Oct 202014
 

velier logo 2

It’s no surprise that I start the “Makers” section of this website with Velier. Perhaps no other company since Rum Nation has so captured my attention the way this one has, and with both it’s about their focus. The scotch makers like G&M, Cadenhead, A.D. Rattray and Bruichladdich also produce year-specific, limited editions of rums, but their product lines are somewhat diluted by not concentrating solely on rums but on the whiskies which are their primary products (at least in my opinion). Velier in contrast has made its name primarily by doing something quite different – they issue all of their products at full proof, and they issue only rums, mostly from Guyana, Trinidad and the French West Indies (see below for other lines of business).

Luca Gargano, the man most closely identified with the company, is a character all by himself. He is an inveterate traveller, photographer, writer and rum lover (to call him an aficionado would be to understate the matter). His stories, delivered with a twinkle in his eye, are the stuff of either bulls**t or legend, and I prefer to believe the latter, just because, y’know, they’re so interestingfor example, there’s the one about how, in service to one of hisfive principles,” he doesn’t associate with politicians, and so one time he feigned sickness in Cuba so he wouldn’t have to speak to Fidel Castro. And the other five principles, which he calls privileges? — No watch, no cell phone, no driving and no reading newspapers. So yeah, something of an eccentric, but man, the stories he tells, the way he tells then (he’s truly something of a born raconteur). And he always finishes off by reaching somewhere, fishing out a bottle and a glass and sayingTaste this.

Luca Gargano began with Velier by buying into the tiny Genoese concern in the early nineteen eighties while he was only 27 – at the time he was the Director of Marketing Spirit SpA, the largest import company in Italy. Even then, his experience as the brand ambassador for St James (from Martinique) during the 1970s infused him with a love for rums. Velier, a small family firm, had been founded by Casimir Chaix back in 1947, and between 1953 and 1983, it became known for importing of wines and spirits to Italy, mostly the north (products included champagne, brandy, even tea and cocoa). Luca began to change the tilt of the company by encouraging the import of spirits particularly targeted at top restaurants and wine bars and developed the image and the distribution of Champagne Billecart-Salmon, which at the time was completely unknown.

Gargano

In 1991 Velier developed a line of Latin American White Spirits (cachaca, mezcal, pisco) made to cater to the trendy and ethnic spirits wave which was just gathering steam at the time. The company began its move to craft spirits in 1992 (which I think is the year that the El Dorado 15 year old first appeared), by beginning its selection of barrels of old single malts and rum for its brand. This led, in 1995, to the issuance of several Caribbean rums, riding the wave of the current trend in releasing craft bottling in limited quantities.

Arguably Luca’s earliest coup was to buy almost the entire Damoiseau 1980 output that had been deemed unsell-able because of a proportion of molasses in the rum. He released Velier’s Damoiseau 1980 in 2002 (Damoiseau themselves stole a march on him and issued their own version – they had kept back some of the stock, and as I can attest, that rum is excellent) and he remarked that it was this rum that crystallized his “full-proof” concept, that of issuing rums at natural strength with no dilution whatsoever, and having them fully aged in the tropics.

Gargano 2

In 2003, after having befriended Yesu Persaud, the chairman of the Guyanese spirits conglomerate Demerara Distillers Ltd, he was given access to very old stocks mouldering away in their warehouses in Diamond – it is my contention that the issuance of these rums has solidified Velier’s name as a company whose bottlings are one of a kind, a company to watch, and whose rare and aged products are really spectacular. Most independent bottlers have the Enmores and Port Mourants as part of the canon, and DDL themselves blend many estate- or still-specific rums into their excellent El Dorado linebut Velier took it one step further, and issued the estate specific rums as rums in their own right: LBI, Blairmont, Versailles, Albion, Skeldon, Port Mourant, Enmore…and all at natural strength. They have, as I remarked in my Skeldon 1973 review, become occasional subjects of cult worship simply due to their rarity (and excellence – I have yet to find a dog in Velier’s line up, and have consistently scored their rums very high). In 2004, Velier bought a tiny stake in DDL, which granted them access to future (and past) rum stocks.

