Bielle Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 08

Bielle on Marie-Galante is known for cane-variety experiments and high-proof blancs, and this Rumclub Private Selection, bottled by Spirit of Rum, is an 8 year old aged agricole at cask strength 54.1%. Pressed from fresh cane juice rather than molasses, it shows what the distillery does with time in oak.

Matured in ex-bourbon barrels, it opens floral and fruity with vanilla and caramel, then turns woody, spicy and toasted on the palate, with a finish of oak, sugarcane and a clear bourbon influence. What gives it interest is the tension between sweetness and a herbal bitterness, with the grassy agricole core still present under the wood. Bottled unsweetened at full strength, it is a balanced, characterful sipper that drinks above its price, neat or with a splash of water.