Coming soon… Havana Club Tributo 2nd Edition !
We’ve yet to taste the latest release in the Havana Club Prestige Collection, namely the Second Edition of Tributo, so can only speculate on what it’s going to taste like, but – never fear – as soon as we have a drop in our glass, we’ll share our thoughts.
The second instalment of the Tributo Collection, a series of the finest rums from Havana Club’s aged reserves, was recently unveiled at the Cuban Habanos Festival and will have a limited release of 2,500 bottles globally. Havana Club Tributo 2017 has been crafted by Asbel Morales, Havana Club Maestro del Ron Cubano, from a new blend of hand-selected base rums and a decades-old ‘aguardiente’ (spirit base). The ‘aguardiente’ is at the heart of this rum, and has been enhanced by maturation in barrels that are over 80 years old.
Tasting notes by Asbel Morales, Havana Club Maestros del Ron Cubano:
Tasting notes by Asbel Morales, Havana Club Maestros del Ron Cubano: Colour: Transparent with an amber glow
Nose: Aromatic to begin with, but easy on the nose, with distinctive aromas of “miel de caña”, sugarcane honey and raisin. This is balanced with the subtle wooden notes coming from oak
Taste: Extremely intense and complex into the mouth, with outstanding dry notes as result of a prolonged ageing “aguardiente”. This combines with classical notes of chocolate, tobacco and coffee
Finish: Spicy and lingering aftertaste
Asbel Morales comments: “The extensive reserves at the Havana Club distillery provided us with a wealth of luxurious aged rums to experiment with. By blending together, a decades-old aguardiente and our precious rums, we have achieved a totally new rum experience that is lively and complex, with a remarkable dry taste imparted by the original Cuban sugar cane character of the aguardiente. Havana Club Tributo 2017 celebrates the craftsmanship at the heart of the production of premium rum, from the cane to the cask, and we hope rum drinkers around the world will enjoy it.”
The new expression is on sale in six extra markets this year, totaling 16 (Cuba, Germany, Austria, Hungry, Greece, China, Denmark, Portugal, Poland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, Belgium), from March at the RRP of 350 EUR per 70 cl.
Tasting notes for cigar pairing provided by Havana Club:
Highly recommended – Montecristo No.2, 156 mm length and ring gauge 52:
This is the best Pyramid of the Habanos Vitola cigar range. It is rich in aroma and has a wonderful smoky taste with ever-increasing potency. With strong notes of toasted nuts, rich coffee and vanilla, it is intense in flavour, with an outstanding after taste. Unforgettable.
Alternative recommendation – Bolívar Coronas Gigantes, 178 mm length and ring gauge 47:
This Habano is rich in flavor, with a multitude of tastes but all greatly balanced. It has notes of rough earth, fruits and strong black tobacco leaves, with toasted wood connotations and a hint of pepper. The bitterness lingers in the mouth to create an excellent Habano.