Another series of rums of note which enhanced Velier’s street-cred among rum aficionados was the Caroni line. Caroni was a plantation and distillery in Trinidad, which was shuttered in 2002 (some darkly mutter that it was for crass political reasons), and has a place in rum-lovers’ pantheons which whisky aficionados reserve for Port Ellen. The last stocks of this distillery were supposedly sold at auction in 2003, but in 2004, Velier seems to have snapped up an enormous amount of casks from the 70s, 80s and 90s which they have used to issue several iterations (all full-proof, of course).

Between 2008 and 2014, as Velier’s reputation grew (and maybe as finances and enthusiasm permitted) the company began branching out to other islands and experimenting with distillation and ageing techniques. According to Luca, he had the impulse to produce a rhum agricole with a double distillation, and convinced Mr Vittorio Gianni Capovilla, himself a master distiller (www.capovilladistillati.it) and the Bielle distillery on Marie Galante, to create a new distillery. This was done through Bielle, administratively and legally part of them but operationally independent, apart from the sugar juice supplied by Bielle. The Liberation line (issued under the label RhumRhum) essayed to make agricoles by fermenting the juice without adding water and then double distilling it in copper pot stills. By 2020, this project, after over a decade in operation, was ready to issue the final Liberation release, after which Luca and Capovilla, who had bought the stills, the name and most of the barrels, would transfer operations over to the Pere Labatt distillery, and work as a completely independent enterprise, and (more importantly) a legally separate distillery, from there.

Then there is the Clairin line of Haitian rums, launched in 2012, and more recently there are experimental blends like the 2014 release of PM/ENM, and the Ron Papalin, as well as the 2015 “Stillline from Guyana and Barbados and Jamaica. There are plans to deal in soleras at some point.

Velier shop

In 2014 Velier opened two shops in Paris, one dedicated to Velier Rhum (the other to Triple A wines). That same year, Luca’s first bookAtlas du Rhumwas published by Flammarion. Velier continues to do more than rums, of course. They are both bottler and importer, yet I argue that it is for their rums they are now primarily known and upon which their fame rests. They might import absinthe, gin and whisky and whatever else – but they make rums. Damned good ones.

Unfortunately, in 2015, it appeared that Velier’s relationship with DDL came to an end, and in spite of being a minority (very minority) shareholder in the company, their unique ability to choose barrels from DDL’s warehouses has ceased. Some call this the end ofThe Age of Velier’s Demeraras.” For those who appreciated the Demerara full proofs Velier issued from the famous stills, this was nothing less than a catasstrophic disappointment. Luca branched out, of courseas noted, he has looked into the distribution and promotion of clairins from Haiti, hinting at deepening involvement in non-traditional sources of rum; and in 2015 he issued single estate pot still rums from Jamaica, Guyana and Barbados, as well as investigating the possibilities of Hampden estate in Jamaica for the 2016 release season.

2017 was a great year for Velier, because it was the 70th anniversary of the company, and to commemorate the occasion, Luca pushed a number of new releases out the doorfrom Barbados, from Jamaica, Mauritius, Japan, Haiti et al (see list below). These became highly sought after rums in their own right, and many others issued in 2016-2017 were issued at young ages, as whites, or to showcase particular distillation apparatuses; many more were done in collaboration with famous houses like Nine Leaves, Chamarel, Hampden and Worthy Park. And no story of such collaborations could be complete without noting the work done with Richard Seale of Foursquare, including the now famous 2006 ten year old and the Triptych rums which were so amazingly popular that they were sold out before actually going on sale online, and required special personalized distribution to hard core fans

As if all this was not enough, in late 2017 Velier announced plans to open an office in New York, to be run by Daniele Biondi (whose name is on several labels of the old Demeraras). Velier is already well known to American rum aficionados, and Daniele’s mission was to raise awareness and build the brand in a country where milquetoast 40% rums of no particular distinction have often relegated cask strength premium rums to the back shelf. The opening of the Velier office in Brooklyna partnership between themselves and La Maison du Whiskeywas covered widely on FB, and many of the North American rumNamesflew in for the occasion. Unsurprisingly, the rums being promoted right off the bat were the Haitian clairins I had such a violent love affair with, and the pot still Habitation Velier collection.

