English Harbour 5yr Old

The highest peak in Antigua and Barbuda is 402 meters above sea level. It's called 'Boggy Peak', although it was renamed 'Mount Obama' a dozen years ago. How come?

Originally the 'Shekerley Mountains' were covered with tropical forests. In the 17th century they were grubbed up for the cultivation of sugarcane. Slaves from Africa were brought to work on the plantations, no one else could handle it. At that time, landlords spread rumors that outside the plantations the Boogeyman was prowling, a dark creature abducting the souls of disobedient fugitives. In reality, those who managed to reach the hills formed free settlements. Even if the story seems to have more in common with legend than with facts, it's the etymological source of the 'Boogy Peak' name.

The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States generated an exceptional wave of enthusiasm in certain regions. Antiguan Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer was excited as well and renamed the country's highest peak to Mount Obama. The opposition was asking what Obama had done for them. The prime minister argued that this gesture would inspire young generations to realize their own potential. Yes They Can!

Mount Obama's peak name lasted until June 2016, even if the end of Barack's presidency was still a few months away. Was he sad? 😔 However, the Brexit supporters might have been disappointed. After all, they have been told that the Commonwealth will easily replace the ugly EU. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Realm - Antigua and Barbuda - smoothly reverted to the previous name for the orphaned summit and somehow didn't take into consideration members of the British royal family. Local Bogeyman seemed more appropriate.

Antigua Distillery Ltd was established in 1932 as a cooperation of local rum sellers (Portuguese immigrants) who took matters into their own hands; they bought molasses in bulk, distilled it themselves (through a three-column Savalle) and a decade later acquired sugarcane fields along with a sugar factory to gain full control over the production process. Unfortunately in the 1970s, the collapse in sugar prices led to production cessation. The economy changed the vector and opened towards tourism.

The ADL haven't given up and import nowadays molasses from Guyana and the Dominican Republic. Open fermentation takes 24 to 36 hours; baker's yeast interferes with wild yeast. Since 1991, ADL has been distilling from 3-column John Dore's pure copper still modified on site to simulate 5 columns, which provide a 95% strength distillate. Before filling, the barrels are charred and enhanced with a handful of oak chips. English Harbor 5 is placed in bourbon barrels for a period not shorter than five years. Before blending, the rum is gradually diluted; the process takes 4-5 weeks. Before bottling, the producer adds caramel. English Harbor 5 debuted in 1994.