Mojito Seco

“Seco Herrerano has roots in Panama’s customs and traditions and the drink goes back more than a century, ” says Ortega of the family-owned brand with widespread domestic distribution. Now the executive chef at The Buenaventura Golf and Beach Resort on Panama’s Pacific Coast, Ortega has close ties to the drink. 

“Being a Panamanian from the interior region of the country, we grew up celebrating every occasion with a Seco Herrerano drink. Seco was always part of family celebrations including birthdays, weddings, Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations. It’s considered the national alcoholic beverage of Panama.” 

“Panama is a destination full of culture and gastronomy, where people and flavors come together from all over the world.” —Arquimedes Ortega

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The spirit has always been popular among rural Panamanians, Ortega adds, but, until recently, it was overlooked in many high-end bars and restaurants.

Seco is distinctive because of the way it’s made. The rum uses sugar cane from the fertile Herrera Province located in Panama’s interior. Once harvested, the sugar cane juice is filtered three times, giving the liquor its clear color and high alcohol content. The result is a dry, 80-proof rum that’s a smooth base for mixed drinks. 

Ivan Hoyos, a guide who specializes in nature tourism with Ancon Expeditions of Panama, also grew up drinking seco. Born and raised in Panama, Hoyos says that while Panama produces rums that are more refined than Seco, the drink has a special place in the country’s culture. 

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“Seco is not the finest of our rums, and it’s not a sipping rum, ” he says. “It was considered a drink of the countryside, and it’s synonymous with festivals, celebrations and parties. Seco has enjoyed a revival in the last 20 years or so, and it’s made its way to more sophisticated venues, especially in the form of specialty drinks like mojitos and caipirinhas.” 

After watching their parents and grandparents celebrate with seco, a younger generation of Panamanians are embracing the local liquor. Chefs and bartenders are eager to highlight local ingredients, and seco’s increasing popularity at high-end establishments helps to showcase the country’s history while introducing the rum to a new audience. 

“The way my grandparents consumed seco was very different from today, ” says Ortega. “One of the most popular ways back then was serving seco with milk or coconut milk and ice, or with lemon and freshly cut orange. Today, seco is part of the modern cocktail and mixology [movements]. You can mix it with just about any type of fruit juice you prefer or even combine it with other liquors.”

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Ortega uses seco in marinades for meat and seafood dishes, too, noting its versatility as an ingredient and deep connection to Panamanian identity.

“Panama is a destination full of culture and gastronomy, where people and flavors come together from all over the world, ” he says. “You see the afro culture and cuisine in the coconut rice, the Asian influence in our BBQ ribs and Peking duck, and the Spanish influence in our chicken and rice. You can taste the Caribbean flavors in our fried curry fish with plantains and the flavors of Italy in our beef tongue ravioli.” 

To Ortega, seco’s revival is indicative of modern Panamanians’ embrace of homegrown ingredients and authentic traditions, and links to the country’s longstanding culture of hospitality. 

Drink Mojito Cocktail Ron Triple Seco Stock Photo 1529232815

Those eager to raise a glass to Panamanian culinary culture might consider Ortega’s take on a mojito made with seco, passionfruit juice and fresh mint.

“This tropical mojito is inspired by the classic Cuban mojito and uses ingredients from the nearby Coclé region in Panama, ” says Ortega. “The fruit and spices are cultivated at a local farm in Santa Mónica, and the flavors in the tropical mojito like pineapple, passion fruit, coconut, and cinnamon are common elements consumed in homes in Coclé.”

Place mint and lemon juice in highball glass and gently muddle. Add simple syrup and passion fruit juice and stir. Fill the glass with ice and add seco. Top with club soda. Garnish with dry pineapple slices, shaved coconut or cinnamon stick.Panama is known for its unique alcoholic drink, seco, which has been a part of Panamanian culture for centuries. Most assume that rum is Panama’s national liquor, but it is actually seco. Seco has roots in Panama’s customs and traditions and is synonymous with festivals, parties and celebrations. Seco is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed in many different ways, making it popular among Panamanians and visitors alike.

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Seco is a triple-distilled white spirit made from 100% sugarcane juice. The flavor of seco varies depending on the region it originates from, but most versions are strong, sweet and slightly fruity. Seco is distinctive because of the way it’s made. Once the sugar cane is harvested, the juice is extracted using traditional methods and fermented with a natural yeast strain. The sugar cane juice is filtered three times, giving the liquor a clear color and high alcohol content. The result is a dry, 80-proof rum that has a smooth base for mixed drinks.

Seco’s distinctive smooth and neutral flavor sets it apart from other spirits. Its flavor makes it an excellent choice for cocktails and makes it an ideal replacement for rum and vodka in many mixed drinks. Seco can also be enjoyed alone as a sipping drink, allowing drinkers to savor its unique flavor profile. No matter how seco is enjoyed, it will bring an exciting twist to any occasion.

, which is seco with grapefruit and pineapple juice on ice. However, seco can be mixed with almost anything, from tropical fruits to other liquors. Today, seco is part of the modern cocktail and mixology movements. Following the trend of using local products and ingredients, restaurants are renewing seco’s popularity by infusing the spirit with herbs and fruits and utilizing it in craft cocktails. Seco may also be used in marinades for meat and seafood dishes.

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The most widely available and popular of brands of seco is Seco Herrerano. Seco Herrerano was made by the Varela family starting in 1908 in central Panama in the town of Pesé, near where the sugarcane is grown in Pese Valley. The family-run distillery dates back to 1936, producing more than a million cases of seco every year and sold to more than 65 countries around the world. Through Panamanians’ embrace of homegrown ingredients, authentic traditions and the country’s culture of hospitality, seco’s revival and popularity only continues to grow.