Plantation Guyana 2007 Vintage Rum 700mL

The Port Mourant still is a legendary wooden double pot still dating back to the 18th century, making it one of the oldest continuously operating stills in the world. These irreplaceable wooden stills are unique to Guyana's Demerara Distillers and create distinctively heavy, oily rums with incredible depth and complexity. The wood construction allows for micro-oxygenation during distillation, contributing to the rum's characteristic full-bodied profile and rich flavour development that simply cannot be replicated by modern steel equipment.

This dual-continent ageing process combines the best of both tropical and continental maturation styles. The initial decade in Guyana's hot, humid climate accelerates extraction from the barrels, creating intense flavours and deep colour through rapid evaporation and concentration. The subsequent journey to France for finishing in small Ferrand cognac casks introduces subtle French oak influences and allows for slower, more refined development in the cooler European climate, creating a more complex and elegant final product.

Unlike most commercial rums which blend multiple years and distillation batches, this 2007 vintage represents rum distilled exclusively in that single year, making it exceptionally rare in the rum world. This approach, more common in fine wine and whisky, allows you to taste the specific characteristics of that particular harvest year's molasses and distillation conditions. The limited nature means once this batch is gone, that exact flavour profile can never be recreated, making each bottle a piece of liquid history.

These rich caramelised flavours emerge from the interaction between the molasses base spirit and the tropical ageing environment, where intense heat causes rapid chemical reactions between the rum and oak tannins. The Demerara region's traditional brown sugar and molasses production creates an ideal foundation, while the wooden stills contribute additional complexity through their unique fermentation characteristics. The final finishing in cognac casks adds layers of vanilla and spice that complement rather than mask these fundamental treacle notes.

This rum's tropical fruit and treacle profile makes it exceptional with rich desserts like dark chocolate tart, sticky toffee pudding, or Caribbean fruit cake. The full-bodied nature also pairs beautifully with aged cheeses, particularly blue varieties, where the rum's sweetness balances the cheese's saltiness. For a more adventurous pairing, try it with barbecued meats or spicy Caribbean cuisine, where the rum's complexity can stand up to bold flavours while its tropical fruit notes complement the heat.