In November 1493, when Christopher Columbus arrived on the coast of Saint-Marie, on this butterfly-shaped virgin land, it was inhabited by Indo-Caribbeans who had named it Karukéra, the “Island of Beautiful Waters”. In the same location as this historic discovery, in the Domaine of Marquisat de Saint-Marie, lies the oldest distillery in operation in Guadeloupe, as well as the Karukera rum distillery. It is at this estate dedicated to sugarcane and rum production that the distillery completes all other steps in production, from maturation to reduction, brewing, and ageing in cognac, sherry and Sauternes casks.

A Karukera 12 year old distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2022 for the Flora Antillarum series, which features three bottlings of rum from Guadeloupe. Velier was founded in Genoa by Casimir Chaix in 1947. It was originally a small, family-run business specializing in the import and distribution of wine and spirits. Luca Gargano, a former representative for Saint James and serious rum collector and enthusiast, bought the business in 1986 and began bottling whisky first in 1992 and then rum in 1996. Rums selected by Velier are only ever aged in a tropical climate, which explains both their concentration and the high angel’’s share. They are generally bottled at cask strength or just below. Its selections from Diamond’’s vaults, the Caroni bottlings and the bottlings from various distilleries in Jamaica, Barbados and other countries are key to rum’’s history and are today some of the most sought-after in the category. A limited edition of 368 bottles.