South Pacific 2014 Transcontinental Rum Line

DISTILLERY: SOUTH PACIFIC

AGE: 3 YEAR OLD

La Maison du Whisky, aka LMDW, was founded in 1956 by Georges Benitah and is now one of the largest whisky and rum importers and distributors in France, and known the world over. They opened their first shop in Paris at the legendary 20 Rue d’Anjou in 1968, importing their first Scotch malt whiskies in the 1970s. They are known for their expertise in not only Scotch, but Japanese whisky and rum too, and their collaborative bottlings, as well as their own independent labels like this one, are highly prized.

This is a pure single rum from the South Pacific distillery pot stills, and was 35% aged in continental weather, spending 2 in the tropics and one more in Europe.

The South Pacific distillery is located in Lautoka on the island of Fifi and began production in 1980 in order to reduce their need for imported spirits like whisky and gin. The decision to make rum in addition was logical given the country had an active sugar industry to provide it with molasses. Today it is a subsidiary of the Australian brewer, the Fosters group, who bought the Willowbank distillery in New Zealand from Seagram in 1997, moving its pot stills to South Pacific the same year. In addition, rum is also distilled on a three-column continuous still.