Rums agricoles and others


September 24, 2023

Rums agricoles and others

Today, we are going to try to taste both rums that are strongly influenced by the barrels they were aged in, and rums that are very lightly marked by the wood (or by something else, ahem), even though the latter are rare. And this time, we are not going to start with poor liqueurs disguised as rum.

Karukera 'L'Expression 45' (45%, OB, Guadeloupe, agricole, +/-2021)

Made by Longueteau, aged in French oak and, naturally, made with pure cane juice. I believe it is super young and so probably pretty cask-driven. Colour: pure gold. Nose: rather a lot of glue, which we enjoy, and bags of very ripe bananas, which we enjoy just as much. A lot of cane juice, praline, nougat and toasted oak – I also believe it is French oak. Some cane honey too, caramel with cinnamon, caraway… Well the cane is obvious, while the wood is obvious too. Mouth: rather rich and syrupy at first, then spicy, and frankly fast-oak-driven on the palate. A little too much for me. Clove and cinnamon running the place. Finish: pretty long but on the same spicy and oaky notes. Pine resin in the aftertaste. Comments: they had a 2008 'L'Expression' that I had liked much better. I find this newer one a little too 'boosted', but it's a common ailment among many new spirits that are, let's say, too impatient.
SGP:571 - 78 points.

Perhaps an older agricole…

HSE 2006/2022 'Extra Vieux' (47.8%, OB, Martinique, agricole, cask # FRA1810-1, 1000 bottles)

HSE (Habitation Saint-Etienne) did some bastard 2005s a while back, one finished in Islay malt whisky, the other one in Highland malt. Hate the idea but let's be honest, they had been wonderful especially the 'Islay' (WF 88). This is what is called being in the wrong against oneself, I suppose. This is distilled at Distillerie du Simon (think Clément) and then aged at Saint-Etienne. Colour: full gold with orange hues. Nose: similar at first, that is to say on varnish, wood glue and bourbon, before rather a lot of pineapple and banana liqueurs would spring out, together with a little sesame oil and, above anything else Virginia tobacco. Not extremely complex, but the profile is rather perfect, pretty clean and 'agricole'. Mouth: punchy, varnishy once more, with some peppers upfront, then brown sugar and rather a lot of marmalade, with some kind of cinnamon spread on top of all that. A little burnt caramel playing with the sides of your tongue. Finish: pretty long, with even more burnt caramel, varnish and then heavyish liquorice and nutmeg. It was some spicy oak, probably French. Comments: the cask feels in this one, with all this varnish. But I like it rather a lot.
SGP:562 - 85 points.

Secret Martinique 6 yo (54%, Dram Mor, cask #08, 240 bottles, 2023)

A small bird typical of the French islands whispered in my ear that this young rum from Martinique stems from La Favorite. Colour: white wine. Nose: it is extremely idiosyncratic and exactly what you would expect from an indie bottler, that is to say something that's much closer to the distillate than any official bottling, thanks to some very moderate oak. Some very unusual whiffs of vetiver and elderflowers, a lot of plum spirit, then fennel seeds, juniper, caraway and cologne. Small citrus in the background, perhaps yuzu. With water: chalk, lime and juniper. Mouth (neat): huge notes of gin, genever (same thing), coriander, heavy lime and just seawater. A lot of seawater. With water: a tad rounder. Lavender sweets, woodruff syrup, elderflower liqueur… and gin. Finish: very long, with even more salinity. Comments: never tasted La Favorite au naturel. Very intriguing, unusual, and simply fascinating. Thank you, Dram Mor.
SGP:372 - 86 points.

Speaking about whisky people…

TML 16 yo 2007/2023 (57.1%, Watt Rum, Trinidad, refill barrel)

This baby was aged for 8 years in the tropics, then for 8 years as well in Europe. We knew TDL, but I had never heard of TML, it seems that it is, indeed, a marque from Trinidad Distillers' indeed. Colour: gold. Nose: a little Angostura-y indeed, light, with some hay, popcorn, a little coconut, a little white chocolate, just a touch of vanilla fudge, some straw… Light style. With water: lighter yet. Small grasses, a touch of shoe polish… Mouth (neat): much more action on the palate. Some heavier pina colada with a dash of Saint-Germain (elderflower liqueur). A little lemon yoghurt. I would try this with a lot of ice and clear water. With water: opens up, with various herbs, wormwood, borage flower, alfalfa, sorrel, cress… Good fun. Finish: medium, a little more on lime and other sourer and more acidic elements. Some grassy oakiness, some oranges. Comments: a little tougher after the Favorite, because of the much lighter core, but it sure is one of the better ones within this lighter style.
SGP:451 - 84 points.

