- Bacardi shares rare look into archive to showcase 150-year rise of iconic
             rum brand from beginnings in Cuba to world's favorite rum -

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(R) 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.

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(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120612/MM18390)

"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 Bacardi family, the Company, and the world-favorite BACARDI rum." 

The Bacardi story has its humble beginnings in Cuba where founder Don Facundo 
Bacardi Masso 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 
Daiquiri, the Mojito and the Pina 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. Some of the artifacts in The 
Bacardi Archive include:

Antiquarian Cocktail Book Collection
Nearly 600 rare antique reference and cocktail books written in English, 
Spanish, French, Dutch and German fill its shelves. Visiting mixologists often 
refer to such classics as How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant's Companion by 
"the father of American mixology" Jerry Thomas, published in 1862, the year 
BACARDI rum was created, as well as one of the earliest known recorded recipes 
to specify the use of BACARDI rum for the Mojito cocktail in La Ley Mojada (The 
Wet Law).

"Some of the rarest and most interesting books on the fine art of 
cocktail-making can be found in The Bacardi Archive. Many of these historic 
books feature recipes that call specifically for BACARDI rum, such as in the 
coveted Manual del Cantineros (Bartenders Guide), a cocktail recipe book 
created by the most respected barmen in Havana to raise the standards of 
cocktail-making in the 1920s. It has an entire section of BACARDI rum recipes 
as BACARDI inspired many of the classics we drink to this day," adds Brand 
Master for BACARDI rum David Cid. "I come to the archive for inspiration, to 
learn, and above all, for creative rejuvenation as I refer to these books often 
to seek classic cocktail recipes to introduce to a new generation, as well as 
when I speak with bartenders to show the rich legacy of innovation, commitment 
to quality and how BACARDI rum is at the heart of the great-tasting cocktails 
consumers love."

Earliest Known BACARDI Bat
Dating back to the 1890s, a painted version of one of the earliest known 
versions of the BACARDI Bat is from a Cuban, oil-on-leather painting, inspired 
by the commonly used term for BACARDI rum "El Ron del Murcielago" (The Rum of 
the Bat). The founder's wife chose the bat as a memorable symbol after finding 
a colony of fruit bats in the rafters of the original distillery in Santiago de 
Cuba in 1862. In their hometown near Sitges, Spain, the bat had long been 
regarded as a symbol of health, good fortune and family unity, a belief also 
shared by indigenous people of Cuba. The bat soon became a symbol of 
authenticity and the highest quality of rum. Today, the BACARDI Bat is one of 
the most recognizable logos in the world.  

BACARDI Rum Bottle Collection
A collection of more than 1,000 BACARDI rum bottles as far back as the 1900s 
filled with BACARDI dark and white rums showcase some of our oldest bottles 
ever produced. When the Company was established in 1862, BACARDI rum was not 
sold in bottles, but rather straight from the barrel into various containers 
brought by customers, as glass was not readily available in Cuba during this 
time. One of the most interesting bottles was donated by Chairman Facundo L. 
Bacardi. The 1930s bottle contains the original wrapping which served as 
protection to endure the transit and as a unique form of advertising. The 
multilingual ad describes BACARDI as Cuba's favorite rum and notes its superior 
quality. 

Another treasure is a pre-Cuban Revolution BACARDI Superior bottle donated by 
the owner of Mai-Kai Restaurant, a landmark establishment in South Florida 
known for its variety of rum-based cocktails. The then-bar owner stocked up on 
BACARDI rum cases in the late 1950s as he feared the precious rum would not be 
available after the Cuban Revolution. Fifty years later, a pre-1960 bottle was 
found and donated to The Bacardi Archive by his son after it was discovered in 
a warehouse with written instructions "never to touch." Many items in The 
Bacardi Archive arrive by way of donation after people come across these 
historic finds as they remodel homes or clean out attics as many people stashed 
BACARDI away for safe keeping.

Original Gold Medals & Spain Royal Warrant
Awarded for its superior taste, quality and innovative distillation techniques, 
the BACARDI rum portfolio received the world's most prestigious medals of honor 
within its first 52 years, including in 1888 being appointed "Purveyor to the 
Royal Spanish Household" by the Regent Queen Christina Maria, mother of the 
King of Spain Alfonso XIII. If you look on any BACARDI Superior bottle you will 
see the first eight medals and the Spanish Coat of Arms Royal Warrant. Since 
then, BACARDI rum has won close to 500 awards.

1880s: The Start of Innovative Advertisements 
An extensive collection of nearly 3,000 vintage BACARDI rum print 
advertisements includes the first known advertising for BACARDI rum, which were 
actually postcards. These date back to the late 1890s when large numbers of 
U.S. Servicemen were stationed in Cuba. As there was no standard bottle at the 
time, Bacardi launched a postcard campaign featuring the scenic beauty of its 
hometown of Santiago de Cuba for Americans to mail to the U.S. This was the 
first time American consumers were exposed to the BACARDI brand name, and the 
first sign of the brand's global potential. Another innovative marketing 
campaign was in the 1920s U.S. Prohibition era. Ads for spirits were illegal in 
the U.S. from 1919-1933, so BACARDI created a memorable postcard to depict the 
classic American symbol of Uncle Sam holding a cocktail, flying away from the 
"dry" U.S. to a "wet" Cuba on the wings of a bat. It was given away to American 
tourists visiting Cuba who in turn mailed the postcard to family and friends in 
the U.S. 

Cuban Revolution
October 14, 1960 marks the day of illegal confiscation without compensation of 
Bacardi company assets in Cuba. Among items from this date, the archive houses 
the front page of the Cuban daily newspaper which declares the taking of 
Bacardi, company letterhead featuring the words 'nacionalizada' and the bat 
logo turned sideways, to denote it was seized, as well as the forced 
confiscation order of Bacardi - after 98 years of operation in Cuba. Despite 
the horrific loss of its Cuban assets and homeland in 1960, the act of the 
illegal confiscation triggered the Bacardi family, company and brand to regroup 
and accelerated expansion to more international markets as it was already 
operating distilleries outside of Cuba in Mexico and Puerto Rico. Twenty years 
later, BACARDI rum became the world's top-selling premium spirit brand.

The Bacardi Archive Continues to Grow
With ongoing donations by Bacardi family members and consumers alike, coupled 
with acquisitions by the Company, The Bacardi Archive continues everyday to 
build the amazing 150-year legacy of its founding, determination, innovation, 
growth and iconic brands. To learn more about Bacardi heritage including why a 
signature graces every bottle of BACARDI, visit 
http://www.BacardiLimited.com/150. Media are also invited to access multimedia 
assets at http://www.BacardiMediaCentre.com.

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(R) rum, 
the world's best-selling and most-awarded rum; GREY GOOSE(R) vodka, the world's 
leading super-premium vodka; DEWAR'S(R) Blended Scotch whisky, the top-selling 
blended Scotch whisky in the U.S.; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE(R) gin, the top-valued and 
fastest-growing premium gin in the world; MARTINI(R) vermouth and sparkling 
wines, the world's leading vermouth; CAZADORES(R) 100% blue agave tequila, the 
number-one premium tequila in Mexico and a top-selling premium tequila in the 
United States; ERISTOFF(R) 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.  http://www.BacardiLimited.com

SOURCE  Bacardi Limited

CONTACT:  Patricia M. Neal, +1-441-294-1110, Amy Federman, +1-441-294-1110, 
afederman@bacardi.com