This expansion of Velier’s distribution network was followed in 2018 by the announcement in May that East Coast Liquor in Sydney (Australia) gained the exclusive distribution rights to Habitation Velier rums, in conjunction with promotion by one of the older rum sites in existence, that of Refined Vices (opened in 2007) run by Tatu Kaarlas, a Finn who emigrated down under a decade before. Clearly Velier’s rums were not just a phenomenon of Europe or North America, but were sought after and desired much further field than the traditonal outlets. In September of that year, Velier launched the Hampden range of rumsI’ve heard they bought the entire stock of Hampden’s production for the next two yearsby issuing a full proof 60% and one at 46%, at what has become a near legendary Tasting of the Century where in addition to the Hampden launch, four epic rums from ages past were decanted for the fortunate attendees.

As if that was not enough, Velier’s 2018 release slate contained not just a new series of clairins and Caronis, but a series of Jamaican Longpond rums at 60% that tried to showcase theWedderburnandContinentalstyles of rum make from years past. It’s an interesting and welcome departure from better known rum series for Velier, and promises a fascinating new set of rums from that island.

New offices and Plenipotenziario, 2020

These rums were enhanced by a slate of releases in 2019 that showed the wide variety Velier has championed ever since the intitial Demeraras and Caronis that made their name: there were pure rums from Monymusk and Hampden (although not from Worthy Park), Reunion and Mauritius, more Habitation Velier whites and unaged rums, more CaroniEmployeeseries rums, and the last barrels of Caroni distillate were bottled in this year. The collaboration with Foursquare continues to yield sought after rums like the Plenipotenziario and Patrimonio and even the move to a new headquarters in Genoa in 2020 has become an occasion to release rums named after the old one.

2020 showed that Velier moved definitively away from the elephants with which its reputation had been made (perhaps there are no more to be found) to smaller and more distinct bottlings of exacting selection. An arrangement with Neisson was negotiated that would allow Neisson rums to become part of the Velier outturn, and three special Appleton pot-still-only rums from 1994, 1995 and 1999 were selected for bottling in that year (and two more in 2021). On top of this there was the ever-expanding lineup of Habitation Velier rums (which I termeducationalwith good reason) – Privateer from the USA was one such, and other rums from around the Caribbean and even wider afield are rumoured. This is not even counting more standardblack-bottlereleases like those from Karukera, Nine Leaves and Savanna HERR, an 8 YO Hampden, another Chamarel from Mauritius and a Monymusk 2007 13 YO….and perhaps most intriguingly, a Providence white rum from Port au Prince (Haiti), distilled by Herbert Linge de Barbancourt (from Muller stills), and something I looked forward to myself, one of 1200 bottles of the near mythical Rivers Antoine distillery from Grenada.

Given the reputation Velier has now amassed elsewhere in the world, there is no doubt that the future of their bottlings remains a dynamic one. Because Luca does like to push the boundaries, and his passion has been remarked on by many who have met the man. I don’t imagine I’ll ever get them all – he’s issuing them too fast, and my wallet can’t keep pace (a complete set of every Velier Caroni ever issued was once advertised for sale by an Italian gent for two thousand Euros (utterly unthinkable now), a single bottle of the Skeldon 1978 sold on Ebay for €1,200 in early 2015, and a twin set of the 1973 and 1978 was going in 2016 for €8,000, which gives you an indication of what acquiring the entire canon would entail). Yet I’ll keep trying, as many others will, because Luca’s one of the few in the rum making world who keeps raising the bar for aged, powerful and unique rums that will not be seen again.

And if his name is now known more widely than before 2012 when I and others first began writing about his rums, perhaps it was inevitable that the concussive blast of his earlier work has now been replaced by smaller explosions of high quality, original rums, whose releases are eagerly awaited by those who love his work.


Below is a list of all Velier products of which I am aware, ordered by location and date of distillation (not issue). It’s as exhaustive as I could make it, a good starting point, and I have updated it constantly. Links relate to reviews I’ve written…and yeah, they look as lonely as a few camels in the Sahara, but them’s the breaks.

