Rum lovers: there's only one bottle of this 80-year-old '£250 a shot' rum in the UK - and it's in this Sheffield bar

The blend is so old and rare that its original designers are all long gone, but The Havana Club 1519 has completed its 5,000 mile journey from Havana City in Cuba to Sheffield.
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The bottle behind the bar of Cubana Tapas Bar, in Leopold Square, was the very first to leave Cuba, and is the only one in the country.

Adrian Bagnoli and Brad Charlesworth travelled to Havana City last year to collect the precious bottle, whose ageing process started in the early 1940s, and which has only just been launched in honour of the 500-year-old history of Havana.

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Cubana is already a national destination for rum aficionados and its forthcoming new menu – which is set to be launched in March - will be offering 260 different varieties.

Cubana co-owners, Brad Charlesworth and Adrian Bagnoli, with the very rare 1519 rumCubana co-owners, Brad Charlesworth and Adrian Bagnoli, with the very rare 1519 rum
Cubana co-owners, Brad Charlesworth and Adrian Bagnoli, with the very rare 1519 rum

But nothing compares to the excitement around the arrival of the new blend.

Only 500 bottles exist in the world with only 250 of these available for sale. Collectors from around the globe are now queuing up to buy them at nearly £3,000 a bottle.

But at £250 a shot it definitely won’t suit everyone’s palate or pocket.

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Co-owner Adrian Bagnoli said: “The fact we were allowed to buy the very first two bottles to leave Cuba goes to show how far our status has grown in the rum world in recent years. It was an honour to be have been offered the opportunity to purchase this top quality rare rum at Havana Club HQ and, although not many people will be buying rum at such a hefty price tag, it ensures we continue to develop our position as one of the country’s leading centres for rum.”

Rum is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Last year almost 35 million bottles of rum were sold, worth a little more than £1 billion, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.

Cubana Tapas Bar is situated in Leopold Square. Visit www.cubanatapasbar.co.uk for details.

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