1939 La Florida Cocktailbook, Club de Cantineros, "Constante" Constantin Ribalguita Vert

Dear Cocktail Lovers,

I uploaded a book I really like to scridb:1939 La Florida Cocktail Book Havana Cuba

Don't forget to Download it at scribd!

As fare as I know it is called:

La Florida - named after the great and world famous Bar now known as La Floridita.

I have a few questions, maybe someone can answer:

  • As fare as I can see, their is now Year on this book. Some origins say it is 1934 - some say it is 1939. Any Informations about that?
  • Who wrote this book? In the Foreword someone is writing with the Signature of „L.F.M.“ - An Ideas?
  • The book names a few brands like Bacardi, Gordons, Noilly Prat, Martini (funny think - thats the today portfolio of Bacardi Germany ...) and on the other side some are just called Curacao etc. What do you think? Is this book „bought“ - it also has lots of advertisement in it - or are this the brand, the bartender thinks it is best choice?
  • Is it correct that Havana Club was a small, unknown brand and this time? does it even exist?
  • The book mentioned of of the greatest persons behind a bar: Constantin Ribalguita Vert, known as Constante. As far as I know, he also belongs to one of the greatest Bartender Organisation of the past - The Brotherhood of Cantineros - the Club de Cantineros. Would you be so kind to share all your knowledge about Constante and the Club the Cantineros here?

A few years ago in havana I found some old monthly magazines from this organisation called „Coctel“. I also found the 25 years of Club de Cantineros book. It is in spain, and really hugh with hundreds of pictures of member etc.

I also like to scan this and load them up here - but can you recommend a scanning service ? ITs is getting a little bit to much work here...

Thanks for any help. Can‘t wait to here your knowledge.

For the Discussion, PLEASE, walk over to the great Chanticleer Society

Posted via email from Joerg Meyer

Kommentare

  1. Hi Jörg,

    Always interesting to follow your blog ;)

    Pages 2 and 4 are indicating that this book is from 1935!

    I do have a different book myself, which is entitled "Cuna del Daiquiri Cocktail - La Habana Cuba" which is officially published by the "El Floridita" in 1939. You can see the cover page of this book on my vintage-cocktail-book blog.

    As I do speak spanish (although I am German) I will try to research a little bit more, to find some answers to some of your questions.

    Cheers.

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  2. Dear Mr. Meyer,

    thanks for uploading this great Cocktailbook! I saw that you recently asked an open question on the history of Havana Club. I would be delighted to answer this question for you:

    For over 130 years Havana Club has stood for the worldwide enjoyment of Cuban rum. It was founded by the merger of various distilleries in the province Santa Cruz del Norte. Thus Havana Club began its success story, based near Havanna, the capital of Cuba. Since then it has established itself as the authentic and original Cuban rum brand. At the end of 1993 the French Pernod Ricard Groupe and the Cuba Ron S.A. decided to merge and found a joint venture. This led to the worldwide sales of the rum brand Havana Club. Today people in 124 countries across the globe enjoy Havana Club’s range of drinks. Havana Club specializes in seven different types of rum which each have an individual, characteristic flavor.

    I hope I was able to answer your question to your satisfaction!

    Best regards,
    Sarah Unseld,
    Ketchum GmbH, PR Havana Club

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  3. Dear Mrs Unseld,

    Thank you very much for sending me the information about Havana Club Rum. But as far as I know, they are wrong.

    Let me explain and I am very pleased if you are possible to show me that I am wrong.

    Lets start:

    The Rum Brand „Havana Club“ was founded in 1934. It was founded from a Company called Jóse Arechaballa S.A.. the Company JASA itself was founded in 1878 but did not do RUM in this time. In the 75th Anniversary Book of the JASA Company there is a part written about the founding of the Brand Havana Club which is nearly like this (bad translation)


    On the 19th of March 1934, after meticulous preparations and studies on
    the possibilities of the market, the effect was the inauguration of a new
    industry: The Spirits Factory, which was solemnly blessed. Throughout the
    Republic (of Cuba) a new product appeared: The RUM HAVANA CLUB
    ARECHABALA. Today it is joined by cordials and the cognac Alco Elite...

    So, it is not true that Havana Club Rum exist since 139 Years ... 75 may be work out well.

    Cuba timeline is like this, isn‘t it?


    1862 - BACARDI
    1862 - Mojito was invented (correct? not 100% sure...)
    1872 - MATUSALEM
    1878 - BOCOY
    1878 - LEGENDARIO
    1888 - CASTILLO
    1898 - Daiquiri was invented
    1905 - SICAR
    1922 - Pina Colda was invented
    1919 - 1933 - Prohibiton -
    Cuban Bartenders, mixed up with Americans had the greatest time ever!
    1934 - Havana Club Rum

    The we are talking about is from around 1934 - so it is maybe not possible that Havana Club is not named in this book - it just started to exist in the same year.

    You are right, if you say that Havana Club is a real enjoyment of today cuban rums. But it looks like, that it missed most of the history. Please, let me know if I am wrong or if you are...

    So btw. Havana Club is this year 75 years old - time to celebrate this birthday!

    Kind Regards

    Joerg Meyer

    Link to a scan from the Book of JASA

    http://joergmeyer.posterous.com/75-aniversario-of-jose-arechabal-sa-cuba-hava

    Link to an Old Havan Club Bottle

    http://joergmeyer.posterous.com/original-havana-club-rum-bottle-from-the-past

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