Rivière du Mât Arrangé – Banane Vanillée

This is a rhum arrange from Riviere du Mat on Reunion, the island tradition of steeping fruit, spices and sweeteners into rum to make a soft, dessert-style infusion. Banana and vanilla lead the recipe, and the result is honest about what it is: a flavoured, sweetened drink rather than a dry aged rum.

Bottled at a low 35%, it is dominated by ripe banana and vanilla on the nose with honey and a syrupy weight, carrying through to banana, caramel and vanilla on a sweet palate. It reads closer to a liqueur than a spirit, and the sweetness is front and centre rather than hidden. Best enjoyed chilled or over ice as an after-dinner pour, this is a gentle, confected treat for those who like their rum sweet and fruity, not a contemplative neat sipper.