Equiano

Named after Olaudah Equiano, a African who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in his teens. An entrepreneurial spirit saw him buy his freedom after reaching the UK, earning money through selling puncheons of rum on the side during his years of captive work. He returned to the seas, writing his autobiography to inspire others to learn, grow and fight for freedom, resulting in him being one of the first published African writers in the UK and US. Considered a visionary and a freedom fighter, the Equiano brand pays homage to his life by creating a blend of African and Caribbean rums, encompassing his life's journey.

The Caribbean element is sourced from the redoubtable Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, considered by many to be the most consistently brilliant rum distillery in the world. The Gray's Distillery in Mauritius provides the African touch - in this case an agricole rum, i.e. that made with fresh sugar cane juice as opposed to molasses. Blending and bottling takes place at Foursquare, but the combination of the two styles results in a distinctive, beautifully drinkable rum.

The 'standard' Equiano release uses agricole rum from Gray's that has been matured for a minimum of 10 years in ex-Cognac casks, before blending with Foursquare molasses rum aged for a minimu of 3 years in ex-Bourbon casks. There's wonderfully deep raisin and butterscotch notes, with hints of banana peel and the charred top of a creme brulee. It's a gorgeous rum that matches the eye-catching bottle - and as an added bonus £2 from every bottle is donated to the Equiano Rum Foundation which passes monies on to ground-level charities in the African and Caribbean regions.