Asta Morris Bielle Rasta Morris 2006

Bielle is a Marie-Galante agricole distillery working from fresh-pressed sugar-cane juice, and this 13 year old 2006 single cask was selected by the Belgian bottler Asta Morris for its Rasta Morris rum line. Aged in ex-bourbon oak and bottled at 47.9%, it sits under the Guadeloupe IGP rather than the Martinique AOC, a long-matured cane-juice rum drawn from one barrel.

Thirteen years of tropical ageing have built a deep, characterful profile that still announces its agricole roots. The nose opens grassy with rubber, citrus, spice and sugar cane, turning to wood, citrus and honey once rested, then exotic fruit like banana and passion fruit. The palate is oily with oak, licorice and tobacco, and the finish carries oak, spice, fruit and tobacco. Funky, oily and complex of character, dry rather than sweet, this is a serious old Marie-Galante agricole rewarding patient sipping and plenty of air.