The DILLON distillery, established in Fort-de-France since 1779, produces AOC Martinique agricultural rum. It owes its name to Count Arthur DILLON, who came to Martinique on the road to the United States of America, during the American War of Independence, to supply food there. There he met his future wife, Marie-Laure GIRARDIN. In the dowry is a sugar estate that will take the name of Dillon. The Plantation Dillon, now Distillerie Dillon, was created on the site of an old sugar house dating from 1690. The Dillon Distillery has gone through the centuries and resisted countless weather and cyclones. In 1967, the distillery was acquired by the Bordeaux company BARDINET, which also acquired the DEPAZ distillery in Saint-Pierre in 1991. In 1993, BARDINET was acquired by the LA MARTINIQUAISE group, of which DILLON and DEPAZ became subsidiaries. In 1996, Martinique’s agricultural rums were awarded the “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Martinique” (A.O.C.) which guarantees a high level of quality. In 2006 the companies DILLON and DEPAZ merged and the new unit became known as DISTILLERIE DILLON SAS. Distillation activities are transferred to the DEPAZ site in Saint Pierre.