We took our inspiration from some of our favourite spirits and places in the world, to create expressions for both serious rum enthusiasts and new fans alike. Schiedam, 5 th of January 2023. De Kuyper Royal Distillers, the owner and producer of several world-famous liqueurs, will be responsible for marketing and distributing Ron Abuelo Rum in the Dutch market effective 1 January 2023. The new collaboration with the spirits company from Panama covers the whole product range and applies to on and off-trade. It is the first time for the two family-owned companies to collaborate.

Abuelo means grandfather in Spanish, so naturally, Ron Abuelo is named after one. José Varela Blanco who came to Panama from Galicia in Spain in 1908. Every bottle bears this date though the family only began distilling in the 1930s and the rum named in his honour was launched in the 1950s.

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We are excited to collaborate in The Netherlands with De Kuyper who we feel will hit the mark on delivering and moving our brand towards the next phase of growth in the Netherlands. They are well positioned to introduce the innovation and craftsmanship of the Ron Abuelo range to Dutch consumers” states Daniel Fábrega, Vice President of International Business Development of Ron Abuelo. “We would also like to thank Ivo van der Valk and Quality Spirits who have played an integral part in the brand’s success in the Netherlands in the past years” adds Daniel Fábrega. Politics aside, it's the distilling process that I'm here to see. It's February, right in the middle of the sugarcane harvest, which means the processing plant and its employees are working 24 hours a day bringing the cane to be crushed. The fibrous stems are mashed, a machine extracts the sugar cane juice, and the crushed pulp waste is burned to generate power to crush the cane. Aside from obvious technological developments, things have been this way for almost a century, since Don José first embarked on his mission. The thinking is clear: why change the very things that made it so special in the first place?

Ron Abuelo president Luis Varela said: “These are rums with a Panamanian heart and a pioneering soul. Our Finish Collection features our most treasured reserves, which have been carefully aged for at least 15 years in American oak barrels, then finished in sherry, cognac and port casks. To coincide with the launch, a new ad campaign called ‘a new adventure in rum’ has been created by Abuelo’s global agency Purple Creative. Purple Creative founding partner Andy Harding added: “Ron Abuelo is a company deeply rooted in tradition, but which also constantly looks to the future of rum-making – a philosophy reflected in The Finish Collection. Our ‘new adventure in rum’ campaign showcases the meeting of minds between Panama and France, Spain and Portugal. The range is available in three variants that have been finished in European sherry, cognac and port casks: Napoleon, with ripe autumn fruit flavours; Oloroso, which has a balance of fruit sweetness and citrus notes; and Tawny, with layers of red fruits and summer berries. The story began in 1908, when Spanish immigrant Don José Varela Blanco arrived in Pesé – a small town in Las Cabras, near to where the distillery is located. There he established the country's first sugar mill, and by 1936, he and his three sons began distilling alcohol from freshly pressed sugarcane juice.We pass underneath a picturesque arch, the path becomes a paved road, and my old-world reverie begins to fade as we come to rest outside a modern building overlooking the fields. The stunning campaign that Purple Creative has delivered perfectly expresses the beauty of the places, the great drinks they produce and the adventurous extra flavours they impart.”