Bacardi gets a ‘rum’ for its $$

Watch out, Bacardi. The bestselling Puerto Rican rum is about to get stiff competition from about a dozen Cubanmade rums Americans can now bring back to the States — albeit in small quantities.

There’s Havana Club, the wellknown brand that produces seven tasty variations, and is comparable to Bacardi, rum experts say, and a slightly woodsier type called Santiago de Cuba, which runs about $36 a bottle online.

Ron Cubay rum is made only from Cuban sugarcane molasses and averages about $28 a bottle, slightly more than rum options available in America, like Bacardi and Captain Morgan.

For now, Americans are capped at bringing back $100 worth of tobacco and booze com mbined.

But ex perts anticipate the Cuban rum industry could explode if Congress lifts the import ban.

“All other Cuba [rum] brands will be wondering right away, can they bring their product into the US?” said Miamibased rum expert Robert Burr.

Burr said he believes big seller Havana Club, which lost a trademark battle in the US to Bacardi in 2006, will be the first to snap up the opportunity to sell in America, only under a new name.

“We think we’ll see Havana Club rum enter the US as Havanista rum to avoid the trademark issue,” said Burr, who hosts the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival. “It’s just like Bacardi — it’s a namee you can aimm at.”at” LiaL Eustache ewich