SAINT JAMES AOC 25TH ANNIVERSARY - VELIER SELECTION - 10 X 70 CL

This is a very special edition selected by Velier to celebrate the Martinique A.O.C. 25th anniversary. This is the first time the distillery allowed co-bottling. 

This vertical of 10 bottles is a tribute to Jean-Claude Benoit, one of the founding fathers of the A.O.C. in 1996 and general manager at Saint James distillery, Martinique.

This lot of 10 bottles from the Saint James distillery includes:

• Saint James 1998 20 years old 47%
• Saint James 2000 21 years old 47%
• Saint James 2002 19 years old 47%
• Saint James 2004 17 years old 47%
• Saint James 2006 15 years old 47%
• Saint James 2008 13 years old 47%
• Saint James 2010 11 years old 47%
• Saint James 2012 9 years old 47%
• Saint James 2014 7 years old 47%
• Saint James 2015 6 years old 47%

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.