These days the hoity-toity elite in France sneak drams of Rums like Angostura Rum 1824 more often than they do Cognac, and who can blame them?

If someone utters the name “Angostura” you will be forgiven if the first thing that you think of is their production of that small bottle of indispensable awesome flavor, Angostura Bitters. This little flask with the oversized label and aromatic character is an ubiquitous ingredient in more cocktails than we can count. But as profitable and prolific as this essential element of cocktail greatness is, there is more to the Angostura Distillery than spice.

You may be surprised to learn that Angostura Distillerys real claim to fame is the industrial-scale production of some of the finest Caribbean Rum in the world. In fact, on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Angostura OWNS the Rum production. Most of their Rums are sold to brand bottlers and blends, but they have quietly started issuing a range of premium Rums under their own, storied nameplate.

You know time was that the Cognac was for the discriminating and Rum was for the working man. Thats just the way it was. But these days the hoity-toity elite in France sneak drams of Rum more often than they do Cognac, and who can blame them? The last few decades have seen a plethora of premium Spirits in the Rum category that are as fine as anything produced in Provenance. Angostura Rum 1824 12 Year is one of those.

Its named 1824 in honor of the founding of the Angostura distillery by Johann Siegart. And when you are naming a Spirit after the bosses bosses bosses, great grand daddy well, lets just say that you take your time and make it right. Angostura Rum 1824 is aged at least 12 years in ex-Bourbon casks, then hand-drawn from the barrel, married by the master blender, and re-casked. Good ol great great great great grand daddy Johann would be proud.