Tasting Notes for El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum
Nose: Prunes, plump dates, banoffee pie and toffee apple with a hint of tar, coffee latte and vanilla.
Taste: Slightly sweet yet balanced, with mocha coffee, dark chocolate, sherry trifle, cooked apples, and cinnamon spice.
Finish: Dark chocolate and espresso coffee dominate the lingering finish, which is still reminiscent of moca coffee.
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The multi-award winning El Dorado 12-year-old rum is produced by Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) in Guyana, South America. Demerara Distillers started life back in the 1600s, and are the sole survivors of what was once a thriving rum industry with over 300 distilleries. DDL have put all the knowledge and heritage to good use, and today they really are one of the greatest rum producers on the planet. A large part of the reason are DDL's historic stills, built in the 18th and 19th centuries and still in operation today, they produce a number of amazing flavours which are unique in the world.
El Dorado 12 Year Old is one of the most popular rums produced by DDL, and uses medium-bodied rums from the Savalle still (inherited from the 18th century Uitvlugt Estate) and blends them together with distillates from their Enmore (the World’s only Wooden Continuous Coffey or EHP Wooden Still) and the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still. The distillate is then rested in ex-bourbon barrels for a minimum of 12 years in the tropical heat of Guyana. The result is a soft and rich flavour, with decadent caramel and molasses that is never cloying or overly sweet. It's one of the best rums in the world with a unique flavour that simply cannot be replicated by any other distillery.
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A ridiculous number of awards, here's a sample:
Caribbean Rum Awards: World's Best Rum - 2018
International Wine & Spirits Competition: Rum Trophy - 2015
International Wine & Spirits Competition: Gold Outstanding - 2013, 2014, 2015 -
The story of rum in Guyana started in the 1640s with the introduction of sugar cane by the early European settlers. By 1670, the foundation of Demerara Rum production was laid down with the establishment of distilling into the new territories by the British. The county of Demerara once covered by the Atlantic Ocean, was recovered by the Dutch in the 1600s. Using their ingenious land reclamation methods, the Dutch successfully reclaimed the land resulting in soil that was high in minerality and nutrients paving the way for sugar cane cultivation in the 1650s.
By 1780, there were over 300 distilleries producing their own unique rums, each with its own marque identifying its origin (e.g. SWR, ICBU, PM, EHP, LBI, AN). The rum industry continued to thrive in Guyana until an unexpected drop in the price of sugar and the introduction of taxes in the 1900s resulted in the severe consolidation of the sugar industry, as it was not economical for all estates to remain in operation. By 1942, there were nine remaining distilleries.
In 1999, final merger of the remaining sugar estates and distilleries by transfer of the various stills, equipment and expertise by Demerara Distillers Limited at the only active distillery in Diamond, on the East Bank of the Demerara River. Diamond distillery contains 9 stills, each acquired from other distilleries as they closed down. These stills cover the full spectrum of rum from heavy pot distilled, to light column distilled, but the distillery is best known for its 3 wooden stills – a port Mourant double wooden pot still, a Versaille single wooden pot still, and an Enmore wooden coffey still. These wooden stills are the last of their kind anywhere in the world, and their unique character is a large part of the reason why the Diamond Distillery has built the stellar reputation it currently enjoys.
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Producer Demerara Distillers Limited at their Diamond Distillery, Guyana Style Single Blended Rum Age A minimum of 12 years Volume 70CL ABV 40%