Havana Club - It's a fair question... isn't it?

By: Olly Wehring - 17 August 2006 15:28

As you'll see when it goes live tomorrow, I've been researching the full story about Havana Club this week. I've spoken to both Bacardi and Pernod Ricard, and some of the language has been really quite colourful.

Pernod is, naturally, a tad peeved at Bacardi for launching its own Havana Club rum this month in the US, a market Pernod can't penetrate with the product right now due to a longstanding trade embargo. The French company has subsequently hit Bacardi with a lawsuit, accusing the US company of misleading consumers by offering a rum called Havana Club that is actually made in... Puerto Rico.

I stopped short of asking Pernod one question yesterday, just so I could publicly ask the company now.

Pernod, where is Malibu rum made?

Comments on this blog post

Given that Bacardi was huge over in China 60 years ago and almost a ghost now, Havana Club (Pernod) should take advantage by working this market. Let Bacardi use their muscle to market it (the name) in the US because the world isn't going to stay the same. Pernod will have the last laugh because there are lot of other names Bacardi could have used

Mike Armstrong, Taiwan

I ask you this though, what would happen if the shoe was on the other foot? If the US was in Cuba's position against a country like China; would the US Govt. stand for that?

Fraser, Myanmar

You should ask Bacardi why they bought the Havana Club name, but give all their other spirits (from several distilleries and several qualities) the same name. You can't distill at different places and get the same result.

Rene van Hoven, Netherlands

The bottle clearly states on the label in 1/2" type that it is PR rum!

Marc Skinner, United States