What is my connection to Ron Flor de Caña?

In 2008, I embarked on a vacation trip to Costa Rica. I was curious to explore the Switzerland of Central America. However, after just a few days, I was quite disappointed. This was partly due to the bad weather; the rainy season lasted longer than usual, and Costa Rica is one of the rainiest countries on Earth. Additionally, I felt that the typical Latin American atmosphere was missing in Costa Rica. When I was at Arenal, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and could only hear its almost daily eruptions without seeing them because the summit was shrouded in rain clouds, I decided to change my travel plans.

My Costa Rica guidebook also included a small section about southern Nicaragua. I spontaneously decided to travel to Nicaragua, a country I had known only from reports of civil wars and solidarity camps, but had never associated with vacation. I traveled north by bus near the border, then entered Nicaragua by boat over the Rio Frio since there were no roads crossing the border. The immigration procedures took place in San Carlos (see the aerial image above), a small town on a hill at the southeastern end of Lake Nicaragua. The town is situated right at the outlet of the Rio San Juan from the lake, which serves as the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua and was once considered an alternative route between the Atlantic and Pacific before the construction of the Panama Canal. Fortunately, it turned out differently, and San Carlos and the Rio San Juan are a beautiful area.

At that time, San Carlos was experiencing a modest upswing, primarily driven by the presence of many NGOs. A small waterfront promenade had just been paved along the lake, and that's where the only ATM in town was located, allowing you to choose whether you wanted to withdraw Cordobas worth 10, 20, or 30€. Overall, it was a very idyllic setting, and the typical Latin American vibe immediately returned. Even the rainy season had come to an end just south of the Nicaraguan lowlands.

So, one evening, in high spirits, I was searching for a restaurant and found one with an open upper floor, entirely built from dark tropical woods, offering a great view over San Carlos and Lake Nicaragua. I ordered a delicious meal along with a long drink and a cocktail, both made with rum, and both were superb. The rum, of course, was Flor de Caña. Since then, I've been a fan of this brand.