The origins of Botran stretch back to the
early 20th century. Outside of Central
America, Botran could appear to be a relative newcomer appear among dark
premium rums. Managing director Frank Quinones
said that brand began to look into the big international markets in the 1990’s. Given the overwhelming perception among
consumers that rum was just a party drink that people barely perceived as
Caribbean and very likely called Bacardi.
This fact lead Botran to be part of a tough uphill job to becoming a
part of the market. Things have started
to change, but very slowly.
The
origins of Botran stretch right back to the early 20th century when the family
gave up distilling in Spain like so many others of the era and migrated to
Guatemala. They began making rum on a small scale, but in the 1940’s the
Botrans joined forces with four other family distillers to form the Industrias
Licoreras de Guatemala (ILG). For me
it’s amazing they’re still together,” says Quinones. “Right now the family’s
into its fourth generation, and it’s still surviving and thriving.”. In
July 2011, when its three-year distribution deal came to an end, Diageo bought
a 50% stake in Zacapa rum from ILG for £150 million. Quinones has no doubt Diageo’s involvement is
helping to put Guatemalan rum on the map, but he points out the two brands are
totally separate in the way they are produced and marketed. Botran’s
quality begins with the sugar cane grown in volcanic soil, adding a mineral
richness to the syrup, or virgin honey. As a vertically integrated company, it has
its own plantations which supply the majority of its needs.
It has even planted different varieties of
sugar cane that are harvested at different dates to provide the master blender
with more options. Maybe one day they
will go a step further and start producing varietal rums like wine. “It’s
possible,” says Quinones. “We’re not getting into that yet, but we have the
capacity to do it, so we may do something in the future.” The
family’s Spanish roots inspired the use of a Sherry-style solera system and,
while it’s not unique to Botran, their take on it is. “We call it a dynamic
solera process,” he explains. “The concept is all about blending the old with
the new, and its ‘dynamic’ because the rum doesn’t sit still in one barrel for
years.” This is a maturation method of mind-boggling complexity. The new spirit spends a while in American
whiskey barrels before being tipped into a blending vat to marry with older
rums. It is then refilled into the
Bourbon barrels that have been re-charred in the meantime. After a couple of
years it goes back into the blending vat to mix with more old rum before the
whole process is repeated, first with Sherry and then with Port casks. Quinones admits it is very labor-intensive
and costly, but worth it. One consolation is that because the warehouses are at
a cool 2,300-2,400 meters in altitude, the angels’ share is fairly modest by rum
standards. Were they down near sea level the company’s Botran Reserva, aged for
up to 15 years, and the 18 year-old Botran Solera 1893 would have all but
evaporated.
It has even planted different varieties of
sugar cane that are harvested at different dates to provide the master blender
with more options. Maybe one day they
will go a step further and start producing varietal rums like wine. “It’s
possible,” says Quinones. “We’re not getting into that yet, but we have the
capacity to do it, so we may do something in the future.” The
family’s Spanish roots inspired the use of a Sherry-style solera system and,
while it’s not unique to Botran, their take on it is. “We call it a dynamic
solera process,” he explains. “The concept is all about blending the old with
the new, and its ‘dynamic’ because the rum doesn’t sit still in one barrel for
years.” This is a maturation method of mind-boggling complexity. The new spirit spends a while in American
whiskey barrels before being tipped into a blending vat to marry with older
rums. It is then refilled into the
Bourbon barrels that have been re-charred in the meantime. After a couple of
years it goes back into the blending vat to mix with more old rum before the
whole process is repeated, first with Sherry and then with Port casks. Quinones admits it is very labor-intensive
and costly, but worth it. One consolation is that because the warehouses are at
a cool 2,300-2,400 meters in altitude, the angels’ share is fairly modest by rum
standards. Were they down near sea level the company’s Botran Reserva, aged for
up to 15 years, and the 18 year-old Botran Solera 1893 would have all but
evaporated.