Guyana

TrinidadCaroni

  • Caroni 1974 Heavy 34 YO (1974 2008), 66.1%
  • Caroni 1982 Light 23 YO (1982 – 2005), 59.2%
  • Caroni 1982 Light 24 YO (1982 – 2006), 55.2%
  • Caroni 1982 Light 24 YO (1982 – 2006), 56.4%
  • Caroni 1982 Heavy 24 YO (1982 – 2006), 58.3%
  • Caroni 1982 Heavy 23 YO (1982 – 2005), 62%
  • Caroni 1982 Heavy 23 YO (1982 – 2005), 77.3%
  • Caroni 1983 Extra Strong 110° Proof 17 YO, 55%
  • Caroni 1983 Heavy 22 YO (1983 – 2005), 55%
  • Caroni 1983 High Proof Heavy 22 YO (1983 – 2005), 52%
  • Caroni 1984 Heavy 22 YO (1984 – 2006), 54.6%
  • Caroni 1984 Heavy 24 YO (1984 – 2008), 59.3%
  • Caroni 1985 Old Legend 15 YO (1985 – 2006), 43.4%
  • Caroni 1985 Blended 20 YO (1985 – 2005), 49.5%
  • Caroni 1985 Heavy 21 YO (1985 – 2006), 58,8% vol.
  • Caroni 1985 Heavy 20 YO (1985 2005), 62% vol.
  • Caroni 1985 Heavy 20 YO (1985 – 2005), 75.5%
  • Caroni 1988 Blended 20 YO (1988 – 2008) 43%
  • Caroni 1989 Heavy 16YO (1989 2005), 62%
  • Caroni 1989 Light 17YO (1989- 2006), 64.2%
  • Caroni 1991, 66%
  • Caroni 1991 Blended 19YO (1991 – 2010), 55%
  • Caroni 1991 Blended 15 YO (1991 – 2006) 43.4%
  • Caroni 1992 Heavy 20 YO (1992 2012) , 60.2%
  • Caroni 1992 Heavy 20 YO (1992 – 2012), 55%
  • Caroni 1993 Blended 17 YO (1993 2010), 44.4%
  • Caroni 1994 Heavy 18YO (1994 2012), 55%
  • Caroni 1994 Heavy 18YO (1994 2012), 62.6%
  • Caroni 1994 High Proof 17 YO (1994 2011), 52%
  • Caroni 1994 Heavy 23 YO (1994-2017) “Guyana Stock” 61%
  • Caroni 1994 Heavy 23 YO (1994-2017) “Guyana Stock” 59%
  • Caroni 1994 Heavy 23 YO (1994-2017) “Guyana Stock” 59.8%
  • Caroni 1994 Heavy 23 YO (1994-2017) “Guyana Stock” 57.18%
  • Caroni 1995 Heavy 22 YO (1995-2018) (Cask 3812)
  • Caroni 1996 Heavy 17 YO (1996 – 2013) 55%
  • Caroni 1996 Heavy 17 YO (1996 – 2013) 63%
  • Caroni 1996 Heavy 20 YO (1996 – 2016) 70.8% “Fire” (Cask R3721)
  • Caroni 1996 Heavy 20 YO (1996-2016) 70.8% “Legend” (Cask R3718)
  • Caroni 1996 Heavy 20 YO (1996 – 2016) 62.4% (Cask 5623)
  • Caroni 1996 Heavy 20 YO (1996 – 2016) 70.1% “Trespassers will be Prosecuted
  • Caroni 1996 Heavy 20 YO (1996 – 2016) 57.18% “100 Proof
  • Caroni 1996 Blended 21 YO (1996 – 2017) 61.3%
