Four rum distilleries were operating in Cuba in 1982. While they were self- sufficient in molasses, obtaining all they needed from the country's sugar factories - indeed Cuba exported molasses - most of them were located some five to twenty kilometres away from the mills. Apart from their own branded bottled rum, all of them made aguardiente de cana for blenders making up their own brands, and pure alcohol (alcohol fino). Combinado Jose A Echevarria at Cardenas produced `Perla' and `Legendario' rum; Destileria George Washington at Manacas `Decano' and Jagua'; Destileria Caney at Santiago `Refino Caribe', 'Palma Caribe', 'Carta Caney', 'Carta Oro Caney', 'Anejo Caney', `Santiago', `Matusalen' and `Caribbean Club'.

Francisco de Arango y Parreno

ARANGO Y PARRENO, Francisco de, Cuban statesman, born in Havana in May 1765 ; died there in 1837. He went to Spain in 1787, was admitted to the bar in 1789, and in 1813 was elected a representative for Cuba in the Spanish Cortes, where he advocated the abolition of slavery. In 1818 he returned to Havana. He was one of the founders of the Sociedad Patriotica de Amigos del Pals, which has conferred many benefits upon Cuba. To his exertions were due the opening of the ports of the island to foreign commerce, and also the abolition of the tobacco monopoly. These measures were the origin of the commercial progress and prosperity of Cuba. Agriculture also owes much to Arango, who introduced new methods of cultivating the land, and also the Othaiti sugar cane, which supplanted the creole cane and has been a source of immense wealth. Arango wrote numerous pamphlets and memoirs, some of which have been translated into French and English. Humboldt called him 'one of the first of the Spanish statesmen.'

In 1860 was on island more than 1000 distilleries.