The "Bacardi Disappointment" Story

Tickets to travel to the Bacardi Plant on the Water ferry.

It was an ordinary day.  Tempera- ture was in the mid-90's with high humidity as we stepped from the taxi onto the property of Bacardi Rum Factory at 888 Bay View Industrial Park, San Juan, Puerto Rico.  We left our resort and traveled via taxi to Old San Juan where we departed the taxi at Pier 2 along the docks of the city.  

Bacardi Rum factory entrance.

Took the ferry, which cost 25 cents for seniors, to the dock on the other side of the bay and met another taxi that took us to the factory.  We headed to the outdoor waiting area where we paid our historical tour fee and got a couple of souvenir glasses.  Then we stood in line to have the glasses filled with a rum concoction of our choice.  

Hector mixing our Puerto Rican Sunset.

I chose the Puerto Rican Sunset which has a combination of crushed orange, ice, shot of white rum and Grenadine for coloring.  Really looked like a sunset and put us in the mood for our tour of the factory.  Our tour, which was in English, was called shortly and we hopped on board a tram that took us to the entrance of what we found to be the tour building.  Inside we were given a brief story about sugar cane and it's use in the rum.  Our guide, Benjamin, gave us the story of the beginnings of the Bacardi Rum factory in Cuba and how it eventually became part of the island of Puerto Rico.  All throughout the information session we were told that no photographs can be taken of anything that we will see.  

Entrance to the tour.

OK with me since I realize that production secrets are not to be shared.  One of the questions asked by a member of out tour group was why the bat was the symbol of Bacardi Rum.  

Our tour guide Benjamin.

Well, it seems that the bat had always been a symbol of good fortune, good health, family unity and fortune, so when Dona Amalia Bacardi spotted fruit bats in the family's distillery in 1862, she insisted it be used as their symbol.  It was also said that because of rampant illiteracy in the 19th century, when the company was founded, any product would require an eye-catching, memorial graphic logo for it to become identifiable and for it to sell.  Today it remains on the bottle, helping the family survive whatever fate throws at it.  The 150-year history of the company is etched against the backdrop of war, earthquakes, epidemic disease, U.S. Prohibition, the Cuban Revolution and illegal confiscation of the company's Cuban assets.  

Interior of the tour location showing the famous Bacardi bat.

The factory that we are part of right how is allegedly the most productive of all the company's factories.  The current chairman of the company is a fifth-generation family member, Facundo L. Bacardi.  OK, now back to the tour.  After watching a short, but interesting and informative movie, which I was not allowed to photograph,  

This document is the original Bacardi Trademark contract.

we entered a very dark room which was a simulation factory to show the procedure that the sugar cane went through in order to become rum.  At this point I said to my wife, "Is this it??  We paid $8 each for a drink, a movie and to see this?"  Boy was I disappointed.  

Sampling of Bacardi rums and the drinks that can be made.

Wasn't too many years ago that we visited the Cruzan Rum factory in St. Croix and got to walk on the catwalks above the brewing rum as well as see the actual bottling and packaging of the products.  Now that was a neat tour and well worth the price.  After we left the simulated factory we made a visit to a bar where Benjamin talked about the products that are sold by Bacardi.  

The bar showing the products which Benjamin is demonstrating.

Last stop was at the gift shop where you could buy the products as well as T-shirts and over Bacardi souvenirs.  My two souvenir glasses I got upon entry were enough for me.  As I departed for the ride back to the parking lot on the tram, I decided that I will stick with the Cruzan Rum instead of the Bacardi Rum, since I know for sure how it is made.  I must admit that I maybe have purchased a total of one or two bottles of rum in my lifetime so I'm sure Bacardi will weather the storm once again.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The famous logo. 

My wife enjoying her Puerto Rican Sunset.

Main entrance to the factory.

The bat symbol is found everywhere in the factory tour building. 

The company has installed two large wind turbines to help power their plant.