Fernando Fernández (c.1850–1940) was the founder of the oldest

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Rum is produced in nearly every sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Phili ...

producing company in Puerto Rico.

Start of a dynasty

Fernández, was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. He was the owner of the Santa Ana plantation located in the city of his birth. The Santa Ana plantation is located on land which was granted to his grandfather (whose name was also Fernando Fernández) by the Spanish Royal Crown in 1797. Fernández's grandfather was a naval captain who fought against

pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

merchant ships. The Spanish Royal Crown granted him this land in recognition of his service to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, here he planted

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...

and raised cattle. In 1804, the elder Fernández used a mixture of sugar and honey to process and distill rum. He aged his product in special barrels which were imported from

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. The rum he produced was only for his own personal use and that of his family. In 1821, various slaves from his

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

were involved in a conspiracy. A slave from another plantation by the name of

Marcos Xiorro Marcos Xiorro was the slave name of an enslaved African in Spanish Puerto Rico who, in 1821, planned and conspired to lead a slave revolt against the sugarcane plantation owners and the Spanish Colonial government. Although his rebellion was ...

planned and organized a revolt against the slave masters. The plans of the revolt were discovered by the Spanish authorities and never took place. In 1827, he ordered his 127 slaves to build an enormous

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called windmill sail, sails or blades, specifically to mill (grinding), mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and ...

shaped like a

tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...

. The windmill helped to extract the juice from the sugarcane. He would still resort to the use of

manpower Human resources (HR) is the set of people who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector, industry, or economy. A narrower concept is human capital, the knowledge and skills which the individuals command. Similar terms include ...

whenever the wind wasn't strong enough to operate the windmill. Puerto Rico Herald
/ref> In 1846, Fernández's father, Manuel Fernández (birth name: Manuel Fernández y Martínez), inherited the plantation; Manuel Fernández developed the land which consisted of over . Manuel Fernández eventually purchased much of the property adjoining his land and soon became the richest man in Bayamon.

Pedro Fernando Fernández takes charge

In 1880, Pedro F. Fernández, became the owner of the plantation. Fernández imported a

still A still is an apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor. A still uses the same concepts as a basic distillation apparatus, but on a much larger scale. Stills have been used ...

from Europe and started to produce rum using the sugar and honey from his land. He developed two different formulas for his rums and he used the same barrels which his grandfather had used before, believing that the rum's unique flavor would be contained in these barrels. Soon the word spread about Fernandez's rum and many friends and nearby families would visit the Santa Ana Hacienda to "sample" the rum. His son went to France to continue his university education; while there he discovered

cognac Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the Communes of France, commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the Departments of France, departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Cog ...

. Upon returning to Puerto Rico, he developed a rum recipe that rivaled the best French cognacs. People started calling Fernando's rum "

Ron del Barrilito Ron del Barrilito is the oldest Puerto Rican rum brand still in production. Since 1880, it has been made by the Fernández family at Hacienda Santa Ana in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. History Origins Hacienda Santa Ana's origins date back to Fern ...

" (Rum from the little Barrel). In Puerto Rico, families began switching from "

brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...

" and "

", to "Ron del Barrilito". Fernández also produced "Alcoholado Santa Ana" which is a product derived from

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

and eucaliptic leaves and is greenish in color. Unlike pure alcohol, Alcoholado Santa Ana does not sting. It is principally used for rub-downs and to refresh the body.

Edmundo B. Fernández, Inc.

Fernando Fernández died in 1940 in Bayamon. His great-grandson, who is also named Fernando Fernández, organized the company (which is now called "Edmundo B. Fernández, Inc.") and continues to distribute two brands of "Ron del Barrilito" and "Alcholado Santa Ana" worldwide. The company's main offices are still located in the Hacienda Santa Ana with manufacturing facilities in Puerto Rico and in the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...

. Edmundo Fernández's office is located in the windmill tower built by his ancestor.

Freedom barrel

In 1942, a single barrel, which is stored in the "cellar", was put aside with orders that it should only be opened when Puerto Rico becomes a free and independent nation. When and if that ever happens, the cask (barrel) will be taken to the town square in the center of Bayamon and its contents will be offered free to all those who wish to drink from it.

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