Unlike molasses or other sugar-based rums, no additional sweetening agents or coloring can be added to rhum agricole, AOC or otherwise. The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée for Martinique rhum agricole is a standard of production, aging and labeling. Perfect for cocktails. Rhum Agricole style spirits are also produced in other French territories such as Guadeloupe and Mauritius. 42% abv. You should also read our disclaimer page to enjoy sensibly Rhum Agricole. a clean, sweet rum with hints of tropical fruit and fresh grass, delivered at 100 proof, makes an excellent ti punch, a blend of two year old rums with surprisingly rich flavor that makes a great mixer for cocktails and ti punch. A less tropical offering, it tastes of orchard fruits (apple, pear), with cocoa, pepper, and a balanced citrus peel finish. L’experience Rhum JM Dedicated to producing only the finest rhum agricole. So-called New World (in this case, non-European colonial) rhum agricole distilleries range from Panama to Mexico and as far afield as Thailand and Australia. Though it’s been produced since at least the 19th century, rhum agricole is a product that is still fairly new to the U.S., with the first bottlings imported from Martinique about 15 years ago. Rhum is the French spelling of rum, and accordingly, true rhum agricole can only be made almost exclusively in French territories: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion—plus, idiosyncratically, Madeira, a Portuguese island off the coast of Morocco. I think JM is the next best Martinique Rhum Agricole. Trois Rivières VSOP Reserve Speciale Rhum Vieux Agricole. But rhum … On the island, Rhum Agricole is mainly produced, which is obtained by distilling of sugar cane juice. RumXP Award Winner. 40% ABV, $25, La Favorite AmbréThis lightly golden spirit is a blend of rhums aged one to two years in ex-bourbon barrels. Here some ways to begin mixing with the distinctively funky spirit from the … Initial suggestions of sweetness build at mid-palate to brilliant vegetal cane and green pepper notes toward a long dry finish. Le rhum Agricole AOC de Martinique fait partie de ces institutions culturelles liées à la culture créole martiniquaise profonde, depuis les premières plantations de canne à sucre. © Quantum Leap Network, inc. • Robs Rum Guide articles, news and blog are published by Quantum Leap Network, PO Box 144353, Coral Gables, FL 33114-4353, RumXP Award Winner. As such, rhum agricole production is limited to only a few places in the world, where sugar cane grows. Aromas of bitter limousine oak are balanced by slightly sweet cane, delicate creme brûlée with baking spices, subtle dark raisin. Stateside, there’s Hawaii’s Ko Hana; St. George, in Alameda, Calif., tried to make rhum for a while, but the process wasn’t cost-effective. Domaine de l’Acajou was purchased in 1887 at the peak of the sugar crisis. Achetez tous les rhums de Martinique, des rhums d'exceptions, AOC Martinique, Rhum blanc, vieux, millésimés, mono variétal RumXP Award Winner. Trois Rivières Élevé Sous Bois Rhum Ambré. IN 1902, the eruption of Mont Pelee destroyed what was one of the great cities of the Caribbean and killed more than 30,000 people. Rum can be made anywhere in the world, be barrel-aged, and contain additives such as color, flavors, or sugar. In Fort de France, Martinique, a shopkeeper presses sugar cane for its juice. Do note that this list is by no means complete and is growing all the time. Trois Rivières Hors D'Age Triple Millesime 1998, 2000, 2007. Vieux Agricole VSOPThis bottling is meant to appeal to cognac or whiskey drinkers, but there is a distinct je ne sais rhum character to it, too. Martinique has long had the reputation of having the best terroir for sugarcane cultivation, long before Homère Clément had the imaginative idea to press sugarcane to produce Rhum Agricole. A few producers—such as Cardinal Spirits in Indiana, with its Tiki Rum—prefer to use a combination of sugar sources and production methods that come close in their flavor profiles. This is the same protection the French government affords to its provincial wines and cheeses. Martinique has exposure to both the Caribbean Sea as well as the Atlantic Ocean and is home to Mount Pelee, a volcano which greatly impacts the soil on the northern part of the island. Neisson Rhum Agricole BlancA great place to start any rhum journey, with friendly tropical fruitiness, vanilla, and subtle florals. Rum is often said to have no rules. Aromas of grass, cane and sourdough bread before saltwater taffy. If a strawberry and a pear had a baby, you would get a guava. Aromas of wonderful French oak, a hint of pine, subtle black pepper, aromatic cedar, butter, delicate baking spice, a hint of cinnamon, pecan shell. Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal. According to a statement, targeted net sales among the three brands in 2018 were an estimated €24 million ($26.6 million); France is to be the first targeted market. Here’s what you need to know. The grassy notes persist through the balanced finish. Trois Rivières Ans D'Age 12 Rhum Vieux Agricole. A full flavored amber rum presents aromas of rose petal, subtle lavender and sherry wood before hints of cherry, cola nut, chocolate fudge, brandy wood and dried orange peel. Martinique’s rhum agricole is protected by France’s Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system that designates where ingredients come from and how the rhum is made. Trois Rivières Rhum Vieux Agricole Cuvée Du Moulin. Aromas of toasted oak, cognac-like grape, a whiff of whiskey, fruit cake, vanilla, dried fruit spices, caramelized sugar, herbs over oak. On the palate, an initial bitter nut brittle leads to dark roasted coffee briefly in the mid-palate as big wood dominates the long hazelnut dry finish. All Rights Reserved. Rhum agricole is a must for booze-forward staples like the Ti' Punch and at Dirty Dick, Schuder and his team regularly use it to add more complex flavor to standard tropical recipes. Aromas of limousine oak and orange/citrus peel, butter, fresh flowers and cedar. Although Patrick also has a soft spot for the rhums of Guadeloupe. "Gentle and oaky, with deep vegetal quality and long, woody finish, this aged sugarcane-based Rhum Agricole bears more resemblance to Cognac or a single-malt than to aged molasses-based rums." I can’t really say. It is matured a minimum of four years in re-charred ex-Buffalo Trace bourbon oak barrels. As such, rhum agricole production is limited to only a few places in the world, where sugar cane grows. Earlier this summer, the Italian spirits company announced plans to purchase the French company Rhumantilles SAS, which produces three rhum labels in Martinique at La Mauny distillery. But she believes there truly is a rhum out there for every palate and recommends these AOC bottlings in order of funkiness, from easily approachable to the more feral. 42% ABV, $35, Duquesne Rhum BlancThis is another brand that stands to be part of the Campari deal; it is one of the grassier, more farmyard-style offerings out there. Rhum Agricole and Martinique are so much intertwined that a Protected Designation of Origin was granted for Rhum Agricole produced in Martinique, the first ever for an overseas spirit. To complicate things further, not all fresh sugar-cane spirits are considered rhum agricole in the market. Have a confidential tip for our reporters? It may be aged as little as a few months (3 months at least for AOC Martinique Rhum agricole) or up to a few years. In Martinique, AOC labeled cane juice rums are usually distilled to 70% alcohol (140 proof in the U.S.) and then watered down to 40–55% (80–110 proof) when bottled. Slightly sweet buttery toast and fine oak notes remain into the long finish. Martinique, the epicenter for rhum agricole, has a wide variety of microclimates whose varied terroir is clearly expressed through the different rhums on the island. Histoire. If Campari can do to rhum agricole what it did with the Aperol Spritz, you’re about to drink a lot more of this unique style of rum. Therefore, rhum is dependably low in residual sugar, with perhaps only as much as 5 mg per 750-milliter bottle. - San Francisco Chronical "Classic rum with great legs distilled from top quality can juice" - GQ Magazine En ces temps reculés, seul le Lire la suite… Le rhum agricole se distingue du rhum industriel, ou rhum de mélasse (résidu de sucrerie), qui est majoritairement produit dans les régions d'influence anglaise ou espagnole. The palate opens with big bold cane as heat leads to intense white pepper mid-palate. On the palate, a fine balance between delicate and bold, perfect harmony. However, it’s also an extremely popular well rhum, favored for  clean, non-sugary properties, as a main base for drinks such as the classic Ti’ Punch or in tropical cocktails, such as Hurricane variations, that require more than one type of r(h)um. Therefore, rhum must be produced as close to the source as possible, and so maintains a distinct taste of its local agricultural provenance, or terroir, if you will. The Rhum Agricole AOC Martinique Blanc (White Agricultural Rum): 3 months before bottling, the rum must rest in stainless or wooden vats to be “rounded out”. It’s only slightly more herbaceous than the Neisson, with savory, almost umami flavors of mushroom or olive, but with a hint of coconut and citrus. New oak barrels offer aromas of dark oak and toasted walnut as shortbread, burned sugar, butter and dark caramel are balanced by a note of orange peel, and pistachio. Superb