Depaz Dillon Blanc Canne Rouge – Récolte 2019

Depaz distills at the foot of Mont Pelee in Martinique, with a volcanic-terroir story stretching back to 1917, and this Blanc Canne Rouge under the Dillon name is a single-harvest agricole made from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice under the island's AOC. From the 2019 crop, it is unsweetened and bottled at a classic 50 percent.

Column distilled low to keep the green cane character intact, it is markedly fruity and floral, layering fresh sugarcane, citrus and a vegetal lift with white pepper and lime. The palate stays vegetal and bright with a peppery snap, finishing on cane, lime and an earthy, faintly saline note. This is a strong Ti Punch workhorse with the intensity to please serious agricole drinkers, and there is enough fruit and roundness to enjoy it neat after a little air.