DRINKS giant Bacardi has added another twist to its long-running rum wrangle with Fidel Castro's Cuban government over ownership of the American rights to the popular Havana Club brand.

The company, which has a giant bottling factory, warehouse and offices at Southampton docks, has appealed against a decision by the US Patent Office that rejected an attempt to cancel its rival's ownership of the Havana Club brand in the US.

The exiled, anti-Castro Bacardi family, who still largely control the company, have been at legal loggerheads with the Cuban government, which owns the rights to the US Havana Club brand, for about ten years.

Bacardi claims the trademark was fraudulently obtained. But lawyers for French drinks giant Pernod Ricard, who are partners in a controversial 50-50 joint venture with the Cubans, say the trademark registration had lapsed and they snapped it up legally in the US in 1976.

"We are the rightful owner of the brand," said Bacardi spokesman Pat Neal "We want the court to declare that we are the exclusive owners of the brand so we can get back to business."

Created in 1934, the Havana Club business was seized without compensation by the Cuban government in 1960 but the founding Arechabala family sold the rights to the brand to Bacardi.

Havana Club is the fastest growing spirits brand in the world but American sanctions on Cuba currently prohibit its sale there. If the trade embargo was lifted, experts predict it could grab a hefty share of the £1 billion US rum market.

Bacardi has now applied to the courts to have the US Patent and Trademark Office cancel the trademark registration of Havana Club, owned by Cuban company and government entity Cubaexport and to declare Bacardi its exclusive owner in the US.

The bid followed an earlier ruling by the US Trademark Trial and Appeal Board that left control of the brand with Cubaexport.

Meanwhile, the drinks industry is eyeing Bacardi's gradual moves to flotation, when it is widely believed it will bring itself to the size of the global players such as Allied Domeq and Diageo.

The company owns some of the world's most recognised drink brands such as Martini, Dewar's whisky and Bombay Sapphire gin.