Bally’‘s history began with the foundation in 1774 of the Lajus Habitation, a sugar refinery in Carbet, Martinique. In 1917, the French engineer Jacques Bally bought the premises and updated the distillery’‘s equipment. It developed international renown under his direction. In 1987, it was moved to Simon, and then to Saint James in 1996. The brand is currently owned by the La Martiniquaise group.

A special edition of Bally distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2017 to celebrate Velier’’s 60th anniversary. Velier was founded in Genoa by Casimir Chaix in 1947. It was originally a small, family-run business specializing in the import and distribution of wine and spirits. Luca Gargano, a former representative for Saint James and serious rum collector and enthusiast, bought the business in 1986 and began bottling whisky first in 1992 and then rum in 1996. Rums selected by Velier are only ever aged in a tropical climate, which explains both their concentration and the high angels’’ share. They are generally bottled at cask strength or just below. The company’’s selections from Diamond’’s vaults as well as the Caroni bottlings and the bottlings from various distilleries in Jamaica, Barbados and other countries have played a key role in rum’’s history and are today some of the most sought-after in the category.