Swell de Spirits Le Galion Easy Peasy No. 4 Grand Arôme 2024

This Easy Peasy release comes from Le Galion on Martinique, bottled by the French house Swell de Spirits and built in the Grand Arome idiom: a high ester, long ferment molasses rum rather than a classic cane juice agricole. The name is a wink, because Grand Arome is anything but easy, and at three years and 56.3% it sits squarely in funkier territory than the label suggests. It is full proof and made for drinkers already comfortable with bold rum.

Fermentation drives the character here, throwing off overripe banana, strawberry candy and a wash of tropical fruit before olive brine, smoke and light wood pull it back toward something savoury. The palate runs salty and roasted with candied fruit and burnt sugar on the finish. It works neat for those who chase ester driven intensity, but it really comes alive in a bold cocktail, offering the Savanna sort of funk in a slightly rounder, fruitier package.