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Bacardi Facundo NEO white rum review

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A bottle of white rum against a white background

Bacardi Facundo NEO white rum review

Brendan Hodrien

Published: February 23, 2021 at 11:49 AM

5.0

A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.

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Read our expert review of a unique bottle of creamy white rum, made by one of the most famous rum brands on the planet – Bacardi.

Bacardi Facundo NEO (40% ABV) summary

The most successful rum brand on the planet pays tribute to its founder with this premium edition rum. Don Facundo kicked things off in Cuba centuries ago and his legacy is paid homage to with this sophisticated and refreshing palate of creamy vanilla and custard along with tropical fruits and pepper. Pour over ice and raise your glass to The Don.

What's the story behind Bacardi Facundo NEO rum?

The Bacardi name is one of the most recognisable in the world of rum, but many won’t know the name of the man who started it all. This bottle is distilled in tribute to the company’s founder, Don Facundo Bacardi Masso. The now world famous firm was founded on 4 February 1862. Don Facundo bought a small distillery in Santiago de Cuba and set about creating the light bodied rum we know and love today.

Although it was Don Facundo who founded the distillery, it was his wife Dona Amalia who suggested the company adopt its now signature bat logo. She noticed a colony of fruit bats in the rafters of the distillery and suggested the company adopt the symbol – the animal held longstanding associations with good health and fortune.

By the late 19th century the Bacardi distillery was a roaring success. The company was winning gold medals the world over and had even began supplying rum to the Spanish royal family. Early in the 20th century the firm became Cuba’s first multi-national, setting up shop in Barcelona and New York. The company survived prohibition in the USA, capitalising on flocks of American tourists looking for a party.

But operations in Cuba couldn't survive the 1960 revolution. Revolutionary forces seized Bacardi operations and assets on the island without compensation and El Coco died shortly after. Thankfully, trademarks and the company’s yeast strain were moved out of the country in time and, eventually, a new headquarters was established in Bermuda and the company went from strength to strength.

What does Bacardi Facundo NEO rum taste like?

The Facundo collection was created to pay tribute to Don Facundo Masso, the NEO expression is made using rums aged between 1 and 8 years, blended and filtered to remove colour before bottling. The end result is a delicious sipping rum. The nose is full of almond, vanilla and custard and these flavours are evident in the palate which leans into creamy vanilla along with coconut and punchy white pepper. We can’t recommend a cocktail here, just a short glass and a cube of ice.

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This review was last updated in February 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.