El Dorado : Single Still Port Mourant 2009

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Single Still Port Mourant 2009 by El Dorado

Tasting Notes

Appearance

Aged for twelve years in the tropical climate of Guyana, this rum displays a deep amber color with coppery highlights, a testament to its long maturation in oak casks that previously held bourbon.

Nose

The nose opens with indulgent aromas of sweet baked apples, lifted by a touch of vanilla and cinnamon. Notes of flambéed banana and coconut round out the palette, while subtle smoky touches evoke peat. In the background, darker accents of molasses, plum, black tea, wood and liquorice emerge, characteristic of the Port Mourant double pot still signature.

Palate

The attack is robust and full, carried by the same notes of baked apple, vanilla, cinnamon, flambéed banana and coconut, underscored by light smoky nuances. The texture is rich, almost oily, with an initial sweetness that gradually gives way to a drier, more woody character. The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of wood, spice and candied fruit.

Pairings and Tasting Occasions

This rum naturally finds its place at the end of a meal, served as a digestif at a slightly cooled temperature of around 18 to 20°C, in order to preserve the balance between freshness and aromatic expression. Its fruity, spicy generosity pairs well with caramelized apple desserts, pear or apple crumble, banana-based creations such as banoffee pie, or a coconut-chocolate tart. Lovers of spiced pastries may also enjoy it alongside gingerbread or vanilla brioche.

Mixology

While this Single Still can be enjoyed neat to fully appreciate its complexity, its robust structure and woody notes also make it an interesting base for a reimagined Old Fashioned, where Demerara sugar and aromatic bitters highlight its molasses and vanilla accents. It can also be used in a Daiquiri made with aged rum, or in a coffee-based cocktail, where its cocoa and wood notes find a natural echo.

Other Characteristics

This rum is a single still, meaning that it is not a blend and comes exclusively from the distillate produced by the Port Mourant wooden double pot still. Bottled at 40% ABV in a limited edition, it offers an accessible introduction to the world of Demerara rums made in heritage stills.

El Dorado Single Still Port Mourant 2009: the intense, spicy expression of a Guyanese Demerara rum

El Dorado, an essential reference in Guyanese rum

El Dorado is the flagship brand of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), born in 1992 with the launch of the first 15 Years Special Reserve, and drawing on more than three centuries of distilling tradition in Guyana. Produced at the Diamond distillery on the banks of the Demerara River, El Dorado rums stand out for their use of heritage wooden stills, unique in the world, and for a prolonged tropical aging that accelerates maturation and deepens aromatic complexity. Today, the company is chaired by Komal R. Samaroo, Executive Chairman, who oversees an integrated industrial operation combining traditional expertise with modern production tools. El Dorado thus embodies the identity of Guyanese rum, between historical heritage and a constant pursuit of quality.

Single Still Port Mourant 2009: the legacy of the wooden double pot still

The Single Still Port Mourant 2009 Rum is crafted from molasses, fermented and then distilled exclusively in the Port Mourant wooden double pot still, built in 1732 on the estate of the same name, one of the first in the history of rum. Moved to the Uitvlugt estate before being transferred to the Diamond distillery in 2000, this still remains today the only wooden double pot still in operation anywhere in the world, which gives this Single Still a rare heritage dimension.

The resulting distillate was aged for twelve years in oak casks that previously held bourbon, in the tropical climate of Guyana, before being bottled at 40% ABV, in a limited edition, in a 70 cl format. This choice of strength, more moderate than the cask-strength bottlings of the Rare Collection, makes the aromatic signature of this historic still accessible to as many people as possible, while retaining real depth of flavor. The Single Still (Port Mourant wooden still) thus occupies a special place in the El Dorado universe, between the classic rums of the core range and the most refined expressions reserved for seasoned enthusiasts.