English Harbour

The history of Antigua Distillery was born when, at the end of slavery, the freed slaves evidently no longer intended to work in the sugarcane fields: consequently, the colonists had to find new workers. So it was that they brought in peasants from the island of Madeira, with a contract that stipulated that-as long as they stayed four years working in the fields with paid room and board-they would also have their return journey paid for. But after the first harvest, the workers, exhausted by overwork, asked to be repatriated. However, having no contractual right to do so, they remained on the island, beginning to market rum on their own, and opening small stores. That's how Antigua Distillery was born, run by Portuguese, now led by Antony Bento, with whom we have created a wonderful relationship, going so far as to also distribute English Harbour, named after the famous bay where Admiral Nelson had his British Royal Navy base in the Caribbean.

English Harbour is produced by Antigua Distillery from molasses. For fermentation, Antigua Distillery pays special attention. The fermented 7% alc vol goes through distillation. Antigua Distillery uses a traditional continuous column that, for space requirements, has been separated into three parts, the roof of the distillery being very low. After distillation, a rum with an alcohol content of 95° is obtained. Antigua Distillery produces a single mark, which preserves some of the non-alcoholic substances developed during the fermentation process, but the true complexity of English Harbour will be achieved during the 10 years of aging in 200-liter ex-bourbon barrels in a tropical climate in the Antigua warehouse.