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Havana club anejo blanco
From: Pernod Ricard
Havana Club is established as a premium rum brand through its success in style bars. Anejo Blanco is designed to complement the brand’s range of aged rums and open Havana Club up to a wider audience. It is also being introduced to challenge Bacardi-Martini’s stronghold in the mainstream white rum sector.
Price: £11.99
Total score: 39/50
consumer’s verdict
Alistair Endean, 29, graphic designer, Tavistock, Devon
Being an avid rum drinker and a fan of all things Cuban I have enjoyed Havana Club’s dark rums for many years
Whenever I’ve wanted a white rum, Bacardi has, until now, been the only option. However, the packaging of Anejo Blanco appealed to me right away because of its traditional Latin feel.
The nose was mild and sugary with undertones of caramel and vanilla, but only a light alcoholic aroma. The taste was again light with a sweet accent, which proved a much smoother experience than Barcardi, which I find can be overpowering with certain mixers/cocktails. I mixed a few Mojitos to test the difference between the two brands and the subtle flavours of Havana Club proved a winner, complementing the flavours.
Score: 22/25
buyer’s verdict
sally holloway, wine and spirits buyer, Booths
Pernod Ricard is trying to make some inroads into the white rum market dominated by Bacardi-Martini.
Havana Club has been promoted as a more premium product with aged variants, but this two-year-old is more mainstream. The packaging emphasises its Cuban heritage, still produced with sugar cane in Cuba, and making it the most authentic rum for popular Cuban cocktails like Mojitos. Anejo Blanco is a more neutral extension of the brand primarily for mixing. The nose is spirity with a honeyed aroma and the palate has a touch of sweetness, but is otherwise neutral so it is ideal as a base for other flavours. Its Cuban heritage does give it the edge over competitors but at this level brand awareness is important and Pernod Ricard will have to work to topple Bacardi from the top slot.
Score: 17/25
Havana club anejo blanco
From: Pernod Ricard
Havana Club is established as a premium rum brand through its success in style bars. Anejo Blanco is designed to complement the brand’s range of aged rums and open Havana Club up to a wider audience. It is also being introduced to challenge Bacardi-Martini’s stronghold in the mainstream white rum sector.
Price: £11.99
Total score: 39/50
consumer’s verdict
Alistair Endean, 29, graphic designer, Tavistock, Devon
Being an avid rum drinker and a fan of all things Cuban I have enjoyed Havana Club’s dark rums for many years
Whenever I’ve wanted a white rum, Bacardi has, until now, been the only option. However, the packaging of Anejo Blanco appealed to me right away because of its traditional Latin feel.
The nose was mild and sugary with undertones of caramel and vanilla, but only a light alcoholic aroma. The taste was again light with a sweet accent, which proved a much smoother experience than Barcardi, which I find can be overpowering with certain mixers/cocktails. I mixed a few Mojitos to test the difference between the two brands and the subtle flavours of Havana Club proved a winner, complementing the flavours.
Score: 22/25
buyer’s verdict
sally holloway, wine and spirits buyer, Booths
Pernod Ricard is trying to make some inroads into the white rum market dominated by Bacardi-Martini.
Havana Club has been promoted as a more premium product with aged variants, but this two-year-old is more mainstream. The packaging emphasises its Cuban heritage, still produced with sugar cane in Cuba, and making it the most authentic rum for popular Cuban cocktails like Mojitos. Anejo Blanco is a more neutral extension of the brand primarily for mixing. The nose is spirity with a honeyed aroma and the palate has a touch of sweetness, but is otherwise neutral so it is ideal as a base for other flavours. Its Cuban heritage does give it the edge over competitors but at this level brand awareness is important and Pernod Ricard will have to work to topple Bacardi from the top slot.
Score: 17/25
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