A.H. Riise – A Danish badge with Caribbean history
This exclusive rum is the life’s work of one of the most important and enterprising Danes of his time, the pharmacist and councilor Albert Heinrich Riise. The story of A.H. Riise Rum goes back in time and in the distant past, when the former Kingdom of Denmark-Norway was still the colonial owner of today’s US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.
The islands of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix were discovered by none other than Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. The Danes took over the colonial possession of the West Indies Company quite late after several changes of ownership. In 1733 sugar cane cultivation began with the takeover of the island of St. Croix in France – a significant step in rum production. Today, the islands have long been part of the US Virgin Islands, but the success of the rum is unbroken.
The eponym A.H. Originally from the small Danish island of Ærø, Riise relocated to the Caribbean after completing his studies. There he lived from 1838 to 1878 with his wife Henrietta Marie on the island of St. Thomas. Albrecht Heinrich Riise, Master of Science in Pharmacy, was given the privilege of running a pharmacy in Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the Danish West Indies, by royal order, becoming the first pharmacist on the island.
A.H. Riise – an enterprising pharmacist
His diligence and regular trading trips, on which he made useful discoveries, made St. Thomas Pharmacy more and more popular among the inhabitants of the surrounding Caribbean islands. He used his passion for the exotic flora and fauna together with his green thumb for the production of various pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and alcohol. The pharmacist experimented with herbs and rare plants to remedy any disease.
His productivity also brought him into contact with the island’s thriving business. He soon became a supplier to the Danish Navy. AH. Above all, Riises Blended Rum delighted the sailors, as they received a portion of the pay in “liquid currency”.
Successful throughout the world
Over time, A.H. Riise Rums became better known and found their way from the small Caribbean pharmacy all over the world. As early as 1893 the A.H. Riise Rum’s first international award at the Chicago World’s Fair held in honor of Christopher Columbus’s 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. Since then, the outstanding qualities of these characterful Rum variations have been awarded many medals in numerous competitions and exhibitions.
