Caribbean
When you hear Caribbean, you start dreaming... sea, beach and a drink in your hand ... Our range therefore mainly comprises rums from the Caribbean, from the islands of Barbados, Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the French Antilles.
Martinique
Since 95 per cent of all rums are made from molasses and only a small proportion from sugar cane juice, Martinique, like Guadeloupe and La Réunion, has a special position among rum producers. Rhum Agricole, rum made from sugar cane juice, is produced here: Rum from Martinique is a rhum agricole with a high ester content. Its flavour is floral, fruity and extremely complex, and it bears the prestigious AOC seal of quality. The rum from the Caribbean island of Martinique is characterised by several special features!
- As a French département, Martinique writes rhum with an additional 'H'.
- Rhum Agricole is produced from fresh sugar cane juice, in contrast to molasses rum, which is obtained from the by-product of sugar production.
- Production is subject to strict regulations and quality standards. The process involves pressing the sugar cane into juice, fermentation with natural yeasts and distillation in copper stills.
- The AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) seal of quality guarantees that the rhum is produced according to defined standards.
What does AOC mean?
The AOC certification for rum from Martinique was introduced in 1996 to protect and promote the uniqueness and quality of rhum agricole from this region. This certification is considered one of the strictest in the world of rum.
AOC stands for "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" and is a French certification system that protects and regulates the origin and quality of agricultural products. In the case of rum from the island of Martinique, AOC certification refers to the rhum agricole produced on this Caribbean island.
The most important features of AOC certification for Martinique rhum
Raw material - origin - production process - storage
- The sugar cane used to produce the sugar cane juice for Rhum Agricole must come from freshly harvested sugar cane from the island of Martinique.
- The entire production process, from the sugar cane harvest to the bottling of the rum, must take place in Martinique.
- The production process, from pressing the sugar cane to fermentation with natural yeasts, distillation in copper stills and compliance with a minimum alcohol content of the end product, is subject to fixed regulations.
- The ageing and storage of Martinique Rhum is also regulated. The rum must be matured in oak barrels made on the island for a minimum period of time in order to receive the AOC label
For the consumer, the AOC is a guarantee of consistently high quality. For Martinique, it stands for uniqueness, traditional craftsmanship and terroir.
Maturation and age of the rhums
Although an age is rarely stated on a bottle, there are a number of regulations on this subject:
White Rhum Agricole AOC must be stored in stainless steel barrels for at least 3 months. The purpose of storage is to absorb oxygen and thus homogenise the rhum.
Rhum Paille AOC and Rhum ambré AOC must be stored in oak barrels for at least 1 year.
After three years of storage, a rhum is considered old "vieux" and may be called Rhum Vieux Agricole.
VO - Very Old: aged for at least 3 years in Very Old oak barrels
VSOP - Very Superior Old Pale: aged for at least 4 years in oak barrels
XO - Extra Old: aged for at least 6 years in oak barrels
Rhums aged for even longer have designations such as "Très Vieux" and "Hors d'Age", which must be aged for over 10 years.
Some history
The cultivation of sugar cane is closely linked to European colonisation. As early as the 17th century, European settlers, particularly the French, began to cultivate sugar cane on the island for the production of sugar. As on other Caribbean islands, the cultivation of sugar cane on Martinique was highly dependent on slave labour. A by-product of sugar production was molasses, which was later used for rum production. Rum was produced from molasses for a long time until sugar beet replaced sugar cane for sugar production due to additional taxes, starting in Europe. Where there is no sugar production, there is no molasses! From then on, a different type of rum was created: rhum agricole. This is made from freshly pressed sugar cane juice.
More recently, in 1996, Martinique rum was awarded AOC certification, which regulates the origin and quality of Martinique rum.
To this day, rum is an important economic factor for the island of Martinique!
Rums in Martinique
The well-known rum brands in Martinique include Clément, Depaz, Dillon, Rhum J.M., Neisson, Saint James and Trois-Rivières. All of them are Rhum Agricole, which is distilled on the basis of sugar cane juice. Many are labelled with the AOC seal.
Central America
Rum distilleries have also established themselves on the mainland in Central America. Almost all countries between Mexico in North America and Colombia in South America grow sugar cane and are in the rum business.
As in the Caribbean rum countries, the history of Central and South America goes back to colonial times. It was the Spanish who started rum production in Guatemala. Even after independence in 1821, rum production remained an important industry. Botran and Ron Zacapa are known worldwide.
This small country on the Pacific coast is known for its wonderful beaches and unfortunately also for its crime! The main export is coffee. There has been a single rum distillery since 2014! The Cihuatán distillery is run by a woman.
The tropical location favours both sugar cane cultivation and maturation. Rum is produced from molasses. The Flor de Cana from the distillery of the same name has won a number of awards in recent years.
The fertile land produces excellent quality sugar cane. The flavours range from sweet to spicy. Emphasis is placed on environmentally friendly production and sustainability.
South America
The climatic conditions for the cultivation of sugar cane were favourable and so rum production followed sugar production. Rum in the Spanish and French style became established from the 17th century and found its way to Europe.
Among other things, El Dorado rum is produced here on the only wooden still still still in operation. This wooden distillation plant works in a similar way to a column still. It is produced in the English style.
The rum is made from both molasses and sugar cane juice. The flavour ranges from light to strong. The Dictador from the Destilería Colombiana is well known. In addition to rum, Dictador Ortodoxy Gin, cigars and coffee are also sold here.
Africa
When people talk about African rum, they mean rum from the African islands located in the Indian Ocean in the east of Africa, Mauritius, La Réunion and the Seychelles.
Sugar cane is the main crop grown in Mauritius. The French brought it to the island. This meant that rum production was not far away. The flightless dodo bird is the island's emblem and is also depicted on the famous Lazy Dodo rum from Grays Distillery. Molasses from the company's own sugar cane cultivation and barrels from South Africa make up the rum.
The d'Offay brothers, who share a great passion for rum, founded the Takamaka distillery, Trois Frères Distillery - the only rum distillery in the Seychelles - in 2002. Takamaka is the name of the southern part of the island of Mahé off the East African coast.
The sugar factory with the adjoining Savanna distillery is one of the three rum distilleries on the island. The abundance of spices and fruits, such as vanilla, ginger, lychee and bananas, are good prerequisites for the typical Rhum Arrangé, a drink made from clear rum and these same fruits and spices.
As mentioned at the beginning, rum distilleries can be found in many other countries around the world outside the rum nations. It is produced on the Australian continent, in the Philippines, in India at the Amrut distillery, already known from whisky, and in Spain, as well as on the islands of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands and other countries around the world.
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