St. Lucia Distillers was recently sold to a French owned company Groupe Bernard Hayot and since their acquisition there have been talk about the future of St. Lucia Rums and which direction they would be steered in under the new management. One of the most interesting changes will be the 1931 range, which will now be sold under the Chairman's range of rums as "Chairman's Reserve 1931." Currently there are 6 editions available of the old 1931 editions, and it is advised rum enthusiasts and collectors should grab them while they last.
The original Admiral Rodney rum will still be available as it is, however it is hinted there will be cask collections as well as an ultra premium rum made available under the Admiral Rodney marquee. Another notable change is the packaging for the Chairman's and 1931 range, intended to be a more premium look. Personally I am glad to see the 1931 has retained it's cork closure and the bottle has a very classy overall look. It should be a nice contrast next to the old 1931 edtions on my rum shelf!
Begin Press Release
St Lucia Distillers, the sole distillery on the island of Saint Lucia and producer of fantastic award winning-rums is excited to reveal improved packaging of their rum brand “Chairman’s Reserve.”
From inception, Chairman’s Reserve solidified itself as one of the best rums in the world. A unique rum blend, Chairman’s Reserve is the essence of everything Saint Lucian. A premium
destination in the Caribbean where the finer things can best be enjoyed; Chairman’s Reserve with its new packaging will embody Saint Lucia in every respect.
To create this new packaging, St. Lucia Distillers acquired the services of an international design agency, highly regarded for their work for prestigious brands such as Grey Goose and Remy Martin. Their task was to give Chairman’s Reserve the premium look that it deserves, without losing its unique identity. The new labels, though clearly upgraded, will still be instantly recognizableby the current Chairman’s Reserve enthusiast community. “Chairman’s Reserve will no longer be understated. The bold new look will say to the world what Chairman’s Reserve drinkers already know – Chairman’s Reserve is the finest rum in the world” says Margaret Monplaisir, Saint Lucia Distillers Managing Director. “The improved look also makes Chairman’s Reserve a more fitting ambassador of all that is Saint Lucian.”
As the brand continues to grow, the goal is for Chairman’s Reserve to be enjoyed all over the world. “We expect the brand’s rejuvenated direction to attract dynamic new distribution partners in priority global markets, which fit the strategy we have for Chairman’s Reserve,” says Matthieu de Lassus, Chairman’s Reserve Export Director. “Chairman’s Reserve will compete more effectively at the international level in the premium rum category, and more broadly against all premium aged spirits.”
With this vision, St. Lucia Distillers will re-release the brand “1931” as a super-premium reserve rum in the Chairman’s Reserve portfolio. Now to be known as “Chairman’s Reserve 1931”, this rare aged rum will round off the new, polished portfolio of Chairman’s Reserve. “Chairman´s Reserve Forgotten Casks” will be available in July 2017 and “Chairman´s Reserve 1931” in September 2017.
