Our History

Our story begins through our founder’s lifelong connection to the global sugar industry with specific ties to Panama and Louisiana.

Louisiana Distilleries is the producer of Galvez Rums and Peri’s Persimmon Rum Liqueur. Company founder, George Schaffer possesses over 35 years’ experience working in the sugar industry, both on the factory and agricultural side. He is the son of renowned sugar engineer Francis Schaffer. In the 1970’s, Mr. Francis Schaffer became integral in expanding Panama’s sugar industry constructing several new factories. With sugar being a staple of rum, his engineering expertise was called upon in this sector as well, with Schaffer’s company leading the work on a modernization and expansion of the famous Carta Vieja Rum Distillery. Many of the Panamanians that worked with Mr. Schaffer in Central America went on to work with him around the world, with a number of them eventually settling in Louisiana.

When George Schaffer incorporated Louisiana Distilleries in 2011, his Cuban rum maestro, William Manso, created the recipe that became the foundation of our production today. He used molasses from La Victoria Sugar Mill in Panama—a mill engineered by Schaffer and largely built using Louisiana process equipment—and began producing the distillate that would eventually become Galvez Rum. After the rum was sufficiently aged to William Manso’s nose, taste and feel, it was shipped to Louisiana for additional aging and finishing to complete the exquisite elixirs that can be enjoyed here in the United States. This process continues today through our Silver and Victory Rums, as well as additional offerings for the future.