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Domain: Longueteau

In the late 19th century, the Marquis de Sainte Marie produced cane and sugar on his estate in Guadeloupe. In 1895, his poor management and the sugar crisis forced him to sell to Louis-Philippe Henry Longueteau, who owned a neighbouring sugar refinery. He replaced the sugar refinery with the Espérance distillery, as it was more profitable to produce rum than sugar. In 1927, his son took over and modernized the distillery, notably replacing the old water wheel with a bagasse-powered steam engine. He bought the Mon Repos distillery in the 1940s and released the first rums in the 1950s, before closing the distillery the following decade. The Mon Repos brand, however, continued to be produced at Espérance. Paul-Henri Longueteau took over the estate in 1968 and was joined by his son François in 1979, who worked in various roles at the property. François took the helm in 2005 and ceased banana production at the estate, which had previously been a major part of the business, instead dedicating all resources to growing blue and red sugar cane, successfully ending several years of financial difficulties. The business remains in the family and François Longueteau has since been joined by his sons Nicolas and François. The distillery also produces the Karukera brand.