By Latrishka Thomas
Antigua Distillery Limited will soon unveil a liquid tribute to 50 years of regional cooperation, dressed in a vibrant new label that screams “Caribbean celebration”.
The distillery is set to release a commemorative English Harbour rum as a toast to Caricom’s Golden Jubilee.
In a creative nod to Caribbean cooperation, rum producers across the region have embarked on a unique initiative. While some have crafted limited edition blends, Antigua Distillery Limited chose to showcase their beloved 5-year-old rum with a distinctive Caricom-inspired label.
Lisa Farara, Executive Manager of Antigua Distillery Limited, explained the decision to create a distinctive label rather than a new blend.
“What we decided to do was really celebrate our 5-year-old which is the core brand for English Harbour and it’s really what people know the best and it’s our most friendly, most approachable style of rum and so we thought that to kind of tag on to that, our success story with the success story of Caricom,” she stated.
The distillery will present cases of this commemorative rum to the local Caricom Secretariat and Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Friday.
Moreover, it will feature at the upcoming Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Grenada on July 2, alongside offerings from 12 other West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Associations (WIRSPA) member distilleries.
It will also grace local supermarket shelves in a few days, at its regular price.
Meanwhile, in addition to the Caricom commemoration, Antigua Distillery Limited has introduced a special blend to mark its own 90th anniversary.
The limited-edition collector’s item, priced at $350, boasts a complex flavour profile, thanks to its maturation in Armagnac, Cognac, and Calvados casks.
Farara describes it as showcasing “notes of raisins, nuts, spices, and vanilla,” reflecting the distillery’s history in blending.
Only 230 cases of this liquid gold will be available in Antigua.
