In November 1493, when Christopher Columbus arrived on the coast of Saint-Marie, on this butterfly-shaped virgin land, it was inhabited by Indo-Caribbeans who had named it Karukéra, the “Island of Beautiful Waters”. In the same location as this historic discovery, in the Domaine of Marquisat de Saint-Marie, lies the oldest distillery in operation in Guadeloupe, as well as the Karukera rum distillery. It is at this estate dedicated to sugarcane and rum production that the distillery completes all other steps in production, from maturation to reduction, brewing, and ageing in cognac, sherry and Sauternes casks.

A single cask Karukera (#66) distilled in 2008 and bottled at cask strength in 2017, matured in a French oak cask selected by Luca Gargano, head of the Italian importer and bottler Velier, founded in 1947. A limited edition of 299 bottles released to celebrate the company’’s 70th anniversary.