Company

Agaves, oranges, rice, grapes, barley, apples, and cherries, and then mandarins, sugarcane and malt, absinthe, star anise, plums, juniper, lemons, potatoes… Over the centuries, the human being has been able to turn each gift from nature into spirit. What we deal with is the noblest transformation, those formulae which have always been created, involving earth, water and fire, according to primordial alchemical recipes.

This results today in thousands of proposals and labels which have birth every day. In what appears as a world where it is impossible to find your way, Compagnia dei Caraibi has been able to point its compass needle towards a specific direction. We only look for products conveying emotions and bring the concept of time and place with them; those products have a soul and a story to tell. This is the reason why we travel a lot, we want to meet producers in person; we want to know the way they work, to understand what their creations will convey, what their dreams are. Our exploration involves the senses: we look, we listen, we touch, we smell, and finally – the very last stage of this exploration process – we taste. Our selection results from the sum of all these emotions.

When we choose producers, we strongly believe in them; the choice is thus reciprocal so that each of us contributes. This vision – made of complicity, values, fairness - is well reflected in the quality and expertise we offer: it is about “Spirit”, both as distillate and the ability to feed our highest profile.

Our major desire is that people learn to “feel” beauty, to taste in an appropriate manner, treat themselves to a break enjoying something good helping them appreciate that moment even more. The only way to get close to perfection is that you never stop looking for it.

“I have smelled hints of must, perfume of wine, cellars and centuries-old barrels since I was born. My precious was sitting on the wall in the upper square of the village for hours, looking at the scenery, blue skies, blossoming hills, vineyards, orchards and streams conveying poetry, peace of mind and infinity”. T.C.

Compagnia dei Caraibi was founded in 1995 in Vidracco, in the province of Torino, by Tigre Ciliegio, Dario Baracco at that time, the fifth heir born into a family of producers and merchants of fine wines from Roero.

His family has produced wines since the beginning of the twentieth century, when Tumalin Bartolomé Baracco de Baracho opens a shop selling “fine wines” in Castellinando – territory of Alba. Very quickly Tumalin his trade to the main town, Turin, where he opens a store for bottling where bulk wine is sold.

These were the years of Vermouth:  in the Kingdom of Savoy the drink used to be consumed everywhere, at the restaurant and at the piola, in a café and in chocolate shops, from the fancy lounges in the city center to the rustic dining areas in the suburbs. Tumalin has a nose and gets to the best recipe in circulation, the one used by the royal cook, Vialardi. He named it "Riserva Carlo Alberto", in honour of the king. The fortunes of Vermouth began to decline, challenged by new fashion drinks. In 1961 Tumalin had to close. His nephew, Tigre was a very curious guy at that time: he is a junior journalist at Gazzetta d’Alba, then he moves to Milan at Condè Nast, and finally he leaves for India, where he lives for a short time.

The journey to India is a key point for Tigre’s education and inner rebirth. When he comes back to Italy, he gets back to the shop like Tumalin: because of trips and experience, Tigre shows his open mind and a cosmopolite attitude. Most of all, he has a new vision of the world which embraces spirituality and deep values, not only in his life but also in his entrepreneurial venture.

Tigre opened his activity but broadens the horizons. In 1974 he founded his Compagnia della buona terra, a company that would be considered “bio” today; he got to this concept which did not exist at all – ahead of time and fashion. In this way, he supports the wines Baracco de Baracho with jam and fruit in syrup, canned in a natural way, making use of wood oven and glass jars.

In 1993 Tigre brings the sales agents of Compagnia della buona terra on the usual annual award journey: the destination is Cuba, an isolated resort  about 40 kilometres away to the nearest city, Santiago de Cuba.

One morning, Tigre jumps on the bus to get to the city, and finds out that the Fiera del Caribe was taking place on those days.

Browsing among the market stalls, he met the export manager of a local beer. Tigre takes some bottles with him and speaks to his staff the same night, greeted by general enthusiasm.

In 1995 he creates Compagnia de Bebidas e Licores, ad-hoc to import beer and Cuban spirits. After two years of bureaucratic twists and turns, the first cargo was on board; when things start to go good for them, the aguardiente and the Legendario appear on the scene, the latter an exceptional sweet rum. Their volumes increase, it is a big success.

In 2001 Compagnia de Bebidas e Licores becomes Compagnia dei Caraibi, just focused on rum importing from the new world.

