Bacardí, known for the world’s bestselling rum, is celebrating its 153rd birthday today, February 4, in a big way. On this day in 1862, Don Facundo Bacardí Massó founded the Bacardí Company in Santiago de Cuba. His signature graces every bottle and now Bacardí will be honoring its heritage with a repack that is not only inspired by its rich history but also by the bartenders who gave their feedback on design.
Bacardí wanted to reflect the passion on the inside of the bottle with the design on the outside. Bacardí turned to Steve Schneider, principal bartender at Employees Only, for feedback on the repack along with casting him in a Bacardí commercial. When it came to the shape, weight and feel of the bottle, Bacardí turned to world champion flair bartender Nicolas St. Jean for his input. Bacardí also gained the feedback of Sly Augustin, the owner of Trailer Happiness, “an intimate lounge bar, den and kitchen on Portobello Road serving the finest classic and original cocktails with a Tiki twist.”
The bottle features Facundo Bacardi’s signature once again with a personal guarantee stating, “Una Empresa Familiar” meaning “A Family Business,” which is an ode to Bacardí being a family-owned business for the past 153 years. The name “Ron Superior Carta Blanca” meaning “Superior White Label Rum” is also written, which pays homage to the original name given by Massó and signifies a major change from English to the Spanish language.
The Bacardí Bat device has also evolved to a more rustic design. A big change on the label is the addition of, “Receta Familiar Original” meaning “Original Family Recipe,” which is yet another way to pay homage to the recipe that has been passed down from one Maestro to another for over 150 years. Another notable change is the addition of “Establecido en 1862 Santiago de Cuba” which means “Established in 1862 in Santiago de Cuba” another way it highlights where Bacardí first originated.
Each bottle in the Bacardí family will receive a redesign including Bacardí Superior, Bacardí Gold, Bacardí Black (formerly Select) and Bacardí 8 (OCHO).