El Dorado

The county of Demerara in Guyana has a rich history of sugar and rum production dating back as far as the 17th century. Today, Demerara Distillers Limited operates the last remaining distillery in Guyana at Plantation Diamond on the East Bank of the Demerara River. The distillery still uses all the old original stills and marques which make Demerara Rum so distinctive.

The distiller claims the flavours of the oak wood from the barrels and the complexities of the interaction between wood and spirit are increased by the tropical climate of Guyana. The ageing process in Guyana is supposedly greatly increased by the high humidity and steady temperature – resulting in an 8-year-old rum, for instance, having a maturity claimed to be equal to that of a 16-year-old spirit produced in colder climates.

El Dorado rums are blended selections of different ‘vintages’ or batches of rums from different stills, aged in oak barrels. The age statement specifically indicates the youngest rum in the blend. This rule is the same as the one for Scotch Whisky and is used for rums produced in English-speaking countries. In contrast, the age statement on the label of rums produced by the Solera system indicates the oldest rum contained in the blend. This is a traditional method of ageing used in sherry production and is usually associated with rums from Spanish-speaking countries.