Aroma visualization from community tastings
Havana Club Selección de Maestros
Sip it neat, drop it on ice, or build a serious Cuba Libre — this Cuban does all three. Expect woody caramel, vanilla, tobacco and roasted nuts, with a spicy edge from the 45%. Most tasters call it the best of the Havana Club core range, though a few find the finish short and the alcohol a touch loud.
The community says- Best-of-Havana lineup
- Woody, spicy character
- But: Short finish
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The look inside the bottle
How does Havana Club Selección de Maestros taste?
Aggregated from 278 community reviews.
Woody, spicy Cuban, easy sipper or mixer The pick of the standard Havana lineup for most: woody, spicy, lightly sweet, easy to drink. Some love it as a sipper, others find it thin with a short finish.
Fans of dry, woody Spanish-style rum and anyone exploring Cuban bottles
People wanting a long finish or bold, high-ester complexity
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
83 of 278 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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How is Havana Club Selección de Maestros rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.3 sits in the “Good” band. 59% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 3% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
74% rate it between 6 and 8. 46 selected write-ups from 278 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
One of the community's most-rated rums
Review by Henry Davies
In my view one of the best balanced Spanish style Ron’s. Delicate nose with toffee, malt and caramel notes. Body is really well balanced with a spicy edge, caramel, and oak. Finish is slightly short, with leather and vanilla the main components. Not exceptional but punches well above its weight and worth exploring for those into Barbadian and Jamaican rums
Review by Johannes G
Most helpful positive review
For me in the Havana Club range, a really nicely balanced but still typically Cuban racy rum. Very pleasant smell, which is clearly more fruity than the taste. In the finish short but rough. From the price-performance ratio for me the best of the Havanas. And this was tried from 10 to 190 € some from the house Havana Club.
Review by F.L.O.
Most helpful critical review
Trinkbar ist fast noch zu gut für den Mist, Aber er macht einen absolut geilen Cuba Libre !!
Review by Stefan Persson
Almost all Havana Club rums are overpriced in my opinion even if they taste good, but this one is much more price worthy than the 15yo. The nose is woody and smoky with an aroma of vanilla. At the palate and during the medium long finish it’s woody, spicy with some sweetness and flavors of fruits and vanilla.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
The rum is too thin and meaningless for me, you're not doing yourself any favors. It's better to go for the HC 15 años if you have the opportunity, even if it's three times as expensive. Update 2024-12-25: Surprisingly, today, three years after the first tasting, I find the rum much better than at the time, when I only gave it 64 points. Unmistakably Cuban, beautifully woody, vanilla and dry, with an appealing level of alcoholic power. I would have expected a lower rating for this re-tasting, as my tastes have moved a long way away from such standard Spanish-style bottlings - but no, this rum turns out to be a rock-solid all-rounder that can definitely satisfy everyone on a relaxed evening in an average small-town bar with rum newbies (and on top of that outclasses the much sweeter Havana Club Barrel Proof). The fact that it has virtually no finish - no problem. Just pour it again right away. 😉
Review by Mirko Frosini 🇮🇪
Un buon rum. Un havana club che si distingue dai classici reserva e 7 anni e che dimostra le doti della distilleria. Purtroppo gli havana di fascia superiore costano troppo per me per poter capire le vere potenzialità del marchio. Finale medio. Note di cacao/cioccolato miste a vaniglia e fugace barile. Non capisco perché i rum spagnoli si ostinino ad allungarli.
Review by LukaŽiga
7,5:The nose of this rum is clear and rather frank. It's a traditional Spanish rum, simple and effective. One senses the warmth of roasting nuts, toasted wood and leather. Caramel and vanilla are treated with finesse and delicacy. The cane with pear/apple notes shines through. A well-crafted, balanced nose. On aeration, a certain sweetness compensates for the alcohol emanating from the glass. This is a rather light rum, with a caramelized woodiness. Through this woodiness, hints of mango add dynamism. Smaller, drier notes of straw and hazelnut powder are enveloped in reduced cane syrup. 8,3:On the palate, simplicity is still the order of the day. We savor crushed red berries that are immediately sprinkled with woody caramel and molasses, which brings tobacco, with a whiff of smoke.The palate then becomes drier, with a toasty woodiness that releases a few roasted spices, all is well rounded, balanced and oxidized now. 7,4:The finish remains in continuity, rather dry and woody, fruity, with burnt caramel.. Edit:14.2.25, 20.6.25
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
This is a pretty good rum especially thinking about the price tag. Probably a really good rum for mixers.
