Secha de la Silva: the rum that enhances “the jungle tale”

Maybe a woman was needed to createand a rum that celebrates the power of nature. Nature, in this case, is that of volcanic jungles of the Lake Atitlan area, in Guatemala, where a concentration of thirty-seven volcanoes has created a rich and fertile territory over the centuries, which in turn has favored an extraordinary variety of flora and fauna. The woman in question is Pamela Anderson (and no, if you’re wondering it’s not that Pamela Anderson), Maestra de Ron in love with the Caribbean islands. The rum, on the other hand, is Secha de la Silvaand has all the components to be the perfect Christmas gift for spirits lovers. Not just because it’s good, but precisely because it brings with it a story to tell, one that’s worth sharing while unwrapping the package found under the tree.

Recipe

Secha de la Silva it is not a simple name, it is the narration of an idea. The one of enclose the scents and flavors of Guatemala in a bottle, a Central American country where biodiversity is among the richest on the planet. In fact, inside this rum is “the harvest of the jungle” (this is the Italian translation of the name): pure sugar cane, quality cocoa and two varieties of local coffee. A recipe that wants to pour a breath of Guatemala into the glass. Sugar cane grows at the foot of the Atitlan volcano, just outside the city of Mazatenago, on the warm and humid coasts of the Pacific. The climate and rich volcanic soil are perfect for encouraging its luxuriant growth. After harvesting, the cane is rigorously processed within 48 hours, and distilled on site to ensure freshness. Then, the rum faces a journey to Rio Hondo, in central Guatemala, where the climate is more suitable for the maturation that takes place in white oak barrels, which preserve the contents in an environment characterized by strong thermal stress (the days are hot , while the nights are cold). What can be a hostile climate for man, instead allows the rum to age, acquiring complexity and depth. After aging, cocoa and coffee come into play, iconic fruits of this region. The first, the food of the Mayan gods, comes from organic plantations in the Lachuà region, grown in the shade of the rainforest. Guatemalan coffee, among the best in all of Central America, is that of the Bourbon and Caturra varieties from the Huehue region, whose beans are roasted before infusion in rum, thus releasing their natural sweetness.

The cocoa nibs and coffee beans are then infused in neutral alcohol for two to three days and filtered to remove any particles. The infusion thus obtained is then added to the rum, and the whole is left for another twenty-four hours to harmonize before bottling.

The result is a wild bottle that pays homage to the place it comes from, and which adds intense notes of cocoa and coffee to the flavor of the rum, in a roundness that fills the mouth with interesting sensations. Ideal for a sophisticated after-dinner, but also to stimulate the imagination of home mixologists in conceiving a twist on the simplest cocktails.