Carrere Montebello Blanc Winch 2014

Montebello is a traditional Guadeloupe agricole made by the Marsolle family at the Carrere distillery in Basse Terre, and this Blanc Winch is a 2014 release. It is pure cane juice rum, distilled from fresh pressed sugarcane juice on a column still under Guadeloupe IGP and bottled unsweetened at 50 percent.

The character here is fresh and direct with a soft twist. The nose offers sugarcane, citrus and lime with a vegetal edge, the palate stays cane forward and earthy with a creamy, buttery roundness and a green, floral lift, and the finish runs vegetal, spicy and peppery. There is a hint of red cane and a custard like richness that gives it a touch of personality beyond the standard blanc. Unsweetened and honest, it is a solid everyday Guadeloupe white, equally good neat for the curious or built into a Ti Punch where its fresh cane snap shines.