Jamaican Rum 16 yo 'JMWP' (55.1%, Watt Rum, Belgium exclusive, 2023)

I think this one is barely out as I haven't seen a picture of the bottle. The broker's marque suggests this is Worthy Park, does it not. Colour: gold. Nose: Jamaican perfection, with first vinyl and tarmac, then brine and seaweed, then dirty rotting fruits and petroleum. Im-pec-cable. With water: more medicinal. Embrocations, propolis, mercurochrome and thyme honey. Mouth (neat): superb smoked and tarred tropical fruits, lemon curd, seawater, tar, liquorice… With water: salted lemon, bits of tyre and rubber bands… Finish: long, salty, petroly, with a little gentian and grapefruit plus just honey in the aftertaste. Comments: not one of the heaviest Jamaicans but it's just got everything. Very fond of this juice.
SGP:463 - 90 points.

Port Mourant 2012/2022 (51%, Barikenn, Guyana, 335 bottes)

Barriken is part of the new wave of French bottlers. This one from the famous double wooden pot still when it was already at Diamond Distillery. Colour: gold. Nose: more petrol, tyres, engine oil and inner tubes, with some stunning smoky cane in the background. Lovely metallic notes too (old tool-box, stove and all that). Not much to add, it's a classic rum. With water: a little softer, on hay and brown liquorice. Mouth (neat): heavy style, very rich, very tarry, full of salted liquorice and overripe bananas, as well as abundant molasses. With water: the salinity further comes out. Finish: long, salty, liquoricy. One strawberry, just for fun (seriously, it's there). Comments: these Port Mourant are always very good, almost without exception. I'll really have to go see these famous stills in Georgetown before they start to dismount them. Not saying they ever will.
SGP:552 – 88 points.

Two last ones, let's first stay in Guyana…

Enmore 33 yo 1988/2022 (48%, The Colours of Rum, Guyana, cask #109, 185 bottles)

From their single wooden pot still this time. Colour: straw, ex-refill, European. I suppose… Nose: it's a pretty subtle one, with many herbs and the liqueurs made thereof, such as verbena and genepy. Lighter tarriness, lighter liquorice, plus some awesome touches of pine liqueur, fir needles, hints of prickly pears, a tiny touch of myrtle, drop of molasses and drop of heavy honey, old rancio, plum wine… a perfect example of a rum that has undoubtedly become much more complex over the many years in a well-mannered cask. Mouth: dazzling, rich and thick, yet not stuffy at all. Everything's absolutely perfect here, the tarry and petroly notes are still obvious, while tropical jams and old sweet wines would bring all the added complexity. I'm certainly thinking about old sweet chenins from the Loire valley. Finish: liquorice, prunes, tar liqueur, green olives, citrons. Everything is to like here, while a feeling of old-school herbal liqueur would prevail in the aftertaste. Also black olives and chocolate, a marvellous combination. Comments: that's the advantage of continental aging; spirits can reach much older ages and thus gain more complexity, without being dominated by the wood.
SGP:562 - 91 points.

Monymusk 24 yo 1998/2022 'MMW' (55.3%, Rest & Be Thankful, American oak barrel, 125 bottles)

MMW means Monymusk Wedderburn. The ester count is pretty low (147.2 g/hlpa) but as we all know, 'the feelings on the palate are absolutely not linear' regarding this matter. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: clean rubber, mown lawn, menthol and aniseed, dill, tiny touch of chlorine… With water: hurray, sardines and anchovies! Mouth (neat): just very good. Apple and lemon juice, salted and smoked. Wonderful zestiness, stunning simplicity. One could cook with this (I mean, add it to the food). With water: wonderful, easy, with some amazing citrus, ashes, anchovies and olives. This, with langoustines! Finish: long, pure. Lemon, salt, olives, ashes, smoked fish. Comments: very clean, straight, in the style of a great Pouilly-Fumé if you see what I mean.
SGP:652 - 90 points.

Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far