Depaz Cuvée Papao 2020

Depaz distils at the foot of Mont Pelee, where volcanic soil feeds the cane, and Cuvee Papao is its blanc agricole pressed straight from fresh cane juice rather than molasses. Bottled unsweetened at 48% under the Martinique AOC, it sits a touch above a standard white in both spice and presence while keeping the freshness that defines the style.

The creole column distils low to hold onto the grassy, vegetal congeners, and it shows: bright sugarcane and lime up front, a floral nose turning gourmand, then a peppery, anise and licorice edge through a dry finish. The texture is oily and coating, which is what makes it work neat and even better in a ti' punch. Nothing is sweetened here, so the sweetness you notice is the cane itself.