Trinidad 2011

In the 1850s the Angostura Bitters gained a huge success worldwide as the key part for many cocktails. They achieved the award of “Medal of Excellence“ on exhibition in Vienna in 1873 and a gold medal at World Trade Fair in Philadephia in 1876.

The company remains in Angostura until 1875 when the brothers decide to move the business to Trinidad due to civil unrests in Venezuela. The company is called “Dr. J.G.B. Siegert Y Hijos“ and the production continues in a small factory in Port of Spain in Trinidad where they buy their rum from the local distilleries. However, part of the rum is kept for further maturration, then blent, and sold under the Angostura brand.

Angostura becomes the exclusive supplier of “aromatic bitters“ for the Prussian king in 1904 and for the Spanish king in 1907. In 1909 the company changes to a joint-stock company registered in England, and in 1912 becomes the supreme supplier for His Royal Highness, King George V. In 1955, Angostura achieves the prime “Royal Warrant of Appointment“ from Her Majesty, Queen Elisabeth II.

Although the company is blending the rums from the beginning of the 20th century it wasn‘t until the arrival of a chemist Robert Siegert (great-grandson of Johann Siegert) in 1936, a sugar production technologist Albert Clyde Gomez in 1942, and an industrial chemist Thomas Gatcliff in 1944 that Angostura finally settled as a leader in a production of a high quality aged rum on Trinidad. They have built a modern rum distillery in Port of Spain in 1947 and in 1949 they have founded Trinidad Distillers Ltd. (TDL) producing rums only. At first, they sell rums under different labels (like Siegert‘s Bouquet or White Oak). And in 1952, it was Siegert‘s Bouquet that was the very first rum being sold by TDL. 

Already in 1971 TDL becomes the biggest rum exporter in the country and gains the ministerial award “Exporter of the Year“. A few years later in 1985, they achieve (as the first company in the history of the country) the national award “Humming Bird Gold Medal“ for their contribution to the local industry.

The distillery is equipped with three multi-column stills for continuous distillation that can produce up to 8.5 million liters of pure alcohol a year. These stills were installed in 1975, 1985, and 1999 and replaced the original column Savalle still from 1947. Nowadays, the distillery has about 75.000 barrels (mostly ex-bourbon) full of aging rums that are resting in the warehouses. However, it is no secret the company is planning to expand their stock even more during the next years.

In each drop of this unique Single Cask is mirrored incredible craftsmanship and the restless determination of the Siegert family whose humble beginnings at the end of the 19th century set the cornerstone for the company‘s successful rum proudly called “The House of Angostura“.