Matusalem is a rum brand with origins in the Cuban tradition, founded in Santiago de Cuba in 1872 by the Álvarez brothers using production methods drawn from the Spanish-heritage solera blending approach. Following Cuba's political transformation, production relocated to the Dominican Republic, where Matusalem continues to use the solera blending system the same fractional blending principle used in Jerez sherry to produce its aged expressions. The Gran Reserva 15 and Gran Reserva 23 are the principal age-statement expressions.

The Spanish-heritage solera method produces rum with progressive layering of aged character without single-vintage variation each bottling consistently represents the blended average of multiple age cohorts. For programmes wanting to represent the Spanish-heritage Caribbean rum tradition (as distinct from the English pot-still and French agricole traditions), Matusalem provides the clearest example of the solera approach in an aged rum context. The Gran Reserva 23 sits within the premium digestif tier.