Velier, founded in 1947 by Casimiro Chaix in Genoa, Italy, expanded its business in 1953 by founding a small company together with Arturo Lupi, specializing in the import of classic wines and spirits, including champagne and grappa, as well as tea and cocoa. In 1983, Gian Luca Gargano, the marketing director of Spirit SpA, one of Italy's leading importers, joined Velier.
With his involvement, Velier increasingly focused on importing spirits from 1985, primarily for the hospitality sector. In 1988, Velier was the first Italian company to distinguish itself by importing wines from the New World. The step towards selecting and importing casks of old single malts and rums was taken in 1992, which led to the development of the company's own brand in 1995. In 2001, Velier presented a selection of Damoiseau rums for the first time.
The Habitation Velier project, initiated in 2015 through Luca Gargano's collaboration with leading rum distilleries, focuses on the production of pure single rums. Each expression of Habitation Velier represents a unique project with specific characteristics, which is a world first for each distillery involved.
