El Dorado - High Ester Blend 2012 LBI/DHE

Profile: The El Dorado - High Ester Blend 2012 LBI/DHE at a glance

• Limited Edition: Only 240 bottles worldwide
• Premiere Release: First edition of the High Ester Blend series
• Unusual Style: Demerara meets High Ester character
• Traditional Distillery: Produced by Demerara Distillers Limited
• Long Maturation: 11 years of cask aging since distillation in 2012

Portrait: What makes the El Dorado - High Ester Blend 2012 LBI/DHE special

Sometimes things just take a little longer. And by "a little longer" we mean "what feels like an eternity." But then – finally – it arrives: the El Dorado High Ester Blend 2012 LBI/DHE. A rum that not only rewards patience but also shows that even tradition-conscious houses still have surprises up their sleeve.
The El Dorado Rum brand is one of Guyana's flagship brands and is produced by Demerara Distillers Limited. There, along the historically significant Demerara River, rum hasn't simply been produced for centuries – it's nurtured, cherished, and sometimes even kept a little secret.
What's particularly fascinating is that many of the stills used have witnessed more history than some history teachers. And this is precisely where it gets interesting. Because "High Ester" is actually a term more commonly associated with other rum-producing regions. Guyana? Not so much. At least not until now. With this bottling, El Dorado is consciously venturing into uncharted territory – or rather, old territory with a new idea. In this blend, two characters meet that could hardly be more different and complement each other so well precisely because of this.
On the one hand, there's La Bonne Intention (LBI), distilled on a French Savalle column still – elegant, versatile, and steeped in tradition. And then the Diamond High Ester Still, a copper apparatus from the 1950s that sounds as if it has already seen a lot (and that's probably true).
Together they form a duo that demonstrates just how multifaceted rum can be – without ever pushing itself to the forefront. Distilled in 2012, the blend then spent a full 11 years in ex-bourbon barrels. Plenty of time, then, to mature – and perhaps become a little wiser.
And as if that weren't special enough, the bottling is limited to just 240 bottles. That's not a quantity, that's a fleeting moment.

In short: This El Dorado is like a well-kept secret – only this time you can actually share it.

Distilled: 2012
High Ester level: 1,500g/hL AA
Limited Edition: 240 bottles

Tasting Notes: This is how the El Dorado - High Ester Blend 2012 LBI/DHE tastes like

• Nose: Figs and star fruit meet cinnamon and vanilla, complemented by soft aromas of toffee and honey, as well as subtle hints of banana.
• Palate: Orange peel opens the profile, followed by intense spice notes such as cinnamon and clove, along with vanilla, dark chocolate, and lightly burnt caramel. A touch of honey with a spicy note emerges in the finish.
• Finish: Powerful yet elegant, with a dry structure and a long-lasting, subtly spicy finale.