Versailles 2006 Milano Rum Festival 16 Year Old

Established around 1670, the Diamond Estate is the only remaining rum distiller in Guyana. Located on the east bank of the Demerara river, the distillery is operated by Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL), the company created by the government in Guyana as it attempted to consolidate the nation’s rum production. This began in 1974 and culminated with the closure of Uitvlugt in 1999, which saw Guyana’s “Heritage Stills” moved from there to Diamond. This was distilled on the Versailles single wooden pot still. It is constructed from Greenheart wood, which is native to Guyana and is mostly used in boat-building due to its ability to remain strong while constantly wet. The wood is also well suited to distilling, stripping spirit of sulphites in the same manner that copper does. The Versailles and Port Mourant double wooden pot still are the last of their kind still in operation. The Versailles still is so-called as it started life at the distillery of the same name. The still dates from the 1890s, and operated at Versailles until its closure in 1978. From there it moved to Enmore, which closed in 1993, and then to Diamond via a brief stint at Uitvlugt as well.

This rum was bottled from a single cask at 16 years old by the Milano Rum Festival. One of 253 bottles.