In 1814, Facundo Bacardí Massó, a Spanish wine merchant, was born in Sitges, Barcelona, Spain. He emigrated to Cuba in 1830. During this period, rum was cheaply made and not considered a refined drink. Facundo began attempting to "tame" rum by isolating a proprietary strain of yeast still used in Bacardi production. The final product was the first clear, or "white" rum in the world.
Bacardi Limited has since grown into one of the largest American privately held, family-owned spirits company in the world. Its product portfolio now holds more than 200 brands and labels. Bacardi Limited employs more than 7,000 people with sales in approximately 170 countries. In its 150-year history, Bacardi rum has won more than 550 awards for quality and product profile, making it the world's most awarded rum.
