Distillerie d’Indochine Sampan Cellar Series (Cognac Porto) 2019

Distillerie d'Indochine makes the Sampan range in Vietnam, agricole-style rum from fresh-pressed sugar-cane juice that sits well outside the French islands but follows the cane-juice tradition. This Cellar Series single cask, drawn from the 2019 vintage, has been finished in both cognac and port casks, a wine-driven approach that reshapes a young spirit.

Distilled on a column still and bottled unsweetened at 45%, it shows how heavily the cask work leans on the base rum after only a few years. The nose is fruity and floral with nutmeg, while the palate brings more fruit alongside a vegetal edge, allspice and clear barrel influence. The finish carries vegetal notes, nutmeg and vanilla. The cane origin is somewhat veiled by the cognac and port here, so it plays best as a spice-and-fruit curiosity for drinkers who enjoy a cask-finished agricole-style rum from an unexpected corner.