DIAMOND 1999 <S> 15 YEARS OLD 53,1% VELIER

Distilled in Metal Coffey Still in 1999, aged 15 years in the Tropics and bottled at full proof in July 2014, this is a stock of 4 barrels and part of the legendary collaboration between Velier and Demerara Distillers LTD.

One of 1137 bottles.

THE BRAND

The Diamond Distillery, is the last surviving rum distillery in Guyana. Located on the east bank of Demerara River at the now silent Plantation Diamond, one of the oldest sugar plantation of the country, its history dates back to 1670 when, after the introduction of the art of distilling by the British colonists, each sugar estate still had its own distillery.

The 70s saw an unexpected draw in the price of sugar and distilleries started shutting down one after the other. Shortly afterwards a process of nationalisation began and Diamond Distillery became part of the portfolio of Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL), property of the Government of Guyana.

As only distillery still operative in Guyana, is home to the ‘Heritage Stills’, transferred over the years from closing distilleries and operating among the others, the legendary four-column French Savalle still from Uitvlugt, the wooden pot still from Port Mourant and the wooden coffey still from Enmore, last and oldest of its kind in the world.

Diamond Distllery thanks to its different alembics, also blends its award-winning El Dorado and is the largest suppliers of bulk rums from the Caribbean to European and North-American brands.

Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL), founded in 1983 as result of the merger between Diamond Liquors (Diamond Distillery) and Guyana Distillers (Uitvlugt Distillery), and currently owned by the Government of Guyana, is the only distillery still operating in the country, and owner of the largest stock of old rums in the world, which currently produces the El Dorado rum line and other excellent selections.Located near the capital Georgetown, it can rely on the highest quality of molasses, thanks to a territory that represents one of the last still unspoiled paradises, almost entirely covered in virgin Amazonian forest.Before World War II, there were still 9 distilleries active within Guyana, but after the war, 8 of them were closed by government decision.

Thanks to the farsightedness of Yesu Persaud, legendary president of the DDL, their incredible historical heritage represented by centuries-old alembics, has come down to us. All the alembics were transferred to the DDL, and to date 13 of them are still operating including 3 double columns Coffey still ‘Tricanada', 2 modern multiple columns of Indian technology, 2 savalle still, 1 wooden double pot still (Port Mourant), 1 wooden single pot (Versailles), 1 wooden Coffey column (Enmore), 1 Wedderburn style copper still, 1 traditional copper still and 1 small gin still batch.

And the meeting between Yesu Persaud and Luca Gargano, patron of Velier, will lead in the collaboration that has marked a milestone in the history of rum.

The big turning point came when Yesu Persaud agreed to sell a part of the DDL stock to Luca Gargano, giving him the opportunity to be the only one in the world to date, to be able to select among thousands of barrels of the "Warehouse n.1", the warehouse with the most precious ones. And just that selection made arrive to present days, among the others, bottles from alembics that we thought we’d lost forever, giving life to what is melancholy defined as "The Age of Velier’s Demerara".

A short but intense collaboration, which gave birth to a legendary series of which this incredible rum is part of.

THE BOTTLER

Velier was founded by the Chaix family in Genova in 1947 as a small traditional company specialised in the importation and distribution of wines, champagnes and spirits. In 1983, a young Luca Gargano, former brand ambassador for Saint James at that time, acquired shares in Velier. Under his influence the company began spacialising in the importation of outstanding spirits exclusively destinated to the Italian market. By the early 90s Luca heard about a legendary stock of Saint James rum dating back probably to 1885 and bottled in 1952. After a complex negotiation, he finally managed to acquire the entire stock. This was only the first of a list of legendary selections to come in the following years.