in all probably, the best known female bartender of all time.

The late Charles Hawtrey … was one of the best judges of cocktails that I knew. Some years ago, when he was overworking, he used to come into the bar and say, ‘Coley, I am tired. Give me something with a bit of punch in it.’ It was for him that I spent hours experimenting until I had invented a new cocktail. The next time he came in, I told him I had a new drink for him. He sipped it, and, draining the glass, he said, ‘By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!’ And Hanky-Panky it has been called ever since.

Ada Coleman worked at the American Bar at the renowned Savoy Hotel from 1903-1926 and was the first and only female bartender to head the bar since its inception. She took up bartending after her father died, where he had been a steward at Rupert D’Oyly Carte’s golf club. In 1899, at the age of 24, D’Oyly Carte who had built the Savoy, offered Coleman a job at one of his hotels in the bar at Claridge’s, where she made her first cocktail, a Manhattan, under the tutelage of a wine butler named Fisher.

Her talent and presence led her to move to The Savoy’s American Bar as Head Bartender, after Frank Wells retired, in 1903, where she would remain there until early 1926.

A fan of celebrities and theatre in general, Ada made cocktails for some of the world’s most famous people. Coleman’s bar-chairs saw the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, WC Fields, the Prince of Wales, Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, the American millionaire “Diamond” Jim Brady and Mark Twain.

The cheapest and easiest way to become an influential man and be looked up to by the community at large was to stand behind a bar, wear a cluster diamond pin, and sell whiskey. I am not sure but that the saloon-keeper held a shade higher rank than any other member of society. ~ Mark Twain

Ada’s personality made her popular with all her guests, she liked nothing better than to have musical / theatrical types back to her house for a party. She received presents from all around the world; Lucas D’Oyly Carte left her a then substantial sum of £100 in his will and the Earl of Lonsdale, impressed by her performance at a charity fete in June 1913, introduced her to Princess Alexandra.

Her most famous cocktail, and the only drink which Harry Craddock attributed to her in his Savoy Cocktail Book, was undoubtedly the Hanky-Panky. She created it for a comic actor named Charles Hawtrey, famous for his performances in the Carry On films, when he requested something “with a bit of punch in it”, because he was overworked.

A down to earth and kind hearted individual, Ada Coleman lived to the ripe old age of 91 and died in 1966, an iconic legend worth mentioning within the industry.

As the world celebrates 200 years of Charles Dickens today, you might be thinking to yourself what impact / contribution did this Victorian novelist have within the bartending sphere? The answer to that question is quite simple…A Dickens Martini.

Bring in the bottled lightning, a clean tumbler, and a corkscrew.

For any bartender the question olive / twist creates a true timeless classic, the Martini. Within the coming weeks I shall be uncovering all the myths about this quintessential concoction.

For now…in reference to Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist we are serving a Dickens Martini, no olive…no twist. 

…alchemist says

Do you add flavour? You might be thinking…is that a question or the title of my next article? Quite accurately, one is a question and the other is the title of my next article.

With World Class underway, an international programme funded by Diageo Reserve, Bols, the world’s oldest distilled spirit brand, dating back to 1575 has launched a programme to identify the most inspiring and talented bartenders from across five continents. Within the next three months, bartenders will be competing for 12 places at the Grand Final to be held in Amsterdam in May 2012 where competitors will have to compete in 3 heats that will evaluate the three facets of the “true bartender”. This year five leading personalities of the industry will compose this highly acknowledged jury chaired by Rob Rademaker, Bols International Brand Ambassador.

Heat 1 is underway where 10 bartenders from each country will be selected to progress to phase 2 of the competition. From there 3 from each country will progress to Heat 3 where the winner of this Heat will be named the finalist to represent that region. 

The Prize:

A fantastic eight day global tour, visiting the best cocktail bars in four different cocktail capitals of your choice: Capitals like London, Tokyo, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, New York, Los Angeles to name a few.

A one year Bols Platinum Ambassadorship that includes two trips to Amsterdam for intensive training and an all expenses paid visit to a world class bar show like Tales of the Cocktail, Manhattan Cocktail Classics, Bar Convent Berlin, Cocktails and Spirits and many more.

The Prize for the Eleven Finalists:

A One year Gold Bols Ambassadorship which includes one additional trip to Amsterdam for intensive Bols Ambassador training and an honorary contract to represent Bols in your own country at different seminars, trade shows and courses. It is a perfect platform for your bartending career and you will be able to meet some of the most influential people in the industry.

All National Winners:

All country winners will receive a Bols Around the World 2012 National Champion Trophy and a Limited Edition Bols Barrel Aged Genever signed by our Master Distiller Piet Leijenhorst.

For more information visit www.bols.com

South African bartenders…How do you add flavour ?

…the alchemist

What happens when two great companies with two amazing secret formulas choose the same classic green colour for their sleek beverage bottles?

To celebrate 150 years of bringing people together, we commemorate a True Bacardi Classic…The Cuba Libre.

