In 1872, the brothers, along with their partner Evaristo Álvarez, establish the Matusalem brand in Santiago de Cuba using a closely guarded secret formula. They combine their skills and expertise in the distillation and blending principles of the Solera system, which was originally developed to produce Spain’s famed wine, sherries, brandies, and cognacs.

The name “Matusalem” is chosen to impart to connoisseurs a sense of the aging process necessary to achieve the rum’s unique flavors. It is from the popular Spanish proverb “Esto es mas viejo que Matusalem,” meaning “It’s older than Methuselah.” Methuselah is the Old Testament patriarch who is said to have lived for 969 years.