Despite the fact that Botran premium rum does not contain any artificial additives or flavors, even connoisseurs note its unusual taste. The features of the drink are explained by the complex technology of its manufacture. The manufacturer of rum, the Guatemalan company Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala, exports 30% of the drink, and sells 70% on the domestic market. For a long time, the people of Guatemala considered Botran to be the best rum. Since the 80s of the last century, the drink has moved to second place in the rankings, losing the first Zacapa rum of the same company.
Historical reference. The first rum plant in Guatemala was built in 1939 by the Spaniards Venancio, Andres, Felipe, Jesus and Alejandro Botran. The brothers were going to settle in Guatemala for a long time, and therefore the place for their enterprise was chosen especially meticulously. A new distillery was erected in the vicinity of the town of Quetzaltenango, and Botrana’s company was named Industria Licorera Quetzalteca (later renamed Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala).
The scourge of most Caribbean distilleries is the “angels’ share”: alcohol that evaporates during the aging of the drink in oak barrels. In hot climates, this proportion is up to 7% per year. But Quetzaltenango is located at an altitude of 2300 m above sea level. The company’s warehouses are located in the mountains, where it is much cooler than in the valley, so the rum ages more slowly, evaporates much less and acquires special flavors.
There are five more reasons that explain the unusual taste of the drink:
- Rum is not made from molasses, but from pure fermented sugar cane juice. For fermentation, yeast grown on pineapple fruits is used. Due to this, the drink turns out to be slightly sweeter, but does not have a taste of molasses;
- the plantations owned by the company use organic farming technologies. Even the cane is harvested by hand, thanks to which its lower part is preserved – the most juicy;
- the drink is produced using the Solera technology, which involves mixing old spirits with young ones;
- rum is consistently aged in three types of barrels: bourbon, sherry and port;
- the drink is aged in very old barrels, which are additionally burned before pouring a new portion of rum into them.
Today, Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala is the largest Guatemalan alcohol producer. Rum “Botran” won many awards at various international competitions. Speaking at the family firm’s 75th anniversary reception, CEO Roberto García Botrán said: “We’re not going to compete in volume with the market leaders, we’ll never catch up with Bacardi anyway. Our goal is to take one of the first places in the premium rum segment.”
Botran Roma Awards:
- Botran Reserva Blanca (Añejo Solera) – silver medals at The Rum Masters in 2014 and 2015;
- Botran Oro, Añejo 8 and Añejo 12 – silver medals at the International Sugar Cane Spirits Tasting Competition in 2006;
- Botran Reserva (Añejo 15) – Ministry of Rum gold medal in 2010;
- Botran Solera 1893 (Añejo 18) – Gold Medal of the International Sugar Cane Spirits Tasting Competition in 2006.
Types of rum Botran
Botran rum is produced in 7 varieties:
- Botran XL is a clear colorless rum with a strength of 36%, aged for two years. Taste is a little dry, with notes of oak, vanilla and tropical fruits. Rum is suitable for any cocktails;
- Botran Reserva Blanca (Añejo Solera) is a very light rum with a pale straw tint, a blend of spirits of many years of aging. As a result of filtration, the drink almost completely loses its color, but retains the woody-fruity taste and aroma of old rum. The aftertaste is long and warm. Rum is served as a digestif or added to cocktails;
- Botran Oro (Añejo 5) – golden rum (40%), a blend of spirits, aged for 3-5 years according to the solera system. Taste – soft, honey-citrus;
- Botran Añejo 8 – rum rich amber color (40%), a blend of spirits 4-8 years old (according to the “solera” system). Taste – honey-wine, with fruity undertones;
- Botran Añejo 12 – mahogany-colored rum (40%), a blend of spirits aged 5-12 years (according to the Solera system). On the palate, delicate shades of vanilla, cocoa and candied fruits are balanced by astringent oak bitterness;
- Botran Reserva (Añejo 15) – old amber-colored rum (40%), a blend of spirits aged 5-15 years (according to the “solera” system). Taste – spicy, with notes of candied fruit, vanilla, lemon peel, burnt oak;
- Botran Solera 1893 (Añejo 18) – red-brown rum (40%), a blend of spirits aged 5-18 years (according to the “solera” system). The drink is named after the date of birth of the eldest of the Botran brothers. The taste of rum is soft, slightly spicy, gradually revealing hints of cocoa and candied fruits. The aftertaste is long and warm.
