To my mind, this incarnation of El Dorado 12 is better than its predecessor but isn't going to wow the masses in the same way. I also think that, at this price point, it is one of the better rums around. With that said, I'd happily a bit more for a 12 year old with a greater percentage of the pot still. This would probably put it in line with quality and price of some other good rums (I want to mention Doorly's 12, though I've not had it recently, so don't quote me on that). El Dorado Rums are produced by Demerara Distillers Limited. Demerara Distillers are the last remaining distillery in Guyana and they are located at the Plantation Diamond on the eastern bank of the Demerara River. In the 17th century there would have been over 300 sugar estates in the region, each with their own distillery and signature rums. Over the years estates and distilleries have come and gone have some have amalgamated. El Dorado rums were first released in 1992.Today Demerara Distillers have preserved and own nine historical, different stills which allows them to offer a wide variety and range of over 20 different styles of rum. There are historical stills including the last working example of the Wooden Continuous Coffey Still and stills from sugar estates including Enmore, Port Mourant and Uitvlught. Guyanese Rum has a long association with the Royal Navy and the Port Mourant Estate double wooden pot still produces complex and powerful rums which still form part of the Pusser’s Rum blend. El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve Rum is a classic Guyanese Demerara blended rum aged for a minimum of 15 years prior to bottling and release.

In 1627 North and Harcourt, obtained letters patent under the great seal from Charles I, authorising them to form a company for "the Plantation of Guiana", North being named as deputy governor of the settlement. Short of funds, this expedition was fitted out, a plantation established in 1627, and trade opened by North's endeavours. [32] In 1637–38, two monks, Acana and Fritz, undertook several journeys to the lands of the Manoas, indigenous peoples living in western Guyana and what is now Roraima in northeastern Brazil. Although they found no evidence of El Dorado, their published accounts were intended to inspire further exploration. [38] There’s a huge range of prices too, from affordable bottles costing under 20 quid right up to exclusive rums that cost hundreds of pounds. What types of rum are there?The gold mine at El Callao (Venezuela), started in 1871, a few miles at south of Orinoco River, was for a time one of the richest in the world, and the goldfields as a whole saw over a million ounces exported between 1860 and 1883. [ citation needed] The immigrants who emigrated to the gold mines of Venezuela were mostly from the British Isles and the British West Indies. [ citation needed] The ceremony took place on the appointment of a new ruler. Before taking office, he spent some time secluded in a cave, without women, forbidden to eat salt, or to go out during daylight. The first journey he had to make was to go to the great lagoon of Guatavita, to make offerings and sacrifices to the demon which they worshipped as their god and lord. During the ceremony which took place at the lagoon, they made a raft of rushes, embellishing and decorating it with the most attractive things they had. They put on it four lighted braziers in which they burned much moque, which is the incense of these natives, and also resin and many other perfumes. The lagoon was large and deep, so that a ship with high sides could sail on it, all loaded with an infinity of men and women dressed in fine plumes, golden plaques and crowns. ... As soon as those on the raft began to burn incense, they also lit braziers on the shore, so that the smoke hid the light of day.

Prior to the time of the Spanish conquest of the Muisca and discovery of Lake Guatavita, a handful of expeditions had set out to explore the lowlands to the east of the Andes in search of gold, cinnamon, precious stones, and anything else of value. During the Klein-Venedig period in Venezuela (1528–1546), agents of the German Welser banking family (which had received a concession from Charles I of Spain) launched repeated expeditions into the interior of the country in search of gold, starting with Ambrosius Ehinger's first expedition in July 1529. [ citation needed] in Spanish) Analysis of maps from 1570 to 1842, showing El Dorado in various locations around South America

Rum with soul

Harris, C. A.; Abraham, John; De Villiers, Jacob (1911). Storm Van's Gravesande: The Rise of British Guiana, Compiled from his Works. Hakluyt Society.

Rum is loosely defined as any spirit made from sugar – either cane juice or molasses (a byproduct of sugar production). In practice, the vast majority is made from molasses, with golden and darker rums aged in oak to develop their unique characteristics. Most rum production happens in the Caribbean and Latin America, but it’s made right across the world – in Scotland, Thailand, USA, New Zealand, India and Mauritius, just to name a few. Does all rum have a similar taste? Rivière, Peter (2006). The Guiana Travels of Robert Schomburgk, 1835–1844: Explorations on behalf of the Royal Geographical Society, 1835–1839. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p.274. ISBN 0904180867.TASTING NOTES. On the nose this rum has spice, lush tropical fruit and hints of honey and dark sugar. On the palate the 12 year old is full bodied with a elegant and dry finish. Even before the conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires and the Muisca Confederation the Spanish collected vague hearsay about these polities and their riches. [9] After the Inca Empire in Peru was conquered by Francisco Pizarro and its riches proved real, new rumours of riches reached the Spanish. [10] El Dorado 15 Year Old Rumis ablended selection of different ‘vintages’ or batches of rums from different stills which is then aged in oak barrels. The base rums come fromthe Enmore and Diamond Coffey Stills, the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still and the Versailles Single Wooden Pot Still. El Dorado rums are statically aged and the youngest rum in the blend is a minimum of 15 years old. Beatriz Pastor; Sergio Callau (2011). Lope de Aguirre y la rebelión de los marañones. Parkstone International. pp.1524–1525. ISBN 978-84-9740-535-5. RESTED FOR 15 YEARS. This rum has been laid down in oak barrels for at least 15 years then artfully blended using the Enmore and Diamond Coffey Stills, the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still and the Versailles Single Wooden Pot Still - for you to savour and enjoy.