  • Caroni 1996 Blended 21 YO (1996 – 2017) 65.1%
  • Caroni 1996 Blended 21 YO (1996 – 2017) 59.8%
  • Caroni 1996 Blended 21 YO (1996 – 2017) 64.3%
  • Caroni 1996 “TrilogyHeavy (1996 – 2016) 70.28%
  • Caroni 1996 Blended 21 YO (1996-2017) Extra Strong 100ºImperial Proof
  • Caroni 1997 20YO (1997 – 2017) 61.9%
  • Caroni 1998 Extra Strong 104° Proof 15 YO (1998 – 2013), 52%
  • Caroni 1998 Blended 17 YO (1998-2015) Extra Strong 110° Proof 55%
  • Caroni 2000 100% 12 YO (2000 2012), 50%
  • Caroni 2000 “MilleniumExtra Strong 120° Proof, 60%
  • Caroni 2000 High Proof (2000-2017) 55%
  • Caroni 2000 Heavy (2000-2017) 68.4% “Caroni Lit/Alc 2000” (Cask R4002)
  • Caroni 2000 15YO Heavy Single Cask (2000 – 2015) 70.9% “Licensed to Sell Spirit…” (Cask 4681)
  • Caroni 2017 70th Anniv Edition Blended 21 YO (1996 – 2017) 65.1%
  • Caroni 2017 70th Anniv Edition Heavy 21 YO (1996 – 2017) 64.3%
  • Caroni 2017 70th Anniv Edition Heavy 23 YO (1994 – 2017) 59.8%
  • CaroniEmployees” 1st Release DennisXGopaul 20 YO (1998-2018) 69.5%
  • CaroniEmployees” 1st Release JohnDEversley 22 YO (1996-2018) 66.5%
  • CaroniEmployees” 2nd Release KevonSlipperyMoreno 21 YO (1998-2019) 69.5%
  • CaroniEmployees” 2nd Release DavidSargeCharran 23 YO (1996-2019)
  • CaroniEmployees” 3rd Release VijayVijayRamnarine (1996-2020) 65.3%
  • CaroniEmployees” 3rd Release NitaNitzHogan (2000-2020) 65.9%
  • CaroniEmployees” 3rd Release RameshBujuRamgobie (1998-2020) 66.9%
  • CaroniEmployees” 4th Release BasdeoDickyRamsarran (2000-2020) 64.3%
  • CaroniEmployees” 4th Release BalasBrigadeBhaggan (1998-2020) 68.4%
  • CaroniEmployees” 4th Release DayanandYunkooBalloon (1998-2020) 68.3%
  • CaroniEmployees” 5th Release DeodatBreezeManmohan (1996-2021) 66.7%
  • CaroniEmployees” 5th Release DhanrajDanMaharaj (1996-2021) 66.3%
  • CaroniEmployees” 6th Release Caroni EmployeesUnited” (1996-2021) 66.6%
  • CaroniEmployees” 6th Release MaheshSonny BlackBridgelal (1996-2021) 64.6%
  • CaroniEmployees” 6th Release RickyDirty HarrySeeharack (1996-2021) 66.2%
  • CaroniThe Last CaroniFull Proof Heavy 23 YO (1996-2019) 61.9%
  • CaroniThe Tasting GangFull Proof Blended 23 YO (1996-2019) 63.5%

