A Mesccia: the rum that brings the history of the Principality of Monaco back to life

Following on from Mother Mesccia, the project launched under the patronage of the Principality of Monaco takes a new step forward: a blended rum aged 100 per cent in ex-vermouth casks, which reinterprets a centuries-old tradition to the highest quality standards

With Mother Mesccia, Michel Sajous’s Haitian Distillerie Chelo, the Distillerie de Monaco and Velier have brought to light an almost forgotten chapter in the Principality’s history: that of Mesccia, an ancient blend of Caribbean rum and fortified wines which, between the 17th and 18th centuries, had become part of the local culture.

Its origins lie in Monaco’s maritime past, when the port was a hub for trade and Mediterranean shipping routes. Rum from the Caribbean thus came together with European ingredients such as vermouth and Marsala, giving rise to a drink that encapsulates the meeting of different worlds.

This initial revival was recounted in the article dedicated to Mother Mesccia, which traces the journey that led Velier and his partners to transform a lost tradition into a new contemporary distilling project.

Whilst the white rum, distilled between Haiti and Monaco, is ageing in casks within the Principality, that same journey evolves further with the blended rum A Mesccia.

The aim was not to faithfully recreate a 17th-century recipe, but to interpret its spirit through a contemporary sensibility. Today, rum is no longer simply an ingredient to be mixed with other spirits, but a fine spirit capable of expressing its own personality and complexity. This realisation gave rise to the idea that guided the project: rather than adding vermouth to the rum, let the wood tell the story of that historic encounter.

The result is a rum made from a blend of spirits from various countries, evoking the trade that has bustled through the port of Monaco for centuries, and subsequently aged exclusively in casks that had previously contained Italian vermouth.

This is a technical choice, but also a deeply symbolic one, designed to evoke the memory of the original Mesccia without altering the spirit. It is the wood that slowly imparts its aromatic nuances, creating a balance in which the character of the rum remains the star, whilst elegant hints of aromatic herbs, spices and the vinous notes of vermouth emerge.

Behind this project lies, once again, the collaboration between Distillerie de Monaco and Velier, with the support of a number of visionary Monegasque entrepreneurs and Luca Gargano, who has helped bring about a new interpretation of Monegasque tradition. A vision that looks to the past not with nostalgia, but as a source of inspiration to create something authentically contemporary.

Bottled at 49% vol., A Mesccia now represents the second chapter in a project destined to grow over time: a rum that brings together different cultures, regions and production techniques, transforming a chapter in the Principality’s history into a spirit with a strong identity.