Review by FL_RumRunner
As I improve my tasting skills, I go back to this bottle. I get more and more notes every time. It’s smooth and sweet with a nice medium finish. The nose is beautifully complex with lots of sweet caramel and brown sugar notes with some other lighter notes from the barrel and some dried fruit. Overall an excellent rum, but I prefer a little sweeter.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
nice round and also somewhat more complex Havana, easy to drink, nice pear and nougat chocolate note with some nut. definitely one of the best PLV Cubans from Havana Club. Alcohol could be slightly better integrated. But makes a really tasty old Cuban!
Review by Oliver
Quite edgy (in a positive sense) Cuban. I like it best in the Havana Club lineup.
Review by Timo Groeger
Huh? Why didn't I rate it? There's not much you can say about this rum. This rum is relatively sweet. Chocolate and vanilla are really clearly recognizable, but still within limits. Actually quite okay for that :)
Review by MarcT
Hm. I grew up with Havana Club, mostly using it as mixer. The 7yo was drinkable as sipper, but this is something different. It has more power (higher ABV) and does really have a nice cask influence. Otherwise I get the spices I am used to. A certain sharpness, that I still need to analyze. Very easy drinkable.
Review by paulgi86
Finally!!! The rum equivalent of the Arran 10YO - affordable, great quality and great delivery of flavour. It may be considered “simple” in terms of complexity BUT it certainly delivers what it does excellent A proper permashelf item this is!!
Review by heckto🥃
Ein würzig-holziger Kubaner. Ledrig mit Karamellnoten im Abgang. Besser als das Havana Standard-Portfolio aber auch kein Überflieger. mir persönlich ist er etwas zu sprittig. Preis/Leistung ist OK, habe für 50€ aber schon bessere getrunken.
Review by Chrischi78
Haut einen überhaupt nicht vom Hocker. Etwas scharf im geschmack. Wenig komplexe Aromen. Kurzer bis mittellanger abgang. Wie man aus der gelangweilten schilderung erkennt, macht er einfach keinen spass.
Review by Oscar Fernandez
Good rum, Spanish style, light and easy to drink. I enjoyed it more on the rocks. Salu! 🥃
Review by Golden Hind
Sehr gut. Solider Rum.
Review by Rumpalumpa
Zunächst einmal toll, dass es hier mal einen nicht exklusiven "spanischen" Rum gibt, der mehr als 40% hat. An der Nase viel Fasswürze in Richtung Nüsse. Dunkle Trockenfrüchte sind im Hintergrund. Am Gaumen erst angenehm süßlich gefolgt von Walnuss und Gewürzen, die angenehm prickeln. Dann etwas bitter.
Review by Patrik Onderka
Just hanging out with family in a pub and tried this one. Not great, not special I prefer Foursquare and Appketon. I’m not a fan of Havana Club in general, but this one is not so bad. Clearly, the best Havana I had so far.
Review by Lutz Lungershausen
06.2024 Erster Eindruck: warme Farbe, typische „Ron“-Aromen Nase: die ganze Bandbreite von Holz-, Vanille-, Karamell-, Röst- und Tabakaromen, daneben subtiler Anflug von vergorenen Früchten und insgesamt mild Gaumen: sehr komplex, hier schwingt so ziemlich alles mit, was Rum spanischen Stils auszeichnet Abgang: Fortsetzung der Gaumeneindrücke, dark toasted, Tabak, Eiche Gesamteindruck: beeindruckende Komplexität, gehört jedoch nicht zu meinen persönlichen Favoriten als neat Sipper Für das französische Rezept „Far Breton“ habe ich ihn zum Einlegen der Dörrpflaumen genutzt – made a very good job.
Review by arno
Rhum au nez léger : bois et épices. Un belle couleur. En bouche, on découvre le bois, les épices, le fût, un côté herbal peut se découvrir, très légèrement. Un rhum sec et plutôt agréable mais rien d'extravagant
Review by rum_sk
I approached this one very carefuly as I have a big problem with white havana club rum. On the 👃I sense fruitiness mixed with woody, oakiness and subtle whiff of alcohol. Taste is on another level. I love it as it has all elements- sweet, spicy, bitter you name it. I sense caramel, burnt sugar along with cocoa, chocolate, slight indication of vanilla coming out of the barrel. The spicy element is there too as it is a little bit peppery with hint of ginger but the most important substance however, is the coffee or mocha expression which leaves a bitter aftertaste. A great sipper overall I love. It is a must taste for every rum enthusiast.
Review by Leslie Haigh
brilliant 1st Cuban drink I have drank gose down very easy 45% hardly any burn a must try in my opinion
Review by Andrew Mainprice
You can see why people enjoy Cuban rum
Review by Beach-and-Rum 🏖️🌴
One of my first better Cuban rums.
Review by Wernie
One can definitely try. Lots of wood and spice, a little fruity on the nose, on the palate almost not at all, but leather and tobacco. Surprisingly sweet, but rather so direction burnt caramel.
Review by Nicolas Kröger
Passt schon. Dezente Reidenoten, wenig Körper. Gut gemacht aber langweilig.
