Clément VSOP Rhum Agricole

Since I just transitioned out of my job as we get ready to move, I decided it was time for some changes all around and invested in some well-regarded rums to branch out a bit in my aged spirits collection. I've heard good things said about the uniqueness of rhum agricole (rum produced from fresh sugarcane juice, not molasses or other refined cane sugar products), so I figured...why not? I mean, for pete's sake, most top shelf rum costs less than some entry level single malts...and you do get some bang for your buck with this little number. The nose is fruity and a bit roasty, with lots of banana, pineapple, and a bit of lime zest alongside woodiness. It's the palate, though, that sings of the unique character of rhum agricole - while things begin with ripe caramelized banana and grilled pineapple, the mid-palate begins to dry up with woodiness, leading into a delightfully peppery and vegetal finish that very specifically reminds me of watercress. The finish lingers and evolves over time, with the vegetal notes fading away and toasted wood and coffee beans coming in to take over. Really a fine, complex dram well worth the attention of even the most dedicated whiskey snob!

The nose is orange blossom, spiced pear, and mostly cereal notes. Very reminiscent of an orange-forward grain whisky (Irish or blended scotch), perhaps Jameson Crested or Compass Box Hedonism as the first to come to mind. Very inviting. The rhum retains its sharp, tangy, and vegetal agricole character, but the barrel notes really transform things into more complex (and familiar) aromas and flavors. Also, those edges round off considerably with a little time in the glass (20-30 minutes). Gently sweet, then the mouth fills with orange peel. Creamy. Still intensely vegetal:, fresh chili, grappa-esque grape must, kaffir lime, and plenty of brassy metallic notes. Some kinship to molasses-based rum is noticeable, but almost more as if you were tasting the rum only through the saccharine notes of diet cola. Nothing similar to contrast it to, but it is quite intriguing and certainly in no way harsh. Will enjoy exploring this further and I imagine this is a quality representative of the style.

Really an excellent sipping rum. Take note , this is a rhum agricole, or cane juice rum. Nearly all other rums are made from molasses, a by-product (some would say a waste product) of the sugar refining process. This rum comes across much like a fine whiskey or bourbon with a hint of that rummy flavor we associate with traditional rum. You probably could convince many people they were drinking a whiskey finished in a rum cask. I prefer this neat, savoring the vanilla, wood, spice, and slight rummyness. You can mix it with Coke, but it will taste nothing like the typical rum and Coke you are use to, and then the uniqueness of this rum will be lost. I think of this as sugarcane whiskey because it is so different from molasses based rums.

Nose of Banana, caramel, some pear (and other fruit), and fried banana sweetness. Taste isn't ultra smooth and you can taste char from aging barrels; but reasonable smoothness. Besides the char you pick up a lot of oak and a typical level of rum sweetness (aged in both virgin oak and bourbon barrels), a slight "skunkiness" in the after taste that's not over powering, and a subtle banana taste though oak is the predominant flavor and they're definite vegetal notes in the taste. Good, not great.

Sweet, Woody & Fruity This drink is so sweet up front. But there is a woodyness to it next. Underneath it all there is a concord grape fruityness. It finishes with a slight eucalyptus like freshness. This doesn't taste like anything I've ever had, it has the weirdest combination of flavors that I don't even associate with rum or anything else, but I like it.

Nose: Pineapple, papaya, toasted caramel, a really sweet floral character, and (for lack of a better word) fresh cardboard. Palate: Underripe banana, pressed sugarcane, more of that cardboard, and a fair amount of smoky chilis in dark chocolate. Not as sweet as I expected. Pretty different from the other rums of the world besides rhum barbancourt.