El Dorado Rum 15 years old (Guyana) / 43% / 0.7l

The history of rum in Guyana began in 1640 with the introduction of sugar cane by the first European settlers, but initially not for distillation, the British established the new territories in 1650 as the foundation for the production of Demerara Rum.

Rum production became so popular that each estate had its own product and by 1700 there were over 300. The association of rum with the Royal Navy first occurred in 1677 when the Admiralty decided to issue an official daily ration of rum to all members of the crew. The oldest distillery, Port Mourant, established in 1732, was chosen, and the extra character and depth of the rum was achieved by the double-casing of the wooden stills. By the mid-18th century, the sugar estates had been closed down and consolidated, leaving only 180, but the wooden Coffey still was still installed at the Enmore distillery. Each estate produced its own distinctive rum, and these rums were exported to England, creating the worldwide trade name Demerara Rum. The drink was intended to appeal to the middle classes – replacing gin. When the name was changed to El Dorado Demerara Rum in 1992, the brand went from strength to strength both locally and internationally. The name El Dorado (Spanish for gold) refers to the legend of when, lured by the legend of the City of Gold ruled by a gilded King, early explorers braved the ancient heartland of ancient Guyana in search of El Dorado. El Dorado 15 Year Old has long been regarded as the Caribbean’s premium rum, consistently winning major awards over the past decade, and is seen as a fine, cognac-like rum with the most intriguing and complex character in its class. A combination of specially selected aged rums, some aged for 25 years, Enmore and Diamond Coffey single stills, Port Mourant double stills and Versailles single wooden stills. Blended to perfection and aged in old oak bourbon barrels.