Era:  Distilled 2016 / Bottled 2020
ABV:  50.6%
Volume:  70cl

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Velier was founded by Casimir Chaix in Genoa in 1947 as a wine and spirits importer and distributor. By the 1980s they were still a small family-company with less than ten staff. This all changed in 1986 when it was purchased by Luca Gargano, a former brand ambassador for Saint James who was at the time still in his twenties. Under his direction, they selected their first single cask whiskies in 1992, and their first rum in 1996. In the decades that followed, Velier have gone on to become one of the most collectible brands in the industry, and Gargano has positioned them as the one of the foremost authorities and bottlers of rum anywhere in the world.

This is the very first release from Velier of a 4 year aged Clairin spirit. Traditionally this is an unaged spirit produced using sugarcane in Haiti. There are between 500 and 600 micro-distilleries in Haiti that produce Clarin. Vieux Sajous is the result of a blend of 12 barrels that have previously contained Single Malt Whisky or Rum.

The Chelo distillery was built by Michel Sajous in the Saint Michel de l'Attalaye region, just north of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. There he operates a small traditional pot still fitted with a six-plate column still neck. The 1000 litre boiler is direct fired using bagasse, and the spirit is bottled at its still strength of 50-52% ABV.  This is the first release using Cristalline Cane Juice, bottled at cask strength after being aged in Haiti.

La Maison du Whisky & Velier release