Casa Magdalena Ron Blanco, Guatemala

You actually get a sense of the land, soil, air, and water that gave birth to the sugarcane.

House Spirits was founded by Christian Krogstad, who graduated from the Siebel Institute of Technology — America’s oldest brewing academy. He worked at west-coast craft breweries, then moved to a vineyard for a number of years before setting up his own gig with House Spirits in 2004. His history will tell you quite a lot about the character of his products. There is a strong, blue-collar brewmaster ethos going on in everything he does. Today, his Oregon distillery produces five signature spirits, including Aquavit, Vodka, Casa Magdalena Rum, Westward Whiskey, and a tasty coffee Liqueur.

Casa Magdalena Rum is a new brand and collaboration between House Spirits and Ingenio Magdalena, launch in 2017. Ingenio is a master distiller who oversees the Rum production by the Leal family — sugarcane farmers who live in a volcanic valley in Guatemala. Since Casa Magdalena Rum is seeded, planted, harvest, pressed, and distilled on site there, it’s almost an estate Rum. The soil is rich, ashy, and filled with minerals that impart a light, earthy and grassy note to this white Rum.

Smartass Corner:
Three volcanos overlook the estate where Casa Magdalena sugarcane is grown — named Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango.