Saint James Brut de colonne – Bio 2021

Saint James has distilled in Martinique since 1765 and is among the largest AOC houses. This Brut de Colonne organic blanc is pressed from fresh sugar cane juice and bottled at an extraordinary full column strength of 73.7%, an unaged white that pushes proof about as far as it goes.

Distilled low on the creole column to preserve every grassy congener, it shows a surprising finesse for the strength. The nose is intensely floral and vegetal with sugarcane, hay, grass and green olive, while the palate stays fresh and grassy with sugarcane and bright citrus zest, intense but composed. The finish runs warm, grassy and vegetal with cane right through. Bottled dry in the AOC tradition, it is a striking example of pure cane juice flavour at maximum intensity, best approached with water for slow sipping, in a Ti Punch, or across an exploratory flight.