Award-winning distributor Emporia Brands is proud to announce that

Chairman’s Reserve of St Lucia will launch several new bottle releases in the UK, including an addition to its core range: Chairman’s Reserve Legacy, plus the opportunity to showcase themselves through new partnerships arranged through the innovative Emporia Brands team.

Chairman’s Legacy is a tribute to Laurie Barnard, the “Chairman” of St. Lucia Distillers whom inspired and created the iconic brand Chairman’s Reserve. His vision to define and reinvent the Saint Lucian rum category was unlike anything the rum category had seen before or has seen since.

While other distilleries were purchasing column stills to increase production, Laurie was investing in eclectic barrel types, small pot stills, a proprietary yeast strain, and sugarcane. He believed that the best rum was not achieved from one barrel, but by blending different components together of different ages, finishes, styles, and base materials.

Chairman’s Legacy showcases the art of blending pot and column still rums. With this, all 4 of our stills (John Dore 1, John Dore 2, Vendome and Coffey) have been used. In addition to traditional molasses based rums, “Legacy” features the addition of our own sugarcane juice distillate from the distillery grounds, a trademark of Laurie since the day he grew sugarcane around the distillery to isolate the signature proprietary yeast Chairman’s Reserve is so famous for.

Tropically aged separately by batch and still type in ex-bourbon barrels, aged between five and eight years before blended at 43% abv (86 proof).

Tasting notes include a mahogany hue in the glass. Pineapple, banana, and vanilla on the nose. Intense grilled tropical fruit and spice on the palate persist throughout a long wonderful finish.

St Lucia Distillers CEO Margaret Monplaisir comments “It has been a pleasure to launch Chairman’s Reserve Legacy and to recognize the work of Laurie Barnard in this way. Chairman’s Reserve Legacy has been designed to stay true to who Laurie Barnard was. It is creative and complex but not over the top. Simple packaging in a price range accessible to all. Laurie Barnard would be well pleased with this rum.”

Chairman’s Reserve Legacy will be launched exclusively with retailer Royal Mile Whiskies over the festive period before general release across the UK in the New Year. With that, ticket-holders from the newly formed The Rum Slingers will be able to enjoy a discount code from Royal Mile Whiskies as part of their inaugural rum subscription featuring St Lucia Distillers.

A new project formed by Glasgow rum bar The Rum Shack, St Lucia Distillers has partnered up to offer a selection of their award-winning brands, featuring Chairman’s Reserve Original, Bounty Spiced and Admiral Rodney HMS Princessa. Alongside the selection of miniatures, rum lovers who purchase the pack not only receive a discount code to redeem against the new Chairman’s Reserve Legacy,

but also exclusively enter the live online tasting with CEO of St Lucia Distillers Margaret Monsplaisir and St Lucia Distillers brand ambassador Dave Marsland for a tutored showcase, Monday 21st December.

To purchase the St Lucia Distillers pack, please visit www.therumslinger.com/get-rum

With the launch of Chairman’s Reserve Legacy through Royal Mile Whiskies, it coincides with the latest cask delivery for the award-winning retailer as they embark on their own journey through the Chairman’s Reserve Master’s Selection.

After releasing two of their own Master’s Selection in 2019, including a partnership with Lucky Liquor Co of Edinburgh, 2020 will see them release 2 brand new selections, including an exclusive to the UK Rum Club. Purchasing Director Arthur Motley found two exceptional sister casks and offered the founders of the UK Rum Club Wes Burgin and Steven James the chance to pick their favourite of the two. They opted for the Chairman’s Reserve 2011 Single Cask #173, distilled using St Lucia Distillers’ hybrid Vendome pot still that results in a combination of tropical fruit, barrel influence and a certain herbal character unique to this still. Members of the UK Rum Club who

registered an interest in this bottling have received an exclusive access code, with the release limited to 248 bottles.

With that, Chairman’s Reserve 2011 Single Cask #198 RMW Exclusive will also be available this December, and if anything shows the unique herbaceous Vendome style with more clarity. Arthur said “We loved the idea of rum fans being able to see just how different two casks could be, even if they were filled on the same day and lay right next door to each other in that Caribbean warehouse”.

For more information on this Royal Mile Whiskies exclusive bottling from the Chairman’s Reserve Master’s Selection, please visit www.royalmilewhiskies.com