Review by Jakob Deiner
Mit dem tue ich mich etwas schwer, da ich mir als Fanboy eher einen (noch) edleren Havana 7 wünschen würde als ein doch ziemlich anderes Geschmacksprofil beim Step-up.. Ist auf keinen Fall schlecht, holzig, Eiche, etwas Vanille und etwas Frucht, man merkt die 45% Alkoholgehalt, dafür aber relativ wenig brennen. Drinks: - Pur: 4/5 - Rum Fashioned: 4.5/5 - Rum Cola: 4.5/5 - Rum Mule: 4/5
Review by Ian Gilman
For the value, I’ll take the 7 year.
Review by Adam Rajchert
Bardzo przyjemny blend, łączy ze sobą soczyste owoce, elementy kwiatowe i dobrze naznaczony element starzenia. Bez wątpienia gdybym miał do dyspozycji więcej niż sample, znalazłbym coś jeszcze w tym smaku. Zapach: orzechy laskowe, wanilia, wiśnie w syropie, kawa, Smak: suszone morele, nektarynki, owocowy, jasny miód, brzoskwinie, przyjemnie pikantny, suszone owoce, orzechy, przyprawy dąb, odrobina kokosa, fiołki Finisz: kawa, suszone owoce, kakao
Review by Peter Sjoroos
The only ok Havana according to price! (except of course Havana 3 as a drink mixer). Actually not bad at all. Vanilla, caramel, oak, tobacco and a little spicy/peppery.
Review by Ryan Stuivenvolt
Perfect taste!
Review by Hans-Peter Jank
Ein guter Havana Club Rumeo das Preis- Leistungsverzeichnis noch passt.Im Vergleich zum 15 jährigen günstig.
Review by Tom M
beautiful racy Cuban, which embodies the Havana taste very balanced. In terms of price-performance ratio, perhaps the best of the Havanas.
Review by Anonymous
I found it very alcoholic at first (I think this characterizes the rums of this manufacturer). At least it’s not a matter of strength, I drink rums and whiskeys with a cask strength, 45 abv wouldn’t surprise me. Then, after a week, it became better (or the receptors got used to it) and I was able to notice more pleasant qualities of the drink. But I think that for the price I bought it, there are many more worthy drinks.
Review by Blaž Ulaga
Gentle smoky oak and some pleasant spice. It is smooth on the palate, pleasant and aromatic, offering a woody start on the nose ... On the palate, a round mouth feel leads to a complex, flavourful, full-bodied palate of cocoa, coffee, sweet tobacco and brown spices.
Review by Vycas
Bought it at the CDG duty free. It’s delicious. Kind of a consolation prize leaving Paris with this bottle instead of the amazing rums I encountered in the city. That said, I like it and will buy it again when I get the chance.
Review by Hendrik Fröhlich
Schöner und typischer Kubaner.
Review by Solidfunk
Honey and caramel, some roasted coconut. Pours dark amber. A decent dose of oak that hangs with you for a minute. Not sure it's a huge step up from the seven year Havana Club but it's smoothe and pleasant. Had a glass at Honi Honi in Edmonton.
Review by Richard Krupa
Prvni panak mi nechutnal, po druhym uz jsem si ho oblibil. Plna neslazena chut. Jeden z mych prvnich ostrejsich
Review by Kamil Křenek
Nejlepší Havana kterou jsem zatím zkoušel
Review by Radi
Guter Rum mit intensiven Holznoten
Review by Imagol Ronmantico
Para disfrutar On the rocks
Review by Leonardo Párraga
Es un ron intenso. El dulzor está en su punto, así se vea opacado en momentos por la presencia del alcohol. Es un ron agradable para degustar, aunque no es uno de esos que uno diga inolvidable.
Review by Baboune
Pleasant, sweet, nice rum easy to find
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Expert reviews
4 critics scored it, averaging 7.7/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Rum nagykövet
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Expert review by The Auditor Reviews
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Expert review by RumRock
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Expert review by In Spiritus Veritas
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Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review →I confess I mixed a very small amount with an equally small amount of cola. It was as expected very pleasant but I did feel I was missing out on that wonderful sipping experience! Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros is available from
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
What this bottle last achieved at auction. A research indicator, not a forecast.
Auction results 32 € – 79 €
from 16 sales, latest 09/2026
Prices incl. buyer's premium — what a buyer pays, not what a sale nets you.
Avg. community purchase price 36 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about Havana Club Selección de Maestros
A Column Still Rum from Cuba, distilled by Havana Club, at 45%.
Community purchases
729 bottles logged by 629 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
38% opened, 122 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Havana Club Selección de Maestros?
Community paid 31–60 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
+12 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months — dark bars are the last 3.
729 purchased · 293 tasted · 142 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
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