These journeys of “exploration” become one of the  fundamental characteristics of Compagnia dei Caraibi. The research activities towards new products combine with curiosity about small producers, traditional techniques and histories which cross  time from generation to generation.

Tigre’s sons’ - Iguana Mangrovia, Edelberto Baracco at that time and Memfi Baracco – entering the company ensures continuity and development to a history which crosses six generations of Spirit lovers.

Compagnia dei Caraibi grows more and more, thus  remaining consistent with its philosophy. The approach is represented by the sole selection of very high-quality brands – the most elegant rums, the finest gins but also sake and mezcal, champagne and whisky, cognac and vodka, and so on – we work shoulder-to-shoulder with producers to make them known and to emerge. It is the result of the expertise Compagnia dei Caraibi has refined for years, not only scouters but also brand builders.

At the same time Compagnia dei Caraibi works to propose and to give new life to antique recipes of local spirits, like Vermouth Riserva Carlo Alberto, Amaro Mandragola, Bitter Rouge and the liqueur Salvia & Limone. This success makes possible to launch the “project Progressive”, an independent business sector dealing with international business; the whole thing always dedicated to free-spirited dreamers.

Today Compagnia dei Caraibi selects and imports hundreds of references from 51 countries – among them some of the trendiest brands on the market: Rum Diplomático, Rum Plantation, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Gin Mare, Citadelle Gin, Champagne Carbon, etc. Today we manufacture a dozen labels but these numbers keep on growing.

“We want, we have got the power to address people to an advanced concept of drinking through very high-quality products. The same concept giving wisdom, depth, meditative intensity, sincere smiles, right words and behaviors. Together we can sow good in the world; we want to be a strong and worthy beacon for our customers; our whole getting to our counter waiting for that “something” that will turn on their dreams, with our energy”. T.C.

Our premises in Colleretto Giacosa fully represent how Compagnia dei Caraibi has worked over time to turn environmental issues into real tangible innovations, dedicated to the protection of natural resources, reduction of CO2 and life quality of our people.

Our vision consists of both selecting natural materials and choosing a system equipped with a photovoltaic and solar panels but also the decision not to use plastics at our events as well as the separate collection of waste, the use of recyclable packaging, the company vehicle fleet which will expand to 100 % the use of hybrid  vehicles in 2022, and so on. The same vision of sustainable development is reflected into the projects we support. On the one side, we field all our forces to support the cultural and artistic world (for example Glocal Film Festival, Affordable Art Fair, Festival Seeyousound, Salone del Libro, Circolo dei Lettori, etc..), on the other, our brand gives priority to  initiatives of solidarity, also in relation with the choice of products bringing their civil, fairtrade history with them.

Loving our planet is not only a noble ideal, this is the reason why we engage in such daily and concrete actions.
To be more effective, we have decided to concentrate on 5 specific areas of intervention:

1. Energy
According to the latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), by 2022 the production of electricity from renewable sources will increase to up to 8.000 Terawatt-hour, equivalent to todays’ energy consumption in China, India and Germany together. We have decided to do our part, by installing solar cell panels on the roof of our own building.
We have installed a  plant with nominal capacity (peak) of 64,5 kWp and an annual yield exceeding 70.156kWh. With a simple action, more than 1.455.000 Kg CO2 emissions per year are avoided

2. Mobility
Starting from November 2018 a new policy regarding  vehicle fleet management was adopted. By 2022 the company vehicle fleet will expand to 100 % the use of hybrid  vehicles.
In our vision, we will have a fleet of full electric vehicles by 2025, reducing  CO2 direct emissions by 100%.
Awaiting this dream to come true, the fuel consumption of all our vehicles is based upon the DKV Card Climate, a program of total compensation of CO2 emissions caused by fossil fuels we burn. For a liter of fuel, we pay an additional contribution aimed at implementing certified  environmental protection projects.

3. Waste
Even if it is a simple action, rubbish sorting plays a major role. We all feel we have a moral obligation in our offices.

4. Plastic
Up to 12,7 million tons of plastics end up in the world oceans, seas, rivers and waterways every year. It is estimated that cutlery, plates, straws, drink mixers and balloon stick represent 70 % of marine litter. This is an issue that concerns us all. We began in April 2018, installing water dispensers, thus eliminating the use of plastic bottle. Since May 2018, in addition to this, we have joined the Campaing promoted by Marevivo Onlus. We have been supporting this organization and we have made the decision not to use non-compostable plastics at our events. Today we only make use of biodegradable compostable* glassware and utensils and we don’t use straws. #StopSingleUsePlastic