cane spirit. Two Tweaks Make It Essential, Rescue Teams Resume Search for Missing Plane in Indonesia, Olive Garden Yanked Into Trump Culture War With CNN Comment, Man in Viking Garb Among Three Charged by U.S. for Riots, California Deaths Hit Record as U.S. Cases Soar: Virus Update, Young American Adults Top $10 Trillion in Assets for First Time. The dry entry on the palate presents big wood over slightly sweet cane, a hint of cacao before buttered toast. You’ll also find it in other French Overseas Territories such as Réunion, off the coast of Madagascar, though precious few of those bottles are yet seen in the U.S. Why? Rhum Martinique "élevé sous bois" : Le rhum est élévé en récipient en bois de chêne dans l’aire de production. RumXP Award Winner. Martinique is known for its excellent rum which is appreciated worldwide. RumXP Award Winner. Think of how Champagne is protected, for example, or Camembert cheese. Rum Journal: Martinique’s Depaz Blue Cane Rhum Agricole. According to the Distilled Spirits Council, sales of super premium rum, which encompasses rhum agricole, went up 28.5% in 2018. freshly-harvested sugar cane dominates the aroma and carries through the body highlighted with liberal citrus, fruit and floral notes with a clean finish, the premium rhum from Neisson, the Réserve Spéciale is a blend of rhums aged up to ten years in French and American oak barrels in the distillery’s aging warehouse. Aromas of warm wood and a eucalyptus notes lead to buttered French toast, caramel and cane, toasted brioche. A surprisingly mild entry reveals a delicate sweetness, with rich sourdough before mid-palate warmth. All rum is produced from sugar, but the majority of the world’s rum is made from sugar-cane molasses or evaporated sugar, processed from cane or beets, all of which travels relatively well and is cheap and easy to procure. With the acquisition of Rhumantilles’s Trois Rivières, La Mauny, and Duquesne pending, Campari wasn’t available for comment. Rhum agricole, as a style, is traditionally associated with the French-speaking islands of the Caribbean, and the best-known rhum agricoles in the world hail from Martinique. AOC) quality designation, like French wine, and is produced under. The effect is indeed a little salty, but with tangy pineapple, mango, and peach notes, as well as some peppery qualities. For rhums, we highly recommend some of Martinique’s finest agricoles including Rhum JM, Rhum Clément, Trois Rivieres, or Rhum HSE. an exquisite blend of 3 vintage years of Clément rhum (1991, 1996, 1999) presented in a bold square bottle, featuring a luxurious blend of flavors that are quite satisfying, a premium white rhum agricole produced by the Homere Clément Estate, established in 1887, using a select variety of pure aromatic Martinique cane crush, this premium spirit follows strict guidelines and laws established by the French government, which certifies its authenticity, intense, fruity aromas of fresh cut cane grass, featuring a palate of pungent spices and hints of vanilla, charred oak and pepper, a classic rhum agricole, the VSOP from Clément is accessible, but reaches for greatness with a blend of aged rums that is satisfying and sophisticated, an exquisite blend of the best 4 vintage years of Clément rhum aged at least 25 years in both French Limousin and American oak; superbly blended for a refined and elegant finish, presented in a tear drop bottle that suggests fine cognac, a vintage blend from 1983, this top rated rhum agricole presents complex chords of rich sensuality, deep earth tones and old barrel flavors with a very long warm finish, an exquisitely full-bodied, sweet and strong agricole twelve year blend at 100 proof drinks like cognac, presents a rich, viscous texture, warm mouth feel and long, simmering finish, distilled from blue cane (one of 12 species from which Martinique rhum agricole can be made) harvested from the Depaz estate; distilled in copper column stills, the fresh clear spirit is aged two years in charred, white oak barrels then bottled at 90 proof for export to the US, a classic agricole-style rhum from Guadeloupe at 42abv abv, aged in new oak as well as 350 liter Cognac barrels opens with big cane grass aromas, burnt sugar, coffee and vanilla, featuring a palate of clove, caramel, pepper, ripe banana, roasted nuts, spices, dried fruits, vanilla and a hint of roasted coffee, with a very long, very warm semi-sweet finish, the fresh smooth aroma is accented by tropical florals, the body is rich in citrus and pear notes followed by citrus and fresh sugar cane juice in the finish, blended from stocks of rhums aged at least three years; aging the heart of the rhum in used American whiskey and bourbon barrels imparts a dark brown color that reflects a deep reddish hue.