Depaz Rhum Vieux Millesime 1979

Depaz distils at the foot of Mont Pelee on Martinique, where it has worked since 1917, its rum tied to the volcanic terroir of the mountain. This Vieux Millesime from the 1979 vintage is an aged AOC agricole, pressed from fresh sugar cane juice on a creole column still, matured in ex bourbon oak and bottled unsweetened at 45%.

Given time in the glass it opens fully into a layered, savoury profile: dried fruit, allspice, nougat and oak run through nose and palate alike, with nuts, chocolate and leather adding depth and a thread of orange and cinnamon. The finish stays woody and spiced with a floral lift and a faint dryness. This is the spice forward, dried fruit side of aged agricole rather than anything sweet, a characterful older Depaz that rewards patience and a slow glass.