150 Years of the BACARDI Archive Revealed

Hamilton, Bermuda, June 12, 2012 — As part of its 150th anniversary celebration, Bacardi Limited shares an extraordinary glimpse into the unique heritage safeguarded in The Bacardi Archive of more than 150 years of precious documents, authentic historical assets and sometimes quirky artifacts about the Company, family and iconic brand. This rare look showcases the BACARDI® rum brand’s remarkable creation and international expansion to more than 150 markets to become the world’s favorite and most awarded rum with nearly 500 medals, as well as the rich history of the Company’s survival through adversities and critical success to become the world’s largest privately-held spirits company.

“The Bacardi Archive started with a shoe box of slides in 1998. The task to reconstruct our history was monumental because 98 years of assets were destroyed, scattered around the world with family members, or left when the Company’s Cuban assets were confiscated in 1960 by revolutionary forces,” says Bacardi Archivist Patty Suau. “In a little more than a decade, we have been able to re-acquire some of the most interesting pieces of our past. We have a remarkable heritage highlighted with creative marketing campaigns during the U.S. Prohibition era, a starring role in the ‘golden age of cocktails,’ and international growth while in exile after the Cuban Revolution ─ all under seven generations of family ownership.”

Fourteen years later and hundreds of thousands of hours of meticulous documentation, The Bacardi Archive houses more than 30,000 catalogued assets that date back as far as the 1850s – original documents from the founding of the Company, replicas of the original distillery and first Alembic still, early representations of the Bacardi bat logo, medals awarded since the 1870s for taste and quality, more than a century of newspaper articles, bat-themed jewelry from cuff links to necklaces, decades of broadcast and print ads, one-of-a-kind promotional items including pins and coasters, Prohibition-era branded glassware, antique BACARDI rum bottles, a collection of limited-edition blends for special occasions such as the turn of the millennium, and an extensive Latin American art collection, among other precious items.

“We have an amazing heritage that tells the story of a pioneering spirit that not only defines, but helped create a cocktail culture that began with my great-great grandfather in 1862 in Santiago de Cuba,” says Facundo L. Bacardi, Chairman of Bacardi Limited and a fifth generation Bacardi family member. “The Bacardi Archive captures our heritage and offers a connection to the resilient spirit of the Bacardí family, the Company, and the world-favorite BACARDI rum.”

The Bacardi story has its humble beginnings in Cuba where founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó pioneered techniques such as the use of superior quality sugarcane molasses and the isolation of a strain of yeast for controlled fermentation and flavor consistency. He purposefully filtered, mellowed and blended rums to deliver specific flavors, aromas and smoothness – resulting in rum as we know it today. As a light-bodied, mixable rum, BACARDI inspired many of the world’s favorite cocktail recipes including the Cuba Libre, the Daiquirí, the Mojito and the Piña Colada.

“From our founding in Cuba to now being the third-largest international spirits company in the world, Bacardi has an incredible history and authenticity that connects directly with consumers around the world,” says Ed Shirley, President and CEO of Bacardi Limited. “We remain committed to our heritage as for the past 150 years Bacardi has fostered a dynamic culture of passion, excellence and an entrepreneurial spirit with the goal to create great-tasting cocktails. When a consumer asks for BACARDI rum, they know they are getting a quality drink with a great story backed by a family name and unwavering commitment to innovation, excellence and authenticity.” The Bacardi Archive provides snapshots in time of the growth and perseverance of both the Company and its namesake brand.

About Bacardi Limited
Bacardi Limited, the largest privately-held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally-recognized spirits and wines. Its brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDI® rum, the world’s best-selling and most-awarded rum; GREY GOOSE® vodka, the world’s leading super-premium vodka; DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, the top-selling blended Scotch whisky in the U.S.; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, the top-valued and fastest-growing premium gin in the world; MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, the world’s leading vermouth; CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, the number-one premium tequila in Mexico and a top-selling premium tequila in the United States; ERISTOFF® vodka, one of the fastest-growing vodka brands in the world; and other leading and emerging brands. Founded in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, and family-owned for the past seven generations, Bacardi now employs nearly 6,000 people, manufactures its brands at 27 facilities in 16 markets on four continents, and sells in more than 150 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. www.BacardiLimited.com

Media Contacts
Patricia M. Neal, +1.441.294.1110
Amy Federman, +1.441.294.1110, afederman@bacardi.com