Carrere Montebello Vieux 4 Years 2011

Montebello is a traditional agricole distillery on Basse-Terre in Guadeloupe, run by the Marsolle family and working from fresh-pressed sugar-cane juice. This Carrere bottling is a young vieux carrying four years in ex-bourbon oak, distilled on a column still and bottled at 42% under the Guadeloupe IGP rather than the Martinique AOC.

At this young age the rum stays light and direct, the oak still finding its footing against the cane. The nose offers sugar cane, oak and ripe fruit, and the palate follows the same lines with fruit, oak and a clear cane thread running through. It is a gentler, less concentrated pour than its older or higher-proof siblings, the reduction to 42% leaving it easy but somewhat lean. Dry rather than sweet in the agricole manner, it works as a straightforward introduction to aged Guadeloupe cane juice or in a stirred serve.