This exclusive rum is created as a tribute to one of the most prominent and entrepreneurial Danes, Pharmacist and State Councillor A.H. Riise, who lived and worked in the former Danish West Indies from 1838 to 1878.
Non Plus Ultra is the new "Ultra Premium" rum that completes our A.H. Riise range. The term "Non Plus Ultra" originates from the Pillars of Hercules, which according to Roman mythology were built near the Strait of Gibraltar and marked the border of the known world. The pillars bore the inscription "Non Plus Ultra" (Lat. Nothing Further Beyond) as a warning to sailors not to continue sailing into the unknown. This rum fully lives up to its name "Non Plus Ultra" which loosely translated means "The Best" or "Nothing Further Beyond" as it is the best and oldest rum we have. Non Plus Ultra is hand-blended by our Master Distiller who personally selects each cask that goes into the finished rum. This rum has a beautiful dark mahogany color, with an elegant spicy bouquet with notes of Molasses, Oak, Tobacco, and Orange. In the taste, Non Plus Ultra is a unique experience, with its very rich, long and fruity taste with notes of Cedar, Vanilla, Caramel, Sherry, and Orange that almost goes on forever, and ends with an elegant soft aftertaste. An absolutely top class rum, of which only 2,000 bottles are bottled a year. History: The first pharmacist on St. Thomas was Cand. Pharm Albert Heinrich Riise, who by Royal Resolution in 1838 was granted the privilege of running a pharmacy in the capital of the Danish West Indies, Charlotte Amalie. A.H. Riise originally came from Ærø where he was born on. September 11, 1810 in Brogade no. 28 in Ærøskøbing, as the son of a merchant who was also a captain (Jens Christian Riise). Vajsenhus Apotek, A.H. Riise left for the West Indies, where he was married on January 27, 1842 in Frederikssted on St. Croix to Heriette Marie Worm.I 40. For 40 years, the two spouses lived a rare happy life and raised 13 children together. The following year, in 1843, A.H. Riise established St. Thomas Pharmacy at Dronningensgade no. 6 in Charlotte Amalie. Riise's first years as a pharmacist were financially lean, but he fought on undaunted and through hard work and several business trips in the following years to North America, including New York, A. H. Riise succeeded in making important contacts with important people.H. Riise managed to establish important contacts with several leading trading houses and to make large purchases of goods for the Pharmacy. Equipped with a large stock of all kinds of goods, especially pharmaceutical products, St. Thomas Pharmacy became known throughout the surrounding Caribbean islands as the place to find anything you might need for any household. Later, A.H. Riise traveled extensively throughout the West Indies. Riise traveled extensively in the West Indies, and gradually visited the neighboring islands all the way down to Trinidad, partly for business and partly to collect in kind. From these travels, A.H. Riise often brought rare plants and herbs to St. Thomas and planted them on his return. Riise had a keen interest in botany and skillfully exploited the exotic plants and fauna of the West Indies to produce pharmaceutical, alcoholic and cosmetic products. Among other things, the well-known Riise's Bay Rum (a kind of scented water / perfume) which was a strong contributor to A.H. Riise's later prosperity. Thus, from A.H. Riise's Pharmacy, rum and bitters from the West Indies were sold and mixed, which were especially used as medicine for stomach ulcers and other inconveniences. A.H. Riise participated eagerly in everything that moved on St. Thomas, especially regarding business life. He was a director of the Bank of St. Thomas and the Marine Asylum as well as the St. Thomas Gas Co. Riise was also a member of the Citizens' Council, which looked after the interests of the municipality, and chairman of the Colonial Council. After a long and eventful life and work in the Danish West Indies, A.H. Riise moved back to Denmark in 1879, having handed over his business on St. Thomas to a son-in-law. Upon his return, A.H. Riise settled in Frederiksberg in Copenhagen, where he took up residence in the imposing villa formerly known as "Alleenlyst", which after Riise's takeover was renamed St. Thomas. The villa was demolished in 1900, and the site is today known as St. Thomas Plads located on Frederiksberg Allé. Albert Heinrich Riise died on October 18, 1882. October 1882 and is laid to rest at Frederiksberg Assistants Cemetery. A.H. Riise was a Knight of the Dannebrog, as well as a bearer of the Swedish Vasa Order.
