In 2007, Saint Lucia Distillers suffered a horrific fire, thought to be the work of arsonists. The cellar master was forced to hurriedly find storage for his rum barrels, while the distiller was repaired and rehabilitated. Rather like a squirrel burying its nuts, he forgot where he put some of them. When these'forgotten casks'were eventually found, the rum in them was too old to go into the classic Chairman's Reserve Original. So, they were bottled as a limited released called The Forgotten Casks. Since then, Chairman's Reserve have continued to make this extra-aged rum to mimic that exceptional creation. Crafted using a similar blend to the Chairman's Reserve Original, The Forgotten Casks is matured for an additional three years in ex-Bourbon barrels. The result is incredibly nutty - think honey-rich baklava, praline and chocolate walnut whip - with a Cognac-like smoothness and notes of creamy cocoa-dusted tiramisu, fruitcake, prunes soaked in Armagnac, tobacco, raisins, grilled tropical fruits, vanilla, wood and high esters. Let's hope they forget a few more casks if it means more of this. Attracted by the island's expansive sugar plantations, the Barnard family established their distillery on Saint Lucia in the 1930s. For a long time all was happy on this tropical paradise, surrounded by breath-taking waterfalls, unspoiled rainforest, palm-fringed beaches and the towering Piton Mountains, but sadly the rise of the European sugar beet looked like it would kill off centuries of rum making heritage. The last sugar plantation closed in the 1960s, being replaced with more lucrative bananas. So, the two remaining distilleries on the island - Dennery on the Barnard's plantation and the other in Roseau owned by the Dutch company Geest - joined forces, creating Saint Lucia Distillers. Creating stunning rums under the Chairman's Reserve brand, using molasses sourced from Guyana shipped into the jetty at Roseau Bay, they saved the island's rum culture. With three pot stills and a continuous still, Saint Lucia Distillers are able to make all kinds of rum, but the focus always remains quality over quantity.£7.29 per 100.00ml