Dugas La Maison du Rhum Île XO

Dugas, a French house, bottled this Ile Maurice XO for its La Maison du Rhum range, sourcing aged rum from Mauritius. Unlike the island's cane-juice agricole, this one is made from molasses, the global rum default, and matured tropically before bottling, putting it in the rounder, fruit-and-spice camp rather than the grassy agricole style.

Released at 42% with sweetening undisclosed, it shows citrus and fruity aromas alongside allspice and caramel, then drinks on tropical fruit, chocolate, leather and warm spice before a woody, allspice-and-dark-chocolate finish. Tasters read it as dry to lightly sweet, more herbal and earthy than sugary, with a body that stays on the lighter side. It makes an approachable, fairly priced introduction to Mauritian molasses rum, comfortable neat after dinner or with a single ice cube for those who enjoy French-style island bottlings.