Cartavio

In 1929, the Cartavio rum plant began operations in Peru's Chicama valley on the Pacific coast, built by the American agribusiness W. R. Grace & Co. on land that had been used for sugarcane cultivation since 1782. This makes Cartavio the country's first and most storied rum brand.

In 1968, the Peruvian government nationalised the operation as part of a land reform, before the Spanish Fierro Group acquired the distillery in 1994. Following extensive modernisation in 2013, Cartavio now exports its rum around the world. With Cartavio XO 18 Year Old, you will find the premium bottling of this Peruvian heritage brand in our selection.

How far back does Cartavio's history really go?

As early as 1782, Domingo Cartavio acquired land in the Chicama valley, which became part of the Cartavio Sugar Company in 1891. Actual rum production, however, only began on 29 April 1929, when the American agribusiness W. R. Grace & Co. built the Cartavio rum plant. This makes Cartavio Peru's first rum brand, still regarded today as one of the country's finest.

How did Cartavio survive Peru's land reform?

In 1968, the Peruvian government nationalised the operation as part of a sweeping land reform, and it was renamed several times over the following decades. It was only in 1994 that the distillery passed into the hands of the Spanish Fierro Group. A fundamental modernisation of the plant followed in 2013, paving the way for international export – since around 2008, Cartavio's higher-end bottlings have also regularly won awards at international tasting competitions.

The most popular bottling at a glance

1. Cartavio XO 18 Year Old
The brand's premium age-statement bottling.
Taste: Complex, with ripe fruit, caramel, and fine oak spice.
Serving suggestion: Neat or over a large ice cube for special occasions.

Facts and figures

Land first acquired: 1782 (Domingo Cartavio). Rum production since: 29 April 1929. Nationalised: 1968. Current owner: Fierro Group (since 1994). Location: Chicama Valley, Peru.