The Cuba Libre was born out of Cuba’s War of Independence with the Spanish, a war in which, like most Cubans, the Bacardi family were involved. In the late 1890s, Cuba’s anti-colonial fighters were called the Mambí. Emilito Bacardi, eldest son of Emilio Bacardi, was one of them. He began his military service as aide de camp to Major General Antonio Maceo, Cuba’s ‘Bronze Titan’, fighting the Spanish from Cuba’s dense forests, or ‘manigua’. During the war he was promoted to colonel, and became known as ‘El Coronel’.

The war was scarcely over when, in late 1898 Warren Candler (brother of Asa Candler, then owner of Coca-Cola) sailed for Cuba, the first of twenty such trips. As a result of Warren’s visits to Cuba, there in May 1899 the company hired a sales merchant to sell Coca-Cola syrup for use in soda fountains and appointed Jose Parejo, a Havana wine merchant as the Cuban distributor for Coca-Cola.

Since its creation in 1900 there have been more than 80 billion Original Bacardi Cuba Libre cocktails served worldwide.

By 1900 Coco-Cola was both popular and widely available in Cuba so it is not surprising that American solders still garrisoned there started ordering Bacardi Cuban Rum and Coke with a squeeze of the ubiquitous lime. One solider in particular, Captain Russell of the US Signal Corp, is credited with starting this trend when one day in August 1900 he ordered the combination in a Havana bar. Naturally his drink sparked interest from the soldiers around him and before long the entire bar was drinking it. The Captain proposed a toast, ‘Por Cuba libre!’ in celebration of a ‘free Cuba’. Fortunately for posterity, the event is supported by an affidavit from a witness, Fausto Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was a personal messenger to General Wood, appointed the military governor of Cuba after entering Santiago de Cuba on 17th July 1898, after Roosevelt’s victory at the battle of San Juan Hill. After the Republic of Cuba was born on 20th May 1902, General Wood left Cuba and Fausto Rodriguez returned to Santiago de Cuba. Sixty-five years later, on 21st December 1964, Rodriguez told Emilito Bacardi the following story, affirmed under oath: 
“During the period of military intervention, two Americans opened and operated a bar called The American Bar on Neptuno Street, between Consulado and Prado in Havana. It was patronized almost exclusively by American soldiers and by American civilians who worked in the various government offices in Havana. 

“While I was employed at the office of the Signal Corps, I became quite friendly with an American whose last name was Russell (I do not remember his given name). He worked in the office of the Chief Signal Officer. Mr Russell frequently took me to The American Bar where we used to drink Bacardi Rum and Coca-Cola.

More than 6 million Original Bacardi Cuba Libre cocktails are enjoyed everyday around the world. That is almost 70 cocktails per second and more than 180 million a month.

“One afternoon in August 1900, I went to The American Bar with Mr Russell, and he drank his usual Bacardi Rum and Coca-Cola. I just drank Coca-Cola, being only 14 years old. On that occasion, there was a group of American soldiers at the bar, and one of them asked Mr Russell what he was drinking. He told them it was Bacardi Rum and Coca-Cola and suggested they try it, which they did. 

“The soldiers who drank the Bacardi Rum and Coca-Cola said they liked it, and wanted to know what the drink was called. When Mr Russell told them that the drink did not have a name, one of the soldiers said, “Let’s give it a name”. Another said, “How about calling it ‘Cuba Libre’?” They all agreed and ordered another round of Bacardi Rum and Coca-Cola, calling it a Cuba Libre. To my best knowledge, this is the first time this phrase ‘Cuba Libre’ has been applied to a drink. Thus, the first Cuba Libre consisted of Bacardi Rum and Coca-Cola.

“During the American intervention, the words Cuba Libre – meaning Free Cuba – had a special political significance, and were used a great deal by the Cubans and Americans in Cuba. It seemed quite natural that the American soldiers selected and applied this popular slogan to this drink, which they considered indigenous to Cuba, consisting of Bacardi Rum and Coca-Cola. The name caught on quickly, and has remained popular to the present time.”

The Cuba Libre peaked in popularity during the 1940s, partly aided by the Andrews Sisters who in 1945 had a hit with ‘Rum and Coca-Cola’, named after the drink’s ingredients. During the war, all spirits production went over to industrial alcohol - in the absence of whiskey and gin, Americans turned to imported rum. The Cuba Libre is an enduring classic, still made with Bacardi rum and still enjoyed the world.

To commemorate 150 years of bringing people together, Bacardi inconjunction with Shaker Bar Academy and the alchemist says are giving away a bottle of Bacardi Reserva. A collectors item as it is not currently distributed within South Africa.

To stand a chance of winning this prize, contestants must email their Full Name and answer with the subject field: Bacardi Reserva Giveaway to alchemist@shaker.co.za and follow @alchemist_says twitter account. Competition is open to contestants within South Africa only. Competition closes on the 26th February where the winner will be announced on the 28th February 2012

Question:

What year and where was the Bacardi Distillery founded?

The Bacardi Bat Device…one of the most iconic brand trademarks within the spirits industry. A symbol of health, good fortune and family unity according to Spanish and native Taino Indian lore which has a symbolic connection.

Bacardi rum bottles are easily recognised by their elegant shape and classic colour, called Georgia Green. The distinctive green hue dates back more than 100 years and has been the colour used for all Bacardi Superior (Carta Blanca) rum bottles.