Marie Galante & Capovilla

Barbados

  • Foursquare Plenipotenziario 12 YO (2007-2019) Single Blended Rum (ex Bourbon) 60%
  • Foursquare Patrimonio 15YO (2004-2019) Single Blended Rum (ex Bourbon/Ex Sherry) 58%
  • Foursquare Destino 14 YO (2013-2017) Single Blended Rum
  • Foursquare Destino 14 YO Velier 70th Anniversary
  • Foursquare Triptych ~9 YO 56% Blended Rum (released 2016)
  • Foursquare Principia 9 YO (2008-2017) 62%
  • Foursquare 2006 10 YO (2006-2016) 62%

True Explorer Series (with LMDW)

  • FoursquareElliott Erwitt” 15 YO (2005-2020) Single Blended Rum 58%
  • Mount GayElliott Erwitt” 13 YO (2007-2020) Pure single Rum 60%
  • Saint JamesElliott Erwitt” 14 YO (2006-2020) Rhum Agricole 45%
  • HampdenElliott Erwitt” 4 YO (2016-2020) Pure Single Rum 60% (HLCF

Indian Ocean Series

Guadeloupe

Jamaica

Longpond

Hampden (distribution arrangement)

  • Hampden Estate 8 YO Overproof (2010-2018) 60% (original blend 2018)
  • Hampden Estate 8 YO Overproof (2010-2018) 46% (original blend 2018)
  • Momymusk EMB Warren Kong Series 24 YO (1995-2019) 67%
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum OWH 8 YO (2011-2019) (Berlin Bar Convent) 59.5% Cask No. 95
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum LROK 9 YO (2010-2019) (Salon du Rhum) 63.2% Cask No 215
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum <H> 9 YO (2010-2019) (LMDW Edition) 69.2% Cask No. 41
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum OWH 7 YO (2012-2019) (WhiskyLive 2019 Paris) 62.8% Cask No. 299
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum LFCH 8 YO (2011-2019) (WhiskyLive 2019 Singapore) 61.7% Cask No. 295
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum HLCF/DOK 9 YO (2010-2019) 61% Cask No. 76
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum LROK 9 YO (2010-2019) (New York edition) 59% Cask No. 327
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum C<>H 10 YO (2010-2020) 68.5% (2615 g/hlpa)
  • Hampden Old Pure Single Jamaican Rum Distillery EditionGreat House 2020 59.0%
  • Hampden Old Pure Single Jamaican Rum Distillery EditionGreat House 2022 55.0%
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum LROK 5YO (2016-2021) – The Younger (47.0%)
  • Hampden Rare Cask Series DOK 12 YO (2010-2022) 63.7%
  • Hampden Rare Cask Series HGML 12 YO (2010-2022) 63.6%
  • Hampden Rare Cask Series HLCF 12 YO Single Cask 78 (2010-2022) 61.9%
  • Hampden Rare Cask Series HLCF 12 YO Single Cask 79 (2010-2022) 62.8%
  • Hampden Rare Cask Series HLCF 12 YO Single Cask 80 (2010-2022) 61.3%
  • HampdenPagosSherry-Aged Jamaican Rum (~2018-2021) 52% 1200b

Hampden: Trelawny Endemic Birds Series

  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum 9 YO LROK (2011-2020) 60.3% Cask 296 “Red Billed Streamertail
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum 8 YO OWH (2012-2020) 59.9% Cask 662 “Black Bird
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum 10 YO LROK (2010-2020) 62.5% Cask 487 “Owl
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum 8 YO OWH (2012-2020) 61.7% Cask 667 “Chestnut Bellied Cuckoo
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum 10 YO LROK (2010-2020) 62.2% Cask 497 “Woodpecker
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum 9 YO LFCH (2011-2020) 60.4% Cask 289 “Peewee
  • Hampden Jamaica Pure Single Rum 8 YO (2012-2020) xx.x% Cask 670 “Euphonia

Other Jamaicans

  • R.A.S.C. (Royal Army Service Corps) Jamaica Rum 1954 (Batch 1 – 2017) 53%
  • R.A.S.C. (Royal Army Service Corps) Jamaica Rum 1954 (Batch 2 – 2020) 53%
  • MMW Wedderburn Jamaica Vatted Pot Still Rum (Monymusk) 11 YO 69.1% Trop. Age*
  • MMW Wedderburn Jamaica Vatted Pot Still Rum (Monymusk) 11 YO 63.9% Cont. Age*
  • EMB Plummer Jamaica Vatted Pot Still Rum (Monymusk) 14 YO 69.7% Trop. Age*
  • EMB Plummer Jamaica Vatted Pot Still Rum (Monymusk) 14 YO 64.8% Cont. Age*
  • Appleton Single Estate Jamaica Rum 100% Pot Still 26 YO (1994-2020) 60%
  • Appleton Single Estate Jamaica Rum 100% Pot Still 25 YO (1995-2020) 63%
  • Appleton Single Estate Jamaica Rum 100% Pot Still 21 YO (1999-2020) 63%
  • Papalin 7 YO Original Vatted Pot Still Rum 47% (WP/Hampden Blend)
  • Papalin 7 YO Original VattedNavy ProofPot Still Rum 57.18% (WP/Hampden Blend)

