Best Guyanese Alcoholic Beverage Types
Demerara is a rum style that originated in Guyana when the Dutch founded first sugar plantations and after the British introduced distillation. This rum style is often compared to Jamaican rum due to its dark color and fuller body. Most examples of the style are dark brown, smooth, subtly spicy, and intensely flavored, though their final character is influenced by the type of distillation stills and aging.
Large scale production of Demerara rum started in the late 1700s, and by the beginning of the 18th century, there were more than 300 estates that produced rum. Throughout the 20th century, the production dwindled, and in 1999 all the remaining distilleries merged into Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).
VARIATIONS OF Demerara rum
Lemon Hart 151 is a legendary overproof rum produced by the namesake company. This complex Demerara rum is still distilled in Guyana, though the company has Canadian ownership. Lemon Hart 151 is distilled from fermented molasses, and it has a distinctive amber color.
The aromas and flavors include a combination of raw brown sugar, spices, and vanilla. The finish is warm and smooth. This potent rum is best known for its use in some of the classic tiki cocktails, such as Zombie or 151 Swizzle. As evident from its name, the alcohol proof level of this rum is 151 (75.5% ABV).
Lemon Hart (Original 1804) is a premium, Demerara-style rum characterized by its bold flavor, full-body, complexity, and a smooth finish. The drink is produced by the namesake company known as the first rum purveyor for the British Navy.
The brand is currently owned by a Canadian corporation, but the rum is still distilled in Guyana. This amber-colored rum displays complex aromas of brown sugar and spices, while the flavor is reminiscent of dry fruit, caramel, and bittersweet chocolate.
Although it can be sipped on its own, this full-bodied rum is best mixed with cola or used as a cocktail ingredient.
VARIATIONS OF Lemon Hart
Best Guyanese Alcoholic Beverage Producers
AWARDS
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
NYWSC - New York World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023
BEST Blue Run Spirits Inc. Spirits
Best Guyanese Alcoholic Beverages
AWARDS
SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
AWARDS
NYWSC - New York World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023
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