Your chance to get your hands on the three Single Still expressions El Dorado have released, in 50ml bottles.
Monday’s have a bad rap in popular culture, from a shaggy haired Irish do-gooder to a fat cat who inexplicably knows what day of the week it is. This week however I was pretty damn happy with my Monday. This week I got to taste the three El Dorado Single Still Rums.
BarLifeUK have a long love affair with El Dorado. We were big fans of their Demerara rums even before we were lucky enough to spend 4 days in Guyana learning all about the country and rums.
So the opportunity to listen to El Dorado’s Master Distiller, Shaun Caleb and Master Blender, Sharon Sue-Hang chatting all things rum and El Dorado whilst sipping on three fancy rums was not to be passed up. If you want to listen to this talk (advanced warning it is a real deep dive, rum geek session and not for those new to the category) then you can head over to the El Dorado Facebook page for a link to the video. If you are lucky enough to win the tasty bottles you will also find a tutored tasting by Sharon at about the hour mark.
Single Still Expressions
For those of you not familiar with the El Dorado Single Still expressions here is the brief run down. The Diamond Distillery, where El Dorado is made, has a collection of stills to make David Bailey blush. In amongst them are three that get rum lovers into a state of excitement that is frankly unseemly.
These three stills are known as the ‘Heritage Stills’, each has a unique story and produces a unique tasting liquid. Guyana has been producing rums for a long time and previously had several distillers operating. These distillers had their own stills but for a number of reasons one by one they closed their doors.
Diamond Distillers stepped in just over 20 years ago and rescued the best stills, therefore preserving their heritage and history. Along with some more modern stills and a hell of a lot of talent and passion El Dorado Rum was born.
There are many, many articles that go into much more depth about El Dorado (Cocktail Wonk who hosted Monday’s talk is a good place to start) but we will just have a quick look to get you excited about entering the giveaway, as if you need any encouragement.
The three Single Still expressions are, unsurprisingly, named after the three ‘Heritage Stills’ the rum comes from, which in turn are named after the distilleries the originated. Each has been laid down for 12 years in oak barrels.
Enmore – Dating from around 1880, is the last remaining wooden Coffey still anywhere in the world. The official El Dorado tasting notes for this one read – ‘Butterscotch nose blended with roasted coconut and apple. An initial taste of baked peach and coconut with a smoky cedar finish. Excellent mouthfeel.’
Versailles – This is a Single Wooden Pot Still built in the 1890’s and gives you a rum with ‘an initial taste of chocolate with a smooth finish and hints of cigar’.
Port Mourant – This is the one that gets people very excited (which explains why it is sold out on Masters Of Malt). Built in 1732 it is the world’s only Double Wooden Pot Still and made mostly from greenheart wood, which gives it a flavour synonymous with British Navy rum. ‘Experience its robust flavours with aromas of sweet baked apples mixed with slight vanilla and cinnamon, flambé banana and coconut with hints of peaty aromas.’
One of you lucky lot will be able to get your hands on the last remaining set of 50ml bottles of each of these fantastic rums thanks to the folk at CASK Liquid Marketing, which would cost you the best part of £300 if you wanted to get hold of the regular sized bottles.
To enter all you have to do is put in your details into the form below before Midnight on June 11th and then we will make the draw and announce the winner. Good luck.