DEMERARA Distillers Limited (DDL) on Monday unveiled its El Dorado Grand Special Reserve, a 50-year-old rum with an 18 carat premium Guyanese gold medallion valued at $500,000, plus VAT.

This special edition is in honour of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary. This edition, fondly called “Liquid Gold”, is not only special, but is limited; there are only 600 bottles up for sale.

DDL Chairman Komal Samaroo and the Master Distiller Shaun Caleb unveiled the Special Edition Rum, with President David Granger receiving the first bottle of the prized possession.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo; Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin; Minister of Public Telecommunications, with responsibility for Tourism, Cathy Hughes; members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the business community were among those present.

Before handing over the first bottle of the limited edition rum, Samaroo explained that “each bottle of the 50th Anniversary Rum has an 18 carat gold pendant with an El Dorado Logo specially crafted by a Guyanese jeweller.”

He further explained that each of the 600 specially crafted bottles of rum was certified by the Master Blender, Sharon Sue-Hang. “The selling price is $500,000 per bottle plus VAT,” he posited.

He noted that $100,000 from each bottle sold will be donated to the DDL Foundation to assist young, bright but unfortunate Guyanese in acquiring a high standard of education.

“I believe this is the best bottle of rum money can buy anywhere on planet earth,” Samaroo further posited.

President Granger, in applauding DDL on maintaining a rich historical legacy within the rum industry, not only locally but internationally, said: “Guyana’s Rum Industry thrives because it is committed to high standards and quality assurance; it has devoted the time, the energy, and resources necessary to developing a strong brand.”

He added that DDL has aggressively sought new markets, and has nurtured consumer loyalty.

“Guyana’s rum industry is an important sector of the national economy. Rum production has allowed rum corporations to diversify their operations. The industry enables the two corporate giants to diversify into banking, into beverages, into bottled water, into fast food, into restaurants, and into shipping. The industry has also become a corporate social contributor…”

Rum production is a profitable enterprise, the President said, but warned that, as a small state, there are big threats.
“Caribbean rum producers…face a major threat to their competitiveness owing to distorted measures implemented by major countries, in particular by the United States Federal Government.

“The allowance of tax rebates, estimated to be valued in the millions per annum, to producers in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, distorts the market…”
the President said. Hence he said it is important to protect the rum industry here.

President Granger has sealed off three casks of the 50-year-old rum to mature for the next 25 years, and this will be bottled for the country’s 75th Independence Anniversary. (Svetlana Marshall)