Cuban tradition is the cornerstone of the Spanish style. It holds secrets that are only just beginning to be discovered. The arrival of Eminente rums marks the beginning of a new era of Cuban rum . We have rediscovered this very special way of making rum. The holders of these secrets are the maestros roneros. They have, and continue to, influence the entire “Latino” world. César Martí is one of them, and was kind enough to answer a few of our questions:
How long have you been working as a Master Rum Maker?
I grew up in the center of the island of Cuba, where I spent my entire childhood surrounded by a purely sugar environment. I took my first steps in the world of rum when I was at the Universidad Central de las Villas Marta Abreu. There I began my studies as a chemical engineer in 1995.
It was during my third year of university studies that I had the opportunity to do my internship at Ronera Central, the distillery where I currently work. I started working at Ronera Central in 2000. A year later, I was selected to join the Cuban Master Rum Makers movement as an aspirant. It was from that moment that my intense preparation in all the processes of creating Cuban rum began.
Later, I was appointed Technical Process Specialist for the entire plant. In 2009, I obtained the title of Master Rum Maker after completing my PhD in Technical Sciences in the Ageing of Spirits. This year, following the unanimous decision of the Cuban Master Rum Makers movement, I was awarded the title of “Primer Maestro del ron cubano” (First Master of Cuban Rum). This is the highest distinction for a master rum maker and a great source of pride for my family and me.
What training is required to do this job?
To be a Master Rum Maker, you must have a professional chemical engineer profile or a similar specialty. You must be able to identify and select the raw materials involved in the entire production process, design equipment and propose technological improvements at each stage of the process.
The Master Rum Maker has the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out research, design and development projects for new products. The latter must also have a strategic vision that allows him to project himself into the evolution of aguardientes in the aging phase. The goal is to achieve an increasing quality of liquids while maintaining the popularity of Cuban light rum in the world.
Does the Master Rum Maker oversee all stages from fermentation to aging? Or do you have teams consisting of a master distiller, cellar master, etc.?
Yes, the Master Rum Maker is an integral specialist in rum manufacturing technology at all stages, from the origin to the final product. He is able to interpret and conduct the processes during the production of the distillates, the aging and the assembly. Then he identifies at each stage the characteristics of the Cuban rum and making the appropriate corrections if necessary.
He can count on his teams, but it is the "Maestro" who is technically responsible for supervising all these stages.
Are the same fermentations used for aguardientes as for light rums?
Yes, we use the same fermentation process to obtain spirits and distillates with controlled fermentation in a short time, between 24 and 26 hours.
Also, are you using the same distillation column?
No, we do not use the same distillation column.
The production technology of aguardientes is based on the use of fractional condensations to select the flows that make up the finished product. While the production of rum distillates is based on a column system in order to obtain a higher level of purification.
Can you tell us a little more about these columns?
The columns used are of an exclusive design based on continuous and fractional distillation.
Is the traditional still excluded from the Cuban style?
Absolutely, the traditional still is not used in the production of Cuban rum.
What type of barrels do you usually use? What type of wood and from what origin?
For the production of Eminente rum, there are a wide variety of unique barrels in the aging cellars that have been exposed to different cycles of use.
Therefore, each barrel, from the most recent ones used for the aging of aguardientes to the most used barrels (over 60 years old), has its own mission in the complex process of making Eminente rum. Each of them fulfills a differentiating role in the successive stages of production.
We use white oak barrels previously selected and preserved with a particular structure:
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Barrels of some use
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Medium duty drums
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Barrels over 60 years old.
Eminente Rum preserves the treasure of the barrels used over the last 60 years in the central region of the country. They are carefully preserved and judiciously used in the different stages of aging.
How many “bases” do you prepare for your mixes? Do you have a system of “marks” indicating the different concentrations?
For the production of Eminente rum, we use a particular know-how based on the successive stages of assembly and aging. It is accompanied by a rigorous selection of barrels for aging at each stage. This allows us to obtain a very complex physical and chemical composition. We achieve concentrations never seen before in rums of this type.
There is exhaustive traceability of all the components that make up Eminente's final assemblies. Their evolution over time is constantly monitored.
Only when each of the components of Eminente rum has the required physicochemical characteristics and organoleptic profile is it used in the final blend. This is a very complex selection and evaluation process.
Eminente Reserva rum contains 70% aguardiente. This is well above normal, but what is the usual standard?
The aguardientes are responsible for guaranteeing and ensuring the quality and organoleptic excellence that distinguishes Eminente Reserva . This by ensuring its natural transformation necessary during aging.
With Eminente Reserva 7 years old, new standards are established for its category. It is made with 70% of different types of aged aguardientes. The minimum standard for rums of this type in Cuba is 8%.
How many different distillates are blended to create Eminente Reserva?
Eminente Reserva combines the art of natural aging, the selection of barrels for aging at each stage and finally, the selection and multiple blends of aged rums and aguardientes that are part of the final recipe.
In this way, the consumer has the opportunity to taste a unique encounter with Cuban taste and flavors. That is why each step of the process is identified and cared for under the sign of Cuban craftsmanship.
