ISAUTIER 2005 MELASSE 16 YEARS OLD 65% VELIER

The first collaboration beetween Velier and Isautier.

Distilled in 2004, Tropically aged for 16 years and bottled in November 2021 from the oldest stock of the distillery, this is the melasse version .

One of 546 bottles.

THE BRAND

The Isautier distillery, a family business founded in 1845 by Louis and Charles Isautier, is the oldest rum distillery on the Réunion Island. In 1865, following the death of Charles, his widow Antoinette took over the company commissioning the construction of a new distillery, assisted by her sons and renaming the firm “Veuve Ch.Isautier et Fils”.

In 1910 Alfred Isautier, Charles and Antoinette’s grandson, after buying out the other family members’ shares, upgraded the distillery adding a more efficient column still, introducing the iconic triangular bottle and allowing the company to increase export sales around the world.

Following its modernisation in 2011, it produces both molasses-based and agricole rums and today, after six generations, Isautier distillery is not only the oldest distillery, but also the oldest business on the island, celebrating in 2020 its 175th anniversary.

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.