Bologne XO

Bologne XO is a six year old agricole from the Bologne estate on Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, made from fresh sugarcane juice on a column still. Guadeloupe sits under the looser IGP rather than the Martinique AOC, which gives houses room to experiment, and here the standout choice is finishing in cognac casks. That decision pulls the rum toward an oak-driven, brandy-adjacent profile while keeping its cane roots.

The cognac influence shows in roasted wood, honey and vanilla on the nose, opening onto dark chocolate, tropical fruit and gentle spice across the palate. A nutty, licorice-tinged and earthy finish rounds it off. At a gentle 42% it is soft and contemplative rather than fierce, an easy bridge for drinkers who lean toward oak-forward, cognac-style spirits but want to explore what cane juice brings underneath. A relaxed evening sipper.