Our Story
Are we an international intelligence agency? or a clandestine rum distillery? A little of both perhaps.
Clandestino Distilling Company was born from the passionate dream of a couple from San Pedro Sula who joined their love for fermentation and distillation to create a brand that honors the flavors of Honduras.
They began in 2019 with their first tests in a pilot plant, working long days and nights in secret, refining their process.
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Later they grew, and currently to a full distillery that includes a 1920s-style Speakeasy tasting room for tours and tastings. The name of their brand pays homage to the era of the 1920s and Prohibition, since artisanal distillation is illegal in Honduras.
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It is quite a unique place: “Where molecules meet magic, and where alcohol meets alchemy!”
For Elias Chahin, co-founder, the mission of the company is deep and personal. "Clandestino is our love letter to Honduras," he comments. "In every drop we seek to capture and highlight the flavors of our country".
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"More than a simple spirit, we want to offer a unique sensory experience," comments Maria Yuja, co-founder.
"From the richness of our Muscovado sugar, to the art of a slow and careful distillation, to the final touch of our hand-labeled and hand-waxed bottle, every detail is designed so that the client feels the story of our dedication on their palate".
The fermentation and distillation of the product is a fascinating process, which joins elements of art and science. First, Muscovado sugar is mixed with mineral water at a certain degree of Brix concentration, then yeast is added.
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Yeast is a unicellular microorganism, the same one used to manufacture wine, bread, and beer; this organism consumes all the sugar in the mixture and in its place creates molecules of alcohol, along with bubbles of$CO2. After approximately 7 to 14 days, the fermentation ends, and the mixture is passed on to the still.
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In the still, the mixture is heated slowly; this process causes the alcohol to separate in the form of vapor, leaving behind the water, to then be captured by a condenser, which causes the alcohol to return to its liquid and pure state. This pure alcohol, now at 80 degrees, is diluted with filtered water and is ready to use in mixtures along with natural ingredients or goes directly into the distillery's oak barrels.
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"We have a very interesting mix of barrels," comments Elias Chahin, showing us a tower of barrels.
"Here we have American oak barrels that previously contained Bourbon Whiskey. French oak barrels, which contained red wine from various regions of Europe, including France and Spain. Finally, we have some American oak barrels that contained red wine coming from Napa, California.”
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“We use a Solera system, which mixes the rums from these barrels and creates a complex and complete final product, with characteristics unique to our brand. "
Aging or maturation is another fascinating process. The constant contraction and expansion of the oak wood causes the rum to slowly enter the pores of the wood; over time it is released, along with flavors of coffee, cocoa, vanilla, and smoke. The result is the color and flavor of the Dark or Aged Rum.
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"Our philosophy is simple: we focus on creating the best product possible using only natural and local ingredients. We believe that true quality resides in the purity of the raw material and in patient labor, not in shortcuts. We do not use additives, flavorings, or artificial colorings," comments Maria Yuja.
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Clandestino Distilling Company markets its products to supermarkets and liquor stores nationwide in Honduras, in addition to attending to customers directly on Instagram and WhatsApp.
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"We believe it’s very special when a person can chat directly with us via social media; customers have so many interesting questions and it’s a big part of the job to educate the consumer about the product".
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The next natural step for Clandestino Distilling Company is international expansion. The vision of these young entrepreneurs is to begin exporting to Latin American countries and eventually to the United States.
Where Method meets Madness, where Magic meets Molecules, and where Alcohol meets Alchemy.
