ON sale from this December in Havana is the new cocktail by the Cuban-French joint venture, Havana Club International – Pernod Ricard, named the "Havana Loco" (Crazy Havana). A refreshing drink from the tropics, it is low in alcohol (5.5%) and made from a mix of authentic "Añejo Blanco" Cuban rum, natural fruit juices and carbonated water. The "Loco" was launched in Italy where, in just five months, it achieved explosive sales figures: some eight million liters. It’s a ready-to-drink cocktail currently available in two flavors: lemon and passion fruit.

This and more information was provided at the cocktail’s launch before the national and international press at the Rum Museum in Old Havana, by Alexander Sirech, general director of the firm, and Manuel Arias, director of its Cuban Division.

"Havana Loco" comes in a simply designed bottle and costs $1 for consumers in Cuba. The cocktail was created by a team of Cuban bartenders and French technicians. Initially, Italian technology was used in the process but, as Sirech pointed out, plans are already underway to begin manufacturing in the Cuban capital from 2004 with a range of new flavors based on Cuban tropical fruits.

Both Sirech and Arias explained that next March the joint venture celebrates 10 years of success in which the prestige and sales figures of this brand of rum have grown tremendously both within the country and around the world. They also commented Havana Club Rum Week is scheduled for March 8-11 with the participation of traders, entrepreneurs, distributors, bartenders and drinkers of the prestigious Cuba rum.

(Granma) December 29, 2003