*Joint bottling between E&A Scheer & Velier Genoa

Haiti

  • Clairin Vaval Rhum Agricole, Batch 1 (2012), 48,7%vol.
  • Clairin Casimir Rhum Agricole, Batch 1 (2012), 53,7%vol.
  • Clairin Sajous Rhum Agricole, Batch 1 (2012), 48,1%vol.
  • Clairin Vaval Rhum Agricole, Batch 2 (2014), 52,5%vol.
  • Clairin Sajous Rhum Agricole, Batch 2 (2014), 53,5%vol.
  • Clairin Sajous Rhum Agricole, Batch 2 (2014), 54%vol.
  • Clairin Casimir Rhum Agricole, Batch 2 (2015) 50.2%
  • Clairin Casimir Rhum Agricole (Batch unknown) 53.4%
  • Clairin Vaval Rhum Agricole (2015) 51.1%
  • Clairin Sajous Rhum Agricole (2015) 51.0%
  • Clairin World Championship (Blend)(2016) 46%
  • Clairin Le Rocher Rhum Agricole (2017) 46.5%
  • Clairin Le Rocher Rhum Agricole (2017) 51%
  • Clairin SajousAnsyen 19 mois” (Jun 2016 – Jan 2018) 53.1%
  • Vieux Sajous 2016-2020 4 YO Cask Strength First Release 50.6%
  • Vieux Sajous 2017-2022 5YO Ex-Caroni 52.14% (Black bottle, 4700b)
  • Papalin Haiti Original Vatted Rum 4 YO 2018-2022 53.1% (black bottle, 6000b)
  • Providence Haitian Pure Single RumFirst Dropsspecs TBA
  • Providence Haitian Pure Single RumDunder & Syrupspecs TBA
  • Providence Haitian Pure Single Rum 3 YO 2019-2022 52% (6000b)

Other

  • Neisson 1997 47% (Joint bottling with Velier)
  • J. Bally 1970 Reserve (with Cantarelli, 1991), Martinique
  • West Indies Old Barbados Rum 12 YO (1986 1998), 46%
  • Savanna Warren Kong Series 20 YO (1999-2019) 57%
  • Savanna HERR 2006 14 YO (2006-2020) 63.2%
  • Nine Leaves Pure Sugar Cane Juice Rum 2016 4 YO (2016-2020) 66.6%
  • Villa ParadisettoChamarel 2013-2020
  • Villa ParadisettoPrivateer 2017-2020
  • Villa ParadisettoMonymusk 2007-2020
  • Neisson Cuvee Velier Chai Vevert #2 4 YO 2016-2020 56.8%
  • Neisson Cuvee Velier Chai Mainmain #4 4 YO 2016-2020 54.1%
  • Neisson Cuvee Velier Chai adrien #5 4 YO 2016-2020 55.8%
  • Isautier Rhum Agricole 16 YO 65% Lot 16/17 ex Bourbon Cask 536 bottles (2004?)
  • Isautier Rum Traditionnel 16 YO 65% Lot 38 ex Bourbon Cask 575 bottles (2004?)
  • Beenleigh Australian Rum 13 YO (2006-2020) 59% Tropical Ageing
  • Beenleigh Australian Rum 5 YO (2015-2020) 59% Desert Ageing
  • Amrut Indian Pure Single RumCollection Antipodes” 7 YO 2015-2022 65%

Habitation Velier

Velier 70th Anniversary Collaborations (2017 and 2018)

  • Karukera 2008 Single Cask 9 YO (2008-2017) 53.4%
  • Nine LeavesEncryptedSingle Cask 4 YO (2013-2017) 65%
  • Neisson Rhum Vieux Agricole 12 YO (2005-2017) 51.3%
  • Neisson Rhum Vieux Agricole 10 YO (2007-2017) 58.1%
  • Velier Royal Navy Very Old Rum 57%
  • Chamarel Pure Single Rhum Agricole (2011-2017) 55.5%
  • Chamarel Vatted Single Rum (2010-2014) 56.5%
  • Caroni 2017 70th Anniv Edition Blended 21 YO (1996 – 2017) 65.1%
  • Caroni 2017 70th Anniv Edition Heavy 21 YO (1996 – 2017) 64.3%
  • Caroni 2017 70th Anniv Edition Heavy 23 YO (1994 – 2017) 59.8%
  • Antigua Distillery 6 YO (2012-2018) 66%
  • Pere Labat Distillerie Poisson (2010-2017) Fut 105/106 57.5%

Velier 70th AnniversaryWarren KhongSeries (2017)

  • St. Lucia Distillers Single Cask 7 YO (2010-2017) 58.6% (267b)
  • Bielle Single Cask 10 YO (2007-2017) 55% (250b)
  • Chamarel Two-Cask Blend 6 YO (2011-2017) 55.5% (249b)
  • Nine Leaves Encrypted Single Cask 3 YO (2014-2017) 64.8% (249b)
  • Mount Gilboa Three-Cask Blend 9 YO (2008-2017) 66% (1632b)
  • Hampden <H> Five-Cask Blend 7 YO (2010-2017) 62% (1659b)

Sources


  23 Responses toVelier

  1. Fantastic stuff, Lance. As you know, we in the States can only lust after most of these beauties from afar. Those that I have tried have been outstanding of course.

