American travelers have never been so enamored with Cuba; thanks to direct flights from the States, this Caribbean island nation, while not technically legal for US tourists, is more accessible than ever. And when it comes to souvenirs, visitors have their eyes on Cuba’s best: cigars, and even more so, rum.

For good reason. On the ground in Cuba it can be difficult to purchase just about anything—even staples like bottled water and fruit—but rum? It’s available at every corner store.

The Cuban style is clean and uncomplicated, making these spirits ideal for cocktails. Blanco rums are well-suited to three of Cuba’s classic drinks: the daiquiri (rum, lime, sugar), the mojito (rum, mint, lime, soda) and the Cuba Libre (rum and Coke). Longer-aged rums are more suited to sipping neat, or playing a role similar to whiskey in stiffer stirred drinks like an Old Fashioned.

What and Where To Buy

On the ground in Cuba, two brands dominate the landscape: Havana Club, which is ubiquitous nationwide but particularly in the capital, and Santiago de Cuba, which is more popular in and around the southeastern city of the same name. You’ll see a few other brands on offer—Cubay and Ron Mulata among them—but don’t expect to discover an upstart microdistillery; they don’t exist, or at least not legally or at any scale. (That’s not limited to rum. The state still owns, or at least rigorously controls, just about every Cuban industry.)

Buying the rum internationally, you can have much more confidence you’re getting the real deal. So if a trip to Cuba isn’t in your future, don’t despair. Since other countries don’t have the embargo on Cuban goods that the US does, liquor shops all over the world carry Cuban rum, and Havana Club in particular. There’s nothing stopping you from bringing a liter back to the States from somewhere else; even most airport duty-free shops outside America will carry it. Sure, you still can’t pick up a bottle at your local shop. But as with getting to Cuba itself, finding its rum takes some effort, but it’s worth it.

Here’s what to look for.

For Cocktails:

Havana Club 3 Años is the gold standard for daiquiris, mojitos, and the Cuba Libre. Crisp, clean, and easy drinking. Comparable to Bacardi, but with more body; it’s less harsh and a lot smoother around the edges. A liter will disappear quickly at any cocktail party.

For Sipping:

Havana Club 7 Años is an añejo rum, aged (as the name denotes) for seven years, which lets it pick up significant weight and character from the barrel. With notes of vanilla and caramel, it’s a satisfying spirit all on its own, or over a few ice cubes. I also adore it with soda, a squeeze of lime, and Angostura bitters; or as an unorthodox daiquiri.

For Savoring:

If you like rum, odds are you like tasting all the variations of it. Aged rums—which, just like a whiskey or cognac, take on color and flavor from the oak barrels they’re aged in—are dark, rich, and complex. Havana Club Selección de Maestros is the company’s top-of-the-line aged bottle, a spirit best poured near and appreciated for its depth and rich caramel flavor. Santiago de Cuba 11 Años—which my Cuban bus driver dubbed “the best in the world,” and is the birthday gift he requests from his wife and kids every year—is dark and woody, less rich than many other long-aged spirits but with complex barrel character.

There’s no doubt that much of the allure of Cuban rum is that it’s a forbidden fruit. But that doesn’t make it any less enticing‚ or the rums any less delicious.