Joseph and Fernand REIMONENQ, 2 pioneers of rum in Guadeloupe. In 1915, Joseph bought the land from Docteur Diavet (a former cocoa and medicinal plantation), and began clearing the land for the sugarcane plantation and building the distillery, which was made of wood.

Joseph REIMONENQ ( 1887-1950 ) worked in the bank, but was also involved in negotiating rum sales to mainland France and in the administration of the distillery. He was Mayor of Sainte Rose and General Councillor between 1920 and 1944.

Fernand REIMONENQ ( 1897-1959 ) was 17 - 18 years old, and worked in the field, planting sugar cane and building the distillery, as well as running the estate.

André BON ( 1886 - 1965 ) joined them as a partner, supplying a steam engine and a mill. A few years later, he sold his shares and moved to Bordeaux, where he traded in sugar and rum.

They pooled their know-how and produced rum during the 1st World War. The rum was casked and shipped to mainland France, where it was obviously used on the battlefields for the soldiers and bottled in France. PRODUCTION: 200 to 360,000 liters per year.

On Fernand's death, his son Léopold REIMONENQ (born in 1933) continued the adventure. However, in 1970, the distillery was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and began producing rum again in 1974. Through his travels, he never ceased to modernize the distillery and innovate in rum-making. In the early days, rum was casked for the personal consumption of the owners, who experimented with ageing.

In 1960, Léopold had a new building built where he installed around a hundred barrels. It was the start of a great adventure in rum ageing. Today, we have 1,500 barrels in which to patiently age our 1998, 1999 and 2000 vintages.

In 1965, he began bottling aged rum in a rectangular bottle engraved RHUM DE LA GUADELOUPE on the side. At the time, REIMONENQ rum was sold under the GRAND CORSAIRE brand. For the past 20 years, we've paid particular attention to showcasing our vintages. One of our finest creations was released to mark the distillery's 100th anniversary: Cuvée QUINTESSENCE 2001.

In 1985, the distillery won its 1st gold medal at the Concours Agricole de Paris. In 1986, it was awarded a gold laurel in Madrid. In 1987, it was in Brussels and New York .... Quality continues to improve, and every year we win medals at the various European competitions in which we take part.