Seco Herrerano
Encyclopedia
Seco Herrerano is considered the national alcoholic beverage
of Panama
Triple distilled from sugarcane
, it is traditionally used straight or in mixed drinks as a replacement for rum
or vodka
. It is a clear liquor that is sold at seventy proof. There are actually multiple brands of Seco, but Herrerano made by the Varela family who invented the Seco in 1908, is the most widely available and popular of all brands. Varela Hermanos produces more than a million cases of Seco every year and it is sold to more than 65 countries around the world.
Seco Herrerano can be mixed with almost anything, from tropical fruits to liquors. One of the more famous drinks made with seco is "Chichita Panamá", made with grapefruit and pineapple juice, it is still a sensation after more than 40 years when it was very popular in Panamá. In the atlantic side of the country, Seco Herrerano is drunk even with milk (colloquially known as "seco con vaca") and coconut milk.
The production process at Varela Hermanos S. A. starts with the distillation of alcohol from the juice of the sugarcane and the rum from molasses. Each year during the dry season (January through May) the company’s workforce in Pesé, made up of more than 200 permanent employees and 300 harvest time employees, set out to cut more than 50,000 tons of sugarcane from approximately 800 hectares of cultivated land owned by the company.
During the rainy season, the sugarcane grows and once summer comes along the cane is cut and taken to the “Destilería Don José” distillery at Pesé, where it will be weighed and then crushed to extract its juice. Afterwards, this sugarcane juice will be fermented and distilled in a 4 column system resulting in an extra neutral alcohol, used exclusively in the manufacturing of Seco Herrerano, Panama’s leading product and renowned as the national beverage.
During the rainy season, the distillation of alcohol and rum is continued, starting from molasses from the sugarcane. This alcohol and rum are utilized in the manufacturing of the company’s other products, and particularly in the preparation of Ron Abuelo and Ron Cortez for the local market and for exportation.
The company counts with two bottling plants; one in Pesé in the province of Herrera, where Seco Herrerano is mainly bottled; another at the capital, in the province of Panama, where national brands such as Ron Abuelo, Ron Cortez, Gin Caballito and others are bottled.
In the entire manufacturing process of the rums, from fermentation with yeast grown in the company’s own labs, to the aging in small barrels of white oak, a balance of the best technology and a rich tradition has been achieved, resulting in products of unequalled quality.
Varela Hermanos S. A.’s export department has opened markets and takes our national brands, Ron Abuelo and Ron Cortez, to more than 10 countries, among which we can distinguish the United States, Bolivia, Peru, Honduras, the Bahamas, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica. At these last two locations the company has organized and established distributing companies.
In addition, the export team is in charge of finding prospective clients for the purchase of rum in bulk, alcohol or assembly-line services (labeling and bottling).
In 1996, Varela Internacional, S. A. (VISA) is created in the Colon Free Zone. This branch was created with the idea of serving military commissariats from Ecuador and other countries, Free Zones in general and tax-free operators in both Central and South America.
Rum in Bulk
From its beginnings Varela Hermanos was dedicated to the production of excellent quality rums, selecting for this type of product only the best raw materials; strains of yeast and the traditional aging of rum in American white oak barrels with a 200L capacity.
Today, Varela Hermanos has in inventory of rums with different periods of aging, for the elaboration of their products as well as sales in bulk.
Extra Neutral Alcohol
Varela Hermanos also produces alcohol for sale. Today, two types of alcohol are produced:
Extra neutral sugarcane alcohol, produced from the direct distillation of fermented sugarcane juice.
Extra neutral sugarcane juice alcohol, produced from the direct distillation of sugarcane juice.
The manufacturing process of extra neutral alcohol consists of a four stage or column system of continuous operation:
Analyzing (beer-stripping) column
Rectifying column
Hydroselection column
Demethylizing column
Contact us for a quote of your next purchase.
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
of Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
Triple distilled from sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, it is traditionally used straight or in mixed drinks as a replacement for rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
or vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
. It is a clear liquor that is sold at seventy proof. There are actually multiple brands of Seco, but Herrerano made by the Varela family who invented the Seco in 1908, is the most widely available and popular of all brands. Varela Hermanos produces more than a million cases of Seco every year and it is sold to more than 65 countries around the world.
Seco Herrerano can be mixed with almost anything, from tropical fruits to liquors. One of the more famous drinks made with seco is "Chichita Panamá", made with grapefruit and pineapple juice, it is still a sensation after more than 40 years when it was very popular in Panamá. In the atlantic side of the country, Seco Herrerano is drunk even with milk (colloquially known as "seco con vaca") and coconut milk.
Liqueur Production
DistilleryThe production process at Varela Hermanos S. A. starts with the distillation of alcohol from the juice of the sugarcane and the rum from molasses. Each year during the dry season (January through May) the company’s workforce in Pesé, made up of more than 200 permanent employees and 300 harvest time employees, set out to cut more than 50,000 tons of sugarcane from approximately 800 hectares of cultivated land owned by the company.
During the rainy season, the sugarcane grows and once summer comes along the cane is cut and taken to the “Destilería Don José” distillery at Pesé, where it will be weighed and then crushed to extract its juice. Afterwards, this sugarcane juice will be fermented and distilled in a 4 column system resulting in an extra neutral alcohol, used exclusively in the manufacturing of Seco Herrerano, Panama’s leading product and renowned as the national beverage.
During the rainy season, the distillation of alcohol and rum is continued, starting from molasses from the sugarcane. This alcohol and rum are utilized in the manufacturing of the company’s other products, and particularly in the preparation of Ron Abuelo and Ron Cortez for the local market and for exportation.
The company counts with two bottling plants; one in Pesé in the province of Herrera, where Seco Herrerano is mainly bottled; another at the capital, in the province of Panama, where national brands such as Ron Abuelo, Ron Cortez, Gin Caballito and others are bottled.
In the entire manufacturing process of the rums, from fermentation with yeast grown in the company’s own labs, to the aging in small barrels of white oak, a balance of the best technology and a rich tradition has been achieved, resulting in products of unequalled quality.
Liqueur Export
Bottled ProductVarela Hermanos S. A.’s export department has opened markets and takes our national brands, Ron Abuelo and Ron Cortez, to more than 10 countries, among which we can distinguish the United States, Bolivia, Peru, Honduras, the Bahamas, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica. At these last two locations the company has organized and established distributing companies.
In addition, the export team is in charge of finding prospective clients for the purchase of rum in bulk, alcohol or assembly-line services (labeling and bottling).
In 1996, Varela Internacional, S. A. (VISA) is created in the Colon Free Zone. This branch was created with the idea of serving military commissariats from Ecuador and other countries, Free Zones in general and tax-free operators in both Central and South America.
Rum in Bulk
From its beginnings Varela Hermanos was dedicated to the production of excellent quality rums, selecting for this type of product only the best raw materials; strains of yeast and the traditional aging of rum in American white oak barrels with a 200L capacity.
Today, Varela Hermanos has in inventory of rums with different periods of aging, for the elaboration of their products as well as sales in bulk.
Extra Neutral Alcohol
Varela Hermanos also produces alcohol for sale. Today, two types of alcohol are produced:
Extra neutral sugarcane alcohol, produced from the direct distillation of fermented sugarcane juice.
Extra neutral sugarcane juice alcohol, produced from the direct distillation of sugarcane juice.
The manufacturing process of extra neutral alcohol consists of a four stage or column system of continuous operation:
Analyzing (beer-stripping) column
Rectifying column
Hydroselection column
Demethylizing column
Contact us for a quote of your next purchase.