Licorera Cihuatán S.A. de C.V

Licorera Cihuatán S.A. de C.V. was established in 2004 in the Cihuatán Valley, El Paisnal municipality, El Salvador, as a subsidiary of Ingenio La Cabaña, a long-standing sugar producer. The distillery began distilling and aging its rums in 2004, with its first bottle released in 2015. The name "Cihuatán" translates to "the land beside the sleeping woman" in Nahuat, drawing inspiration from an ancient Mayan legend of a goddess who bestowed riches and fertility upon the valley and now watches over it in the form of a mountain.

Licorera Cihuatán is El Salvador's first and only rum distillery, known for producing premium rums. The distillery maintains vertical integration, overseeing every step of the production process from the cultivation of its own sugarcane in El Salvador to distillation, aging, and bottling. They utilize a continuous distillation process with column stills and craft rums with both low and high congener profiles. Aging primarily occurs in new and used American oak ex-bourbon barrels, often employing the Solera method, and some expressions are finished in unique Mayan Ceiba barrels.

What makes Licorera Cihuatán distinctive is its deep connection to El Salvador's Mayan heritage, with each rum expression designed to tell a story inspired by Mayan legends and gods. The distillery's commitment to controlling the entire production chain, from sugarcane to bottle, ensures a unique Salvadoran identity in its rums. Master Blender Gabriela Ayala leads the crafting of these rums, focusing on innovation and quality. The distillery also generates its own electricity from bagasse, the fiber residue from sugarcane.

Notable expressions from Licorera Cihuatán include Cihuatán Jade, a 4-year-old rum aged in former bourbon barrels, which won Double Gold in the 2023 Bartender Spirits Awards. Cihuatán Indigo, an 8-year-old rum, and Cihuatán Cinabrio, a 12-year-old rum, both aged in former bourbon barrels, received Double Gold awards in The Fifty Best competition and the International Spirits Challenge in 2020, respectively. Another significant expression is Cihuatán Xaman XO, which is initially matured for 15 years in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for one year in Mayan Ceiba barrels, a unique aging method.