Here at WCL, we’ve talked about high-end spirits since day one and it is no surprise to see us talking about Cuban rums, one of our favorite spirits and one that pays homage to the Cuban heritage of our founder and Editor-in-Chief. Since ‘Profundo’ means deep in Spanish, we couldn’t think of anything better than a Rolex Submariner ref. 116610LN to deep dive into one of the rarest rums we’ve been able to source from Cuban brand Havana Club —the authority of rums and the real deal. Don’t be fooled by the Havana Club Puerto Rican rum that ripped off the Cuban brand name. Hopefully one day the United States Patent and Trademark Office will do something about it as well as about the dozens of Cuban cigar brands that have been ripped off by U.S.-based companies.
In the past, we’ve talked about Havana Club Gran Reserva 15 Años and Havana Club Unión, two rums that sit at the top of the Havana Club portfolio but today, we are telling you everything about the rarest Cuban rum originally released in collaboration with the Cuban Bartenders Association to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the legendary bar ‘El Floridita’ in old Habana, Cuba. This cocktail bar was one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite hangouts back in the days and the place where Constantino Ribalaigua invented the frozen daiquiri in the 1930s.
Havana Club Profundo as its name suggests, it’s a deep rum unlike any other rum out there. After having drunk dozens of high-end rums from top makers like Santiago de Cuba, Zacapa, Santa Rita, Abuelo, Diplomatico, Flor de Caña, Clément, Appleton Estate, and even Brugal, this rum is as unique as it gets. An exceptional aged white rum with a unique color, extra rich aroma, and incredible taste. A rum that has no comparison, very much so like a Rolex Submariner.
Diving into a bottle of Havana Club Profundo is like going down the Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas with a Rolex Submariner ref. 116610 strapped to your wrist. A unique experience in itself, Profundo has a very pale yellowy color like that of its label and cap. As you pour this rum into a glass, you could very well be pouring yourself a glass of Albariño wine in terms of its color and looks.
Havana Club Profundo is a light rum and the result of a unique blend of extra-aged white rums with a full-bodied aguardiente —hard liquor. Without a doubt a uniquely flavored rum that is advised to better drink it neat. Once you get to dive into Profundo, it is impossible to compare it with anything else out there, as iconic as a Rolex Submariner that cannot be compared with any other diving watch —as it is in a league of its own.
When it comes to rums, this is an experience and not just another sipping rum. Honestly, we’ve had the best of the best when it comes to rums and names like Zacapa XO, Appelton Estate 21, or even Abuelo 18, just to name a few have nothing on this rum —and those are not white aged rums.
This aged white rum has no rivals out there. What other white aged rums can you think of? None, because there aren’t any as far as we know.
Quite aromatic on the nose with light balanced notes of oak and a hint of vanilla and caramel, Profundo is an exceptional aged white rum that has been aged for who knows how long. It features an incredibly complex array of notes on the palate that are very hard to describe. Sipping this rum neat delivers all its flavor without any compromise. Mixing it with coke or any other mixer would be considered sacrilege.
Extremely smooth without barely any bite on the tongue or throat, one can enjoy the subtle and balanced hints of coconut, vanilla, caramel, and even cotton candy. As soon as we opened the bottle and tried it, we were already regretting not getting that second and only other bottle that was left on the shelf. Havana Club Profundo was produced for a very short period of time and its production was halted around the summer of 2019.
Unique in color and taste, unique in elaboration process, and a rum that hopefully we will be able to find more of somewhere in the world. Scarce as Rolex Submariners at the ADs nowadays, and just like with Submariners, you’ll have to pay the overprice if you are able to find it.
Estimated Sticker Price at Auction €560 Euros —$675 USD. For more info on Havana Club click here.
