THE RUM & COLA STORY
A Cuban-American Legend
1900: RUM & COLA IS BORN
According to historians, U.S. soldiers ‘unofficially’ started importing Coca-Cola® into Cuba by stuffing bottles into their kit bags during the ten-week, Spanish-American War. The victory for the United States resulted in the Treaty of Paris in 1898, which allowed it temporary control over Cuba. By 1900, the Coca-Cola Company officially began exporting Coca-Cola® to Cuba.
Our heroic U.S. soldiers were the first to be seen mixing Coca-Cola® with Caribbean rums in Havana, Cuba to celebrate the victory of the Spanish-American War. The ‘Cuba Libre’ (English Translation - “Free Cuba”) cocktail was born!
WWII & THE EXPLOSION OF POPULARITY
Rum & Cola achieved a new level of popularity during World War II. Starting in 1940, the United States established a series of outposts among the British West Indies. American Soldiers took to Caribbean rums due to its inexpensiveness, while Coca-Cola® became especially prevalent in the islands thanks to the company exporting it to the U.S. military. Back home in United States, imported rum also became increasingly popular, as government quotas for industrial alcohol reduced the output of American distillers of domestic liquors. Rum & Cola soon became the most popular mixed drink in the world!
THE READY TO DRINK REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN!
Today, over 6 million people around the world consume rum & cola and with our ready to drink, single serve cocktail, we make it easier than ever! Libre Rum & Cola® is conveniently packaged in a 12oz can and is ideal for portability. It is naturally sweetened with raw cane sugar & consistently mixed with imported 3-year aged rum making it never too sweet or strong.