Upon purchasing his first distillery in Santiago de Cuba, Dona Amalia, Don Facundo’s wife noticed a colony of fruit bats that hung from the rafters within the distillery. During a period where the inhabitants of Cuba could not read, the rum maker needed a distinguished symbol. Dona Amalia was credited for rendering the symbol, shortly thereafter, his creation became known by the people as el Ron del Murciélago or “the Rum of the Bat.” 150 years later the Bat Device proudly graces and adorns every bottle of Bacardi since 1862. 

The King of Rums and the Rum of Kings. In its 150 year history Bacardi rum has won more than 400 awards, making it the world’s most awarded rum.

On this day in 1862, Bacardi was founded in Santiago de Cuba when Don Facundo Bacardi Masso purchased a small distillary. After years of experimenting, Bacardi revolutionised the spirits industry by adding steps never before used in rum making. After careful and systematic experimentation with a variety of ingredients, aging methods and blends, Bacardi founder Don Facundo offered up the first samples of a new, smooth, light-bodied spirit the world now knows as Bacardi Superior Rum.

His descendants continue to produce Bacardi rum, the world’s best selling and most awarded rum, under its original and proprietary formula, using the pioneering process including distillation, controlled fermentation, charcoal mellowing, filtering, aging and blending techniques he created and mastered in Santiago de Cuba in 1862, 150 years ago. 

To really understand Bacardi one needs to know the name Bacardi has three meanings: it is a Family, a Company and a Brand. Each has evolved during the course of the 150 years since the establishment of the Company.

When the threat of Prohibition loomed large in the United States, Bacardi saw a window of opportunity. In preparation, Bacardi management formed a corporation, dividing stock shares equally among President Emilio Bacardi, First Vice President Facundo Bacardi and Second Vice President Enrique Schueg. Each principal held stock valued at more than 1million US Dollars. 

On October 28, 1919, the U.S. Congress passed the Volstead Act forbidding the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale and consumption of alcohol in the United States. As you can imagine, that was not good news for the burgeoning Bacardi, especially since three years prior the Company opened an office in New York City and was faced with having to deplete 60,000 cases of inventory. What was Bacardi to do with all its rum? Bacardi executive Enrique Schueg, who would later become the Company’s fourth chairman, acted quickly by issuing Bacardi “wet stock” a move that would place a value on each case of Bacardi rum as a share.

In order to liquidate the Company, Enrique Schueg created 60,000 shares that he sold as “wet stock” to the public and dissolved the Company by distributing one case per share. A remarkable thing happened for Bacardi when Prohibition got fully underway. Prohibition in the United States prompted American tourists to flock to Havana, Cuba for fun and cocktails. Bacardi was their drink of choice, so much so that a popular international airline promoted the slogan, “Fly to Cuba and Bathe in Bacardi rum.”

Since Prohibition made spirits advertising illegal, Bacardi rolled out a clever and successful promotional campaign using postcards playing up the allure of Cuba’s bars and nightlife. One caption read, “Cuba is great. There is a reason. Bacardi.” Fortune Magazine said Prohibition had “caused Havana to become the ‘unofficial’ United States saloon.” 

Unsurprisingly, Bacardi was the center of Havana’s historic heyday. El Edificio Bacardi, the Bacardi Havana office building and one of the city’s first skyscrapers, was home to the most popular bar in Havana: a black-and-gold bar frequented by celebrities, Bacardi family members and their guests. Production of Bacardi rum increased so quickly during the Prohibition years that the Company had to build a larger facility in Santiago de Cuba to keep up with demand. Profits enabled expansion outside of Cuba during the 1930s, with distilleries opening in Mexico and Puerto Rico. The facility in Cataño, Puerto Rico, is now the largest premium rum distillery in the world and home to the Casa Bacardi Visitor Center, the second most visited venue in greater San Juan today, playing host to more than 230,000 visitors each year.

In 1888, Bacardi rum was appointed “Purveyor to the Royal Spanish Household” by the Regent Queen Christina Maria, mother of the King of Spain Alfonso XIII.

Due to continual threats by the government of Fulgencio Batista, including its nationalisation of Bacardi for one day, Bacardi executives moved to safeguard the Bacardi rum intellectual property and secret formula. The Company strategically moved the trademarks, other intellectual property and the coveted strain of yeast out of Cuba before the revolutionary forces took control. Such vision saved the Company and Bacardi rum.

When Cuban revolutionary forces illegally seized the Company’s Cuban assets on October 14, 1960, Bacardi already had already established operations in four other markets, the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. The coveted strain of yeast continues to provide Bacardi rum its signature taste and unique balance today, and remains under tight security.

Today, Bacardi rum is a premium brand with authenticity and heritage that stands the test of time. It truly is a brand that connects people in memorable ways. Through 150 years of organic growth and acquisition. Bacardi has a presence in more than 150 markets around the world.

Coincidentally 2012 may be the year of the Dragon according to Chinese astrology, the 4th February…will mark the year of the bat.

May your year be filled with health, good fortune and family unity

…the alchemist says