Dear Editor,
I am commenting on your news story ‘DDL awarded as best Caribbean and American distiller’ (SN, Nov 22). Without endorsing alcohol consumption, I congratulate the distiller on this achievement and wish them higher accolades.
Guyana’s rum is marketed globally and served in several resorts. I see the DDL brand at stores in NY, Toronto, Barbados, Trinidad, Antigua, Tobago and other islands. They sell well even in the US and in Europe. Guyanese themselves in North America and Trinis love the 8, 12, 15 and 21 year olds, saying it “drinks just like the finest scotch.” Non-Guyanese who taste our liquor (both El Dorado and XM) think highly of it. “They drink smooth,” said a gentleman to whom I gave a bottle of each brand last Xmas.
I often give Guyana rum as gifts for the Xmas holiday to my co-workers as well as to friends during my regular travels to international destinations. People who sampled Guyana rum in India, Fiji and Mauritius said they loved it.
I am not a liquor enthusiast and I don’t encourage alcohol consumption. But whenever I travel on flights to or from Guyana or Trinidad, I deliberately request Guyana rum or wine knowing full well the carriers won’t have them on board. I do the same whenever I stay at resorts in the Caribbean. The objective is to promote Guyanese liquor brands even on flights (CAL does not carry Guyana rum). I try to get resorts to stock Guyanese products and I urge others to do the same to boost trade from Guyana. The government should also promote our liquor which gets rare reviews in various publications. Guyanese rum is available at airport duty free shops in several islands including St Martin, Aruba, and Jamaica.
Some time ago, I met in passing the Chairman of DDL Mr Yesu Persaud, and I informed him that I did not see DDL products at resorts I patronized in the Caribbean, including Sandals.
I urged him to push his DDL products throughout the region, especially at inclusive resorts. I am pleased to read over the summer that DDL inked a deal in which its premium and super premium rums are being served at Sandals resorts (SN, Jul 26). On promoting the DDL brand, I faintly recollect seeing the small DDL packet juices being drunk in Grenada and Dominica. I urge DDL to approach Caribbean carriers to consider serving its juices and liquors on flights. A boost in the consumption of juice will encourage our farmers to grow more fruits that produce the juice and the sale of more of our liquor will boost job and GDP growth.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
