Bacan Guaro, And The Evolution Of Colombia’s National Spirit

Aguardiente, the national spirit of Colombia, is having a renaissance. And while the anise-flavored spirit has roots that go back centuries—stretching back, by some accounts, to the 1500s—it’s only fairly recently that it has broken through to the upper echelons of bars and restaurants. This shift is embodied by, and, in many ways, led by Bacan Guaro, an artisanal, certified kosher aguardiente distilled from first-press organic sugarcane that is changing perceptions at every wrung of the proverbial ladder.

“Aguardiente is part of our heritage, and Colombians love to celebrate everything,” explained Juan Manuel Barrientos, chef and owner of Elcielo, the Colombian restaurant whose locations in Miami and Washington, DC, each have a Michelin star. “For us, almost everything becomes a fiesta, and aguardiente is often el alma de la fiesta, the soul of the party. It has been part of Colombian culture for generations.”

Barrientos went on to explain that aguardiente (guaro is how it’s referred to in Colombia) was traditionally consumed during these celebrations—and on plenty of other occasions, too—as a shot. That’s changing, however, thanks to the rise in quality, the shift in perception, and the spirit’s ability to lift cocktails in unexpected ways.

“I think Bacan is the perfect example of this evolution: The quality of the product, the handcrafted production, and even the unboxing experience tell a new story about Colombia and about how aguardiente is evolving,” he continued. “It keeps the tradition, but presents it in a more modern way.”

That was Ricardo March’s goal when he founded Bacan Guaro, with his wife Diana Espinosa March, during the pandemic. Yet like so many business success stories, it was far from a foregone conclusion that it would work.

Still, all of the pieces were in place. March works as Senior Vice President Spirits Division for Royal Wine Corp., which has, for decades, been considered one of the most important distributors of kosher wine in the United States. He’s been instrumental in expanding and evolving the company’s spirits portfolio, in carving out a distinct identity for it within the larger corporate umbrella, and in growing it into a force in the spirits industry. Today, Royal’s roster of spirit producers has gained impressive appeal and expanded well beyond the kosher market, with brands like Tomintoul, Glencadam, Boondocks, Ron Viejo de Caldas, and more.

When the lockdowns occurred, and he and Espinosa March finally had the time to focus on what a truly artisanal guaro brand might look like, they realized that the time had come to take their proverbial swing.

“I told my wife, ‘This is the perfect time.’ Because before I never had time. So I was at home and I said, ‘Hold on a second, let’s start designing the bottles, let’s ask for some samples.’ And because of the connections that I have, I was able to get samples and start formulating the product,” he said. “And that’s the way we discovered that the best aguardientes have to come from 100% sugarcane juice, not molasses. And to make it even better, we have to do it organic.”

Once the character and origin of the base spirit was decided on, the Marches had to determine the best way to incorporate guaro’s telltale anise flavor. Because as with botanicals in a gin, there are a number of ways to incorporate anise into aguardiente. The majority gain their telltale flavor from aniseed extract; the Marches, however, realized that a slow infusion of oils from star anise produced the most elegant, subtle expression. “It creates a whole different product,” he explained.

The final step, at least in terms of the spirit itself, was landing on specific proof points. Colombian guaro is most commonly found at 58 proof, or 29% ABV. But between the movement toward more mindful drinking, as well as the ways in which the star anise expressed itself at different potencies, the Marches decided to bottle two different iterations: One at the classic 29% ABV, which has a lovely presence in cocktails, and a more delicate 48 proof, or 24% ABV, which provides a more refined shot or sipping experience.

“And that’s when it was born,” March said. “July 15, 2024, was the first time we shipped product to the United States—a full container.”

Between his own connections, his background in brand-building, and his long history with Royal Wine Corp., March already had the infrastructure in place to hit the ground running. “I have an amazing relationship with Mordy Herzog, the CEO of the company. [So] we shipped a full container, and it was gone. And people started asking for this product in other states. To be honest with you, we’ve been growing in too many states, maybe too fast.”

It’s a problem that many successful young brands face: Too much success early on can lead to issues with production, distribution, marketing, and more. Which is why March and his family—Bacan Guaro is a family business in the truest sense of the term—have become increasingly focused on education, not just on Bacan Guaro itself, but on aguardiente as a category in general. He and Espinosa March are sacrificing potentially greater short-term profits in order to make a longer-term play for lasting success. To that end, educating bartenders, service staff, media, and more has become increasingly important.

“I [recently] had a conversation with the national team of Royal Wine Corp.,” March recalled. “I told them, ‘Guys, I don’t need to be in every state. We need to be sure that in the states that we are, we need to be able to train people, talk to people, touch the product. It’s not just put it there and it’s going to sell on its own.” He added: “At the moment, I’m trying just to allocate strategies by market where the opportunities are more relevant, where I know people will understand it.”

It’s paying off, and changing the perception of Colombian guaro in the process.

“Bacan has impacted the aguardiente market by showing that it can be made with higher-quality ingredients,” noted Mark Lieberman, chef and co-owner of Mägo restaurant, a highly regarded Colombian and Latin-American destination in Oakland, California. “It’s balanced and clean-tasting, and the anise flavor doesn’t taste like an extract.”

This, he stressed, speaks to a larger trend in the perception of the spirit. “The growing success of high-quality aguardiente is important because I think a lot of people have enjoyed aguardiente while visiting Colombia and don’t get it, don’t understand that [there] is more to it than just sitting around and getting drunk; it’s a very festive thing to do with loved ones and friends. Often, the quality of the ‘firewater’ is not the best, so as someone who champions quality, I was very excited to learn about Bacan and their aguardiente.”

Interestingly, Bacan Guaro isn’t yet being sold in Colombia. Approvals are in place, however, to sell through duty-free locations in Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena. Once bottles hit shelves, they’ll be the highest-priced aguardiente in Colombia, alongside other guaros like Aguardiente Amarillo, whose yellow color is instantly recognizable; Cristal; Antioqueño; Nectar; and Blanco del Valle, among others. March has Europe in his sights, too.

But in the United States, it’s increasingly being employed in a range of cocktails both sui generis and classic. In a riff on a Negroni, high-quality aguardiente cuts the bitterness of the Campari in a very different way than gin does. In an espresso Martini, it leans in the direction of the quintessentially Italian combination of licorice and coffee. At Elcielo Miami, their Chimberito cocktail is both refreshing and layered, bringing together Bacan Guaro, yuzu, and soursop.

Renata Lozano, founder and creative director of her eponymous Colombian fashion brand, thinks often about the intersection of culture, trends, and national identity, and believes that the increasing focus on aguardiente is important on several levels.

“Younger generations are open to rediscovering traditional products when they are presented through a more sophisticated, authentic, and trend-conscious approach,” she explained. “This has allowed aguardiente to spark interest not only in Colombia, but also among international consumers looking for spirits with a strong identity and a meaningful story behind them.”

She added: “The growth of a brand like Bacan benefits aguardiente as a whole because it helps modernize its image, and positions it as a spirit with the potential to compete on a global stage. When a brand raises the standards for quality, design, experience, and storytelling, it also elevates the perception of the entire category. In that sense, Bacan is not only building a brand; it is helping redefine the way the world sees Colombian aguardiente.”