DOMAINE DE COURCELLES 1972 54% VELIER

This ‘Rhum de Sucrerie’ was distilled in January 1972 and filled into 220 litre casks. In November 2003, 31 years later, these casks were vatted and finally bottled in April 2005.

The Courcelles distillery closed in 1964. M. Amédéé Huygues Despointes, the owner, transferred its alembic to another property of his, the Sainte Marthe distillery, were in1972, the last distillation took place, before its closure in 1974. The barrels were not bottled and remained until 1998 in the depots of Point a Pitre of Claude Marsolle. In 1998 Jean Cédric Brot bought and moved them to Marie-Galante, where they were discovered by the Italian bottler Velier.

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.