Destilería Coquí and San Juan Artisan Distillers Are Becoming Strong Players in the Market

Destilería Coquí Inc. is today the largest artisan distillery in Puerto Rico, 100% family-owned, producing more than 15,000 cases of different types of handcrafted rums annually. Since 2007, they have been creating unique handcrafted rums. The distillery took upon the mission of making legal the oldest and most traditional rum from Puerto Rico, “Ron Caña,” which had been illegal for over 500 years, as the registered brand Pitorro®.

Currently, the company has diversified its product portfolio. In addition to Pitorro, which is their flagship product, they have Ron Coquí, a white rum aged one year, and Carjaker, bottled at 60% ABV. This limited-production rum has a unique recipe aged one to three years. 

Destilería Coquí’s expressions are being exported to different parts of the world, making the brand one of the fastest-growing companies locally and globally. Its drinks are sold all over the island, as well as in Orlando, Washington, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica. They will soon reach Curaçao and Aruba.

Local producers in Puerto Rico, like San Juan Artisan Distilleries, are also coming up with new ideas to make a name for themselves in a market dominated by rum giants with decades of experience. Pepe Alvarez, the company’s owner, has dedicated his entire life to this sector.

In 2009, Alvarez opened the company and an estate in Puerto Rico. The company was the first modern agricultural rum distillery. For him, it did not make sense to enter the world of rum production, where big companies have already been doing this for hundreds of years, without a new proposal.

Don Pepe began his research on rum production more than 15 years ago. He traveled to the French Antilles, where the Rhum Agricole model inspired him, so he decided to develop those methods in Puerto Rico.

So, he started making rum straight from sugarcane, finding a need for a new kind of distillery. From their estate in Vega Baja, San Juan Artisan Distillers will welcome the return to the tradition of making rum from sugarcane juice, as it was first done hundreds of years ago. First, they released a line of rum infusions in 2018 called Tres Clavos. Two years later, San Juan Artisan Distillers launched its agricultural rum, Ron Pepón. 

His company is now looking to sell Ron Pepón and Tres Clavos in a dozen cities in the United States, which would elevate his company to the next level—San Juan Artisan Distillers would put agricultural rum on the map in the mainland US According to Alvarez, the future of rum-making lies in producing it from sugarcane. 

Recently, San Juan Artisan Distillers showcased their Ron Pepón, Tres Clavos, and Ron Santos products during the fourth edition of the boutique-style Miami Rum Congress. They left a great impression on all attendees. Their goal is to grow their footprint and distribution in the US market.

The rum industry in Puerto Rico keeps growing thanks to local brands that are taking over the international market with their high-quality artisanal expressions.