ENMORE EHP 1996 67,2% EL DORADO RARE COLLECTION

Distilled on the Wooden Continuos Coffee Still, Tropically aged for 21 years in former bourbon barrels and bottled at full proof in 2017, this is part of the El Dorado range.

Enmore Sugar Estate was founded by Edward Henry Potter in the early 19th century after inheriting and converting his father’s cotton plantation. Situated on the east bank of the Demerara river, the mark EHP was originally used to identify rums from the distillery annexed to the factory. His orginal still, the two column wooden coffey still, dates back to 1880. After the Guyana’s government decision to close most of the distilleries and nationalise the rum production in 1974, it was one of only four still active, receiving also the single wooden pot still from the Versailles distillery after his closure in 1978.

Enmore was shutterd in 1994 and its stills transferred to Diamond Distillery.

THE BRAND

Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL), founded in 1770 along the Demerara River 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.

Known today as  the “Heritage Stills”, they represent a delightful dive into the history.