Exclusive Interview with Mr. Edgar Sanchez Wilke, Founder of Costa Rican Rum Company (Ron Jaguar)
Exclusive Interview with Edgar Sanchez Wilke
Q: What is your full name, title, company name and company location?
Edgar Sanchez Wilke, Founder. Costa Rican Rum Company. San José, Costa Rica
Q: Even though the Jaguar brand is new, your team is far from being new to the rum industry. Can you tell us about your previous experience(s) and how it has prepared you to launch your new brand?
Our team has professionals with a solid background in spirits, specifically marketing and distribution, having developed small niche brands across Europe and Asia.... this experience provides valuable input into helping us craft a better product more suitable to the discerning tastes of the premium and ultrapremium segments. Also, they bring to the table the knowledge of where to sell, whom to sell to and how to promote our product, cutting our learning curve by many years.
Q: What is the spirit of Jaguar Rum, the concept /inspiration?
Oh wow!! Where to begin?!?!?!! OK let see... For example, our inspiration, the Jaguar, a noble yet fierce predator, the largest feline in the Americas. It played a hugely important role in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. In the ecosystem, as well as in religion and the beliefs of the civilizations that inhabited the Isthmus. It was deemed a spirit companion to shamans, protecting them from evil spirits and could also cross between worlds: that of the living and that of the gods. Here is part of it: our rum wants to protect you from bad spirits (sic) and bad rum!
In Costa Rica, it’s also one of our most protected species, representative of our rich biodiversity, found throughout the country and of course Mesoamerica! But in our case, we have a very strong connection to the Jaguar though our involvement with the “Centro de Rescate Las Pumas” of which CRRC is a sponsor. This is a wildlife rescue center started by the Hagenauer family and run through its foundation and its key attraction is its felines. Our favorite is “Rafa” (short for Rafael), a Jaguar rescued many years ago and the oldest at the center. That is Rafa on our labels. We help look after Rafa and his buddies by being actively involved. Which we want to put out the word to readers out there. If you come to CR, go visit the “Centro de Rescate Las Pumas”. So, there you have it. Our inspiration comes from this gorgeous animal: powerful, mystic and noble.
Ron Jaguar Label
Q: Can you tell us about the label designs? Is it true you have incorporated traditional visual elements from Costa Rica?
Oh yes, we have! Those of you whom have visited CR will no doubt be able to identify those elements in our design: a volcano, the ox cart wheel, a sloth, a still, cane sugar….
When faced with the process of creative design, we gave free reign to the design team and we were surprised with what they came up with! We feel it….
Q: Can you describe the current rums in your portfolio?
We currently have 3 rums in our portfolio and will probably launch a fourth version in 2018 (stay tuned for an industry first!)
Right now, we have the Ron Jaguar Edicion Cordillera, which is a blend of 10-year-old rums from the Mesoamerican area, which is the area between Mexico and Panama. As a young rum company, we do not have Costa Rican aged rums yet. Therefore, the Edicion Cordillera is a Mesoamerican blend made of molasses-based rum and aged in white oak barrels.
Ron Jaguar Edicion Cordillera
Deriving from that origin we also have a cask strength version of the Cordillera in 65% alc.vol. or 130 proof.
The third version is the Edicion Malacrianza. This is a white overproof rum with a notable presence of congeners which gives it a flavor profile, not so usual in the Latin-American area. It is made from 2 rum sources. One still is situated on the hot lowlands of the pacific side and the other still is situated in the Caribbean highlands. Both produce under completely different climatic conditions, which lead to a smoother and lighter rum coming from the pacific coast and a heavier and “funkier” rum, coming from the humid and cooler highlands of Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.
The name Malacrianza derives from another animal. This time it is the bull “Malacrianza” that is very famous in Costa Rica and was the most feared and powerful bull of them all. In the Jaguar context, it simply under lines the Overproof status of this white rum.
Ron Jaguar Rum Bottles
Q: Where will your rums be distributed in 2018?
Ron Jaguar will grow in Central Europe and hopefully start in California after this coming summer. In addition, we will be part of a rum tasting pack, focusing on duty free distribution that will get distribution in Asia, as well.
Edgar Sanchez Wilke holding rum bottles
Q: In your experience, how different is it to promote/distribute a rum in the USA versus Europe? Which is better for a new brand that is just launching?
We decided to first start working in Europe and leave the U.S. as a second step, as we found a company that can represent us in many of the EU markets. If this opportunity would have been available in the US, we might have started working the US . Nevertheless, it seems a bit odd that the sipping rum segment or the premium rum segment is a bit stronger in the EU right now, but the rum market in the US tends to change into the same direction.
There is no big difference in the promotion or distribution between both areas, besides little local specialties on both sides of the Atlantic. The European market though is more vulnerable to fx-currency changes, as rum is mainly purchased in USD. On the other hand, our competitors face the same insecurity regarding fx-rates.
Q: Do you have any advice for potential brand owners who may be inspired by your story and want to develop their own brand some day?
Don’t despair! Rum is a wonderful spirit. It has so much tradition, character and also complexities. Sugar vs molasses? Pot or column still? You will find so much information and discourse out there that it may seem quite a challenge. Find out what you like and go from there. Above all, enjoy the ride.
Ron Jaguar Booth
Q: How can importers, distributors and consumers learn more about your company and your rums?
We will very soon launch the website with information and interesting media material about Ron Jaguar and its roots.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you see a bottle, grab one! Look out for us during BCB New York and the California Rum Fest this coming 2018 if you are Stateside… or Prowein, BCB Berlin, all Rum Festivals and many other smaller venues in Europe. Drop us a line and we may meet up for a tasting!
Margaret: Again, Ron Jaguar Team, thank you so much for this interview and I wish you all much success in 2018 and the years to come.
