Tuesday 24 August 2010

Darboussier: a great name in the History of Guadeloupe Rum

Growing up, my mother told me her story of  Darboussier Factory.


"Coming back from school when the factory was fuming there was that uncomparable smell... caramel... I think... The cane being crushed not only had a smell but a sound... You would see the small train overflowing with the precious cane and the workers sucking on it. Sometimes we would pick the ones that dropped and share it between friends... I was sad when it closed, the neighbourhood changed."


She grew up at "La rue Denfert",  the then notable side of the towm, Pointe a Pitre.

She recalls: "The rest of La Pointe was just canals and yards. From the balcony of this colonial house, I could see everything at the factory, it was amazing..."

These types of stories were the cradle of my youth, growing up on an island of such strong cultural identity reflected in everything that's being produced.

When we decided to launch Carib Gourmet, Rum Darboussier was a must-have. It was a trip down memory lane and exploring the history of this Rum that made the pride of the island.


The Darboussier was established in 1869 as sugar factory. After the sugar crisis in 1902, prolonged by social conflicts, Darboussier was for sale and purchased by a group with metropolitan capital with the participation the Aubert-Raoul Duval family. In 1907 was established new company with the capital 9 million franks. The factory wasd in Rue Raspail. It used to be the heart of Pointe-A-Pitre, along with the naval construction industry, the town lived at the pace of rue Raspail and was a place of great social diversity, mixing workers and middle class houses. The factory was the biggest employer of the island and a lot of hope was placed in the structure.

Nowadays it comes to life in the evening with the prostitute bars and the site has been rehabilited to welcome council lodging.

But the spirit of Darboussier lives forever...


It's all in the flamboyant, rich mixture of very old rums aged in vats of oak with a sweet profile, complex character and warm, smooth, soft finish. On opening the bottle, an exceptional bouquet of aromas fills the air.



Buy it now

Please contact us for more information.

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