  2. Great article on perhaps one of the best independent bottlers out there. I think the Velier bottles will be harder and harder to get as more and more experience their splendor.

    • Not until the North American and Asian markets really pay attention. It’s our good fortune that whiskies command the wallets over there, leaving our rums more affordable and available.

  3. Hope you’re making arrangements to get a bunch of this into Canada. If you want me to drink rum, it better be almost a whisky. 😉

    Seriously, thoughI love the fact that a few out there are flying the banner for a less adulterated spirit. These are the kind of rums I can get behind.

    Good write-up.

  4. Every single one of the few i been able to try so far of Velier rums have all been nothing but outstanding!

  5. I’ve compared your list of the Velier bottlings, with one I got from Cyril. I recon that combined, they should almost exhaust the entire series to date.

    If you’d like, and with Cyrils acceptance of course, I could send it to you. Interested?

    • Sure I’m interested. Very much so. Cyril did indeed look over my initial list and made some corrections, but if there is another list out there, by all means send it along.

      • I’ve sent you my updated list as it stands now via your profile on Facebook.

        Some of the new additions are the Clairin from Haiti and a few others that may have differed between the two lists.

      • Not sure if you got my message, so I’ll just post it inhere as well 🙂

        So far I have found 3 different Diamond 1996.
        A 14 year old unknown mark bottled in 2010 at 66%
        A 15 year old SVW mark bottled in 2011 at 64,6%
        A 16 year old SSN mark bottled in 2012 at 63,4%

  6. Hi Lance, have you heard of or tried the Velier Diamond & Port Mourant 1999 and the Uitvlugt 18 year old 1996?

  7. I’ve got the PM/Diamond, but not the Uitvlugt, which is not even on my list above.

  8. Hi Lance! Can you tell me more about the Foursquare and the Jamaican Rums at the bottom of your list? Have they already been released?

    • Just heard about them yesterday myself, Artur.

      No they have not been formally released yet: still tidying up bottle labels and final quality checking, distribution, etc.

      The idea seems to be to issue pure single estate pot still rums at a reasonable price (around 50-60 EUR). Also, because they come from operating distilleries, they will be able to avoid the limited edition problem of Velier’s rarer rums.

      • Great news! I am looking forward to those bottlings. The still type and vintage of the Jamaican indicate Worthy Park.
        I know I am getting greedy now, but I hope Velier will broaden its range in the future and also include Long Pond, Hampden, Monymusk, West Indies and Mount Gay. (Mount Gay seems nearly impossible, but one can dream, right?)

        There also seem to be new Agricoles (Liberation 2015: one at 45% and one at cask strength, both distilled in 2009) and a new Caroni (1998, 17 YO, 55%) They are listed at the french online shop Excellencerhum, though they cannot be ordered yet.

  9. Lance, do you know when the US versions of Caroni will start hitting the market and in which markets they will land?

    • No information yet, unfortunately. I suspect the earliest will be 2018, and since Daniele is opening an office in New York, it’s very likely that initial releases will be on the Eastern seaboard. I’ll keep my ears open for you, though.

    • Luca says New York and California for the Caroni 2000, early next year. Don’t expect to get the entire canon, though.

  10. Hey I think the HV Hampden 2011 LFCH is missing from this list. Also, not sure if there’s an easy answer to this, but what’s the best place to find upcoming releases? I feel like I see people post about receiving bottles before I’ve even heard about them. Thanks for all you do!

    • I’ve updated the list for the LFCH, thanks. It’s hard to keep abreast of these bottlings, there are so many of them 🙂 I try, but there’s always a couple that slip through the cracks.

      To answer your other question, you really just have to keep your ears to the ground. I’m a member of as many FB rum groups as possible (including Velier itself) and this is where there are usually notifications of new editions ahead of formal release. Right now for example, there is the trio of the Villa Paradisetto that’s got hearts a-flutter.

  11. My last name is Velier. Looking to find more history of the name. Can someone provide it? P.S. I love Rum

    • Wish I could help you there, but the company name Velier has nothing to do with a family name: it stands for Vini e Licori Importazione e Redistribuzione (Wines and Spirits Import and Distribution).

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