Farm to Bottle, We Own The Entire Process
The Copal Tree Farm grows and harvests the black and red heirloom sugar cane. The zero waste designed Copal Tree Distillery crafts the finished product, fresh-tasting organic Copalli Rums.
Copal Tree Farm and Copal Tree Distillery are neighbors. Both sit on parcels of repurposed land – an old real estate development and an old orange grove. Not one inch of rainforest was cut or destroyed. These two pillars of the ecosystem create the product that sustains our mission of providing enduring employment opportunities for the people of Punta Gorda.
Growing
Why did we choose black and red Noble Cane for Copalli Rum and not a more resilient, efficient commercial variety? The answer is simple: taste. Organic, non-GMO, Noble sugar cane is grown and harvested at Copal Tree Farm. These heirloom varieties are prized for their mouthwatering, flavorful juice.
Harvest
We weed the fields by hand and use no pesticides. This minimizes the impact on food sources. Thus, mammals like jaguars and monkeys, thrive alongside a stunningly diverse population of birds. Regenerative practices promote biodiversity, simply by allowing natural systems to exist.
Biomass
We use the leftover cane fiber (bagasse) and deadfall (we don’t burn our fields) to create the biomass fuel that serves as an energy source for the distillery boiler. The ash from the boiler system is then mixed with chicken manure and vinasse (a production by-product) and returned to the Copal Tree Farm cane fields as fertilizer.
Zero Waste
Unlike many distilleries that were built decades ago, the Copal Tree Distillery was built from day one to have as little impact as possible in its operation and resource use. Our process is designed to generate zero waste in the production of the raw materials it uses to make Copalli Rum. Our continuing goal is to leave as small a carbon footprint as possible.
Pot Still Distillation
Pot stills are typically used for distilling smaller quantities, and are preferred for making spirits more flavorful. For our Copalli Barrel Rested Rum, the sugar cane juice is distilled in our pot stills, then rested in used American Oak bourbon barrels.
Column Still Distillation
Column stills enable a quicker distillation, which creates a clean, more neutral spirit. Most distilleries have either pot stills or column stills, not both. Our Copalli Cacao Rum is 100% distilled in our column still. Our Copalli White Rum is distilled in both a pot and column still to craft a smooth rum.
Aging
Our Copalli Barrel Rested Rum is rested in used American Oak barrels. The used barrels enhance the flavors already present in our rum. New barrels would not have the flavor enhancing effect and we don’t want to contribute to more trees being felled.
Packaging
Packaging is a significant contributor to our overall impact. Together with our production processes, our distillery produces less than half the industry average of Carbon Emissions per bottle. Our continuing goal is to leave as small a carbon footprint as possible. We also intentionally do not use any secondary packaging, gift boxes, or inserts.
Try Our Delicious Cocktails
Copalli Rainforest Daiquiri
Feel the spirit of the forest with this cocktail recipe. Distilled from organic sugar cane and rainwater from the rainforest, it lives up to its name.
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Jaguar Old Fashioned
An Old Fashioned is a true classic cocktail. Traditionally made with whiskey, our Barrel Rested Rum is a game changer with three simple ingredients.
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Espresso Martini
This unique Espresso Martini is one of a kind. A classic recipe replacing vodka with Cacao Rum. Impressive at first glance! This is the perfect drink to begin a night of celebrations.
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