Home » Bartending News » The Next Great Cocktail Spirit May Be From Colombia: Aguardiente
Around Latin America, aguardiente has been used to refer to many different types of spirits, everything from tequila to rum.
But in Colombia, aguardiente has a very specific meaning. It refers to the beloved sugarcane-based spirit that is flavored with anise. You can find the so-called fire water made around the country and most of it the production is consumed domestically.
Entrepreneurs Ricardo March and Diana Espinosa March are trying to change that by introducing the world to the wonders of their craft Colombian Bacan Guaro. (Guaro is a nickname that locals in Colombia use for aguardiente.)
It couldn’t come at a better time given that Colombia is now a super trendy travel destination for Americans. In fact, last year more tourists visited Colombia than any year ever before. And that’s not to mention the critically acclaimed Netflix adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s Nobel-prize winning book One Hundred Years of Solitude, which celebrates Colombian culture and history. Aguardiente is also poised to have a moment with bartenders and drinkers, especially since July 12 is now National Aguardiente Day.
The husband-and-wife March team worked on this project for four years before introducing Bacan in the US in 2024. Ricardo drew on his decades of working in the wine and spirits industry to develop the spirits formula, while Diana used her experience launching brands to help create the branding and marketing of it. She also grew up in Ibagué, Colombia.
Their spirit is made from organic sugarcane at a distillery in the southwest part of Colombia. It is made with organic ingredients and also certified kosher, which allows it to appeal to a wider audience and ensures that it’s made of high quality ingredients.
While Bacan can be enjoyed in a shot like traditional aguardiente, it was designed to be incredibly smooth, so that it can be used in cocktails or served over an ice cube with an orange twist.
Part of the plan for Bacan was for it to appeal to bartenders as an ingredient to be used in mixed drinks, given how much influence they have on drinking trends. “Who are the people who actually teach us to drink the product? Who makes a brand big? Bartenders,” says Ricardo. “Bartenders are the drivers of categories.”
Bacan is infused with organic Spanish star anise, but it is not sweet, since it has no added sugar. As a result, you can use Bacan in place of absinthe in many recipes, including the Sazerac and the Death in the Afternoon.
What’s also fascinating about Bacan is that in many ways it’s also very similar to gin and can be used in a number of classic gin-based cocktails, including Ricardo’s favorite the Negroni.
“You remove the gin and replace it with Bacan and continue with the same recipe. The anise balances the bitterness of the Campari,” says Ricardo. “It’s great.”
This article was published in partnership with Bacan Guaro.
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