Papa Rouyo Papa Rouyo Le Rejeton Blanc 2021

Papa Rouyo is a newer Guadeloupe distillery, and this Le Rejeton Blanc stands out for its method: rather than the usual creole column, it is distilled on a double-retort pot still, the heavy, aromatic configuration more familiar from Jamaica and Barbados. Made from fresh-pressed sugar cane juice rather than molasses, it is agricole in feedstock with a pot-still twist.

The pot still lends extra body and a toasty, earthy edge to the cane. The nose is vegetal and earthy with florals and fresh sugarcane, the palate cane-driven and spicy with a minty lift, and the finish vegetal and peppery with a touch of sweetness. Unaged and bottled at a punchy 56% without added sugar, it has the power and character for Ti' Punch, an interesting departure from the standard column-still blanc for drinkers who like fresh cane with more weight.