Rum Matusalem is named after the biblical patriarch Methuselah, who lived 969 years. There is even a saying in Spanish-speaking countries: “Older than Methuselah.” The name was supposed to emphasize the age of the drink and turned out to be prophetic: Matusalem rum has been produced since 1872, and although at one time the company was on the verge of collapse, today the company is regaining its lost market positions.
History. After Facundo Bacardi invented a way to purify distillate from sugar cane, Santiago de Cuba has become a real capital of rum. In 1872, three young Spanish entrepreneurs built a small distillery here: Evaristo Alvarez and the brothers Benjamin and Eduardo Camp.
In the homeland of the Camps, in Spain, brandy has long been produced using the solera technology. Barrels are arranged in a pyramid in order of aging: the most aged spirits are at the bottom, the young ones are at the top. At certain intervals (usually 3-4 months), part of the drink is pumped out of the lower containers (up to 1/3 of the volume) and bottled. The corresponding volume of spirits from the upper tanks enters the lower ones, old spirits are mixed with younger ones.
Being experienced blenders, the Camp brothers were the first in the history of Cuba to apply this technology in the manufacture of rum. The result exceeded all expectations: from the end of the 15th to the middle of the XNUMXth century, Matusalem was considered one of the best premium Cuban rums. The XNUMX-year-old drink was even called “rum-cognac”. He has won gold medals many times at international exhibitions.
The families of the founders, having intermarried, turned into a single clan. In the 50s of the XX century, the company, headed by Claudio Alvarez Lefebre (son of Don Evaristo), competed on an equal footing with Bacardi. At that time, Matusalem & Co produced 24 million bottles of rum per year.
But in 1956, the head of the company died, and six months later, his son, Claudio Alvarez Soriano. The widow with four children was not up to business, and in 1960 all the property of the company was nationalized.
Senora Alvarez moved to Miami and settled in a modest house in the Cuban quarter. Her son Claudio graduated from the University of Georgetown, became a doctor and founded a network of clinics in the Dominican Republic.
What was left of the company was managed by a council of relatives. Matusalem rum was produced in small batches in the Bahamas, but its quality left much to be desired, and due to the fact that the three branches of the family could not come to an agreement, the company finally fell into decay. Rum with exactly the same name was also made in Cuba, at a nationalized factory, although the former owners managed to take out the technical documentation.
Claudio Alvarez Salazar was 42 years old when, in 1995, he took over as president of the company founded by his great-grandfather. Alvarez began by transferring the production of rum to the Dominican company Ron Bermudez. The quality of the drink has improved significantly: the climate and soils of Hispaniola are very similar to those of Cuba.
Senor Claudio chose a swallow as the symbol of the renewed company: these birds lived under the roof of the Alvarez factory in Santiago. Now the swallow, which reminds the exiles of their home, is depicted on the labels of Matusalem rum.
The company then won a lengthy legal battle with the Cuban government for the exclusive right to use the Matusalem brand. Since 2002, rum under this name has not been released in Cuba.
But at the same time, the firm was sued by the powerful concern Perno Ricard, which represents the Havana Club brand on the international market. The inscription on the Matusalem label reads: “Spirit of Cuba”. This phrase can be translated as “Spirit of Cuba”, and as “Cuban alcohol”. The concern’s lawyers claim that Matusalem & Co is misleading consumers. According to Senor Alvarez, rum, which is produced using Cuban technology, should be considered a Cuban alcoholic drink. This is confirmed by the fact that the influential American publication Cigar Afficionado annually recognizes Matusalem Extra Añejo as the best Cuban rum.
For more than 10 years, court hearings in different countries have been held with varying success. So far, Matusalem & Co has won the right to call its rum Cuban in some EU states, in particular, in Italy. According to polls, Italians consider Matusalem Gran Reserva Solera 23 the best premium rum.
In 2005, the company produced 2 million liters of rum per year. In July 2016, Matusalem & Co finally built its own distillery in the Dominican Republic, with a capacity of 4,950 million liters per year. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Claudio Alvarez Salazar quoted his grandfather’s favorite saying: “The demand for quality is always great. The main thing is to be sure that your products are the best.”
Types of rum Matusalem
6 varieties of Matusalem rum are produced with a strength of 40%:
- Matusalem Platino is a colorless, clear, triple-distilled rum with a floral aroma. The taste is a little dry, with a hint of fruity sweetness. Finish – medium length, with a sweet hint of molasses;
- Matusalem Extra Añejo is a light golden rum, a complex blend of young and old spirits, fragrant with vanilla and almonds. The soft nutty-creamy taste of the drink emphasizes the richness of the aroma. The aftertaste is long, silky, with a barely perceptible woody bitterness.
- Matusalem Solera 7 (Years Old) – premium rum, amber color, 7 years old. The gentle smell of vanilla is in harmony with the creamy caramel notes in the taste of the drink. The aftertaste is long, moderately sweet;
- Matusalem Clasico Solera 10 (Years Old) – premium rum, copper brown color. The drink is made from a mixture of several rums aged according to the solera system. The aroma of rum is warm, creamy vanilla, with undertones of molasses and coconut. On the palate, the astringent bitterness of burnt oak balances the hints of iris and nutmeg. Aftertaste – warm, creamy-spicy;
- Matusalem Gran Reserva Solera 15 (Years Old) – premium rum, the color of old amber. In the spicy taste, vanilla-caramel, nutty and plum notes gradually appear, ending with a warm, long aftertaste;
- Matusalem Gran Reserva Solera 23 (Years Old) – premium rum, golden brown color. A rich aroma with dominant woody tones reveals marmalade-floral nuances. The taste of hazelnut, roasted almonds and sherry gives way to vanilla-honey sweetness in a long aftertaste.
