SAINT JAMES 2006 15 YEARS OLD 45% VELIER - MAGNUM SERIES #1 ELLIOTT ERWITT 1,5 L

Distilled in a Creole Column Still, thi is a blend of rums distilled in 2004 and 2006, fully aged in Tropics and bottled in 2021. This is the first edition of the Magnum Series, a special collaboration between Velier and the celebrated Magnum Photos agency. The photo on the label, is a work of world-famous photograper Elliott Erwitt, dated 2005, representing a wedding scene in Rome, Italy. The silhouette of the woman in the middle, is the bride.

Magnum Photos, is one of the most important agency in the world, founded in Paris in 1947 by photographers Robert Capa, David Seymour, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and Will Vandivert, in collaboration with Rita Vandivert and Maria Eisner.

THE BRAND

The first rum exported in 1765 under the name of Rhum Saint James, was distilled at ‘Habitation Trou Vaillant’ in Saint-Pierre, Martinique.

In the 18th century the Brothers of Charity managed the Fort Saint-Pierre hospital by request of Louis XV, and Father Lefébure, Superior of the Order, had a sugar refinery at Trou Vaillant used to supply the needs of the hospital. As was the custom of that time, the molasses residues were distilled and thanks to Father du Tertre and Father Labat, who already worked on the distillation process and owned stills brought from France, Father Lefébure could keep on working to produce a rum worthy of this name, giving life to the Martinique agricole rum.

Because of the edict dated 1713 and in effect till 1803, shipping spirits fo France was forbidden and their only choice was to offer the production to the close English colonies of North America.

Since the difficulty to pronunce Trou Vaillant in English, the name of another close domain, Saint Jacques, was chosen, soon becoming the more English-sounding name, Saint James.

After the Revolution, the religious domains were nationalised but in 1820, under the Restoration, these directives were cancelled by royal order, allowing Saint-Pierre to become the leading rum port in the world and offering huge opportunites to sharp businessmen.

Paulin Lambert, a clever French trader, took advantage of the situation purchasing several ‘Habitations’ including Trou Vaillant. He registered the brand and the iconic square bottle on 21 August 1882 together with its label who represented in the middle a crocodile in a field of sugarcane and personally taking charge of production.

In 1885 the first Saint James 1885 was put on the market.

The distillery miraculously survived the devastating eruption of Mount Pelée in May 1902, quickly restarting its activities and opening in the following years three other production sites, also in order to supply the French army during the Great War.

In 1973 the company was bought by Cointreau, who transferred the operations to the new built distillery at Sainte-Marie, on a vast production site on the Atlantic coast.

In 2003 Rhum Saint James was bought by La Martiniquaise.

The last 40 years of the company have been marked by Jean Claude Benoit, general manager of the company and advocate and promoter, together with Claudine Vernant, of the creation of the disciplinary “Rhum Agricole A.O.C Martinique”.

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.