Clément Cask Finish Collection (Oloroso)

This Clement Cask Finish Collection release takes the estate's cane juice rum and sets it in oloroso sherry wood, one of the bolder pairings in the range. At just under five years old and a hefty 61.2%, it shows how far Martinique agricole can travel from its grassy starting point.

Distilled from fresh-pressed sugar cane juice on Clement's creole column and finished in oloroso casks, it noses on allspice, chocolate and dark fruit with an underlying sweetness from the wine wood. The palate is chocolatey and spiced with roasted oak, and the finish carries allspice, red fruits and more cocoa. The dry agricole spine keeps the sherry influence in check rather than letting it turn syrupy, though the dosage is unstated so the richness is real. Best approached with a little water, which opens the fruit without taming the considerable power.