Dzama Vidzar 1998

Dzama is a Madagascar producer, and this Vidzar bottling is a 1998 vintage distilled from fresh-pressed sugar cane juice, which makes it agricole-style rather than AOC agricole since it falls outside the French appellation. It is bottled at 45%.

Unlike the grassy Martinique blancs, this aged Madagascan rum leans soft and rounded, with vanilla, caramel and tobacco on the nose, a sweet-edged palate of vanilla, orange peel and caramelised spice, and a finish of oak, coconut and tropical fruit. The added sugar status is not stated, and the profile sits on the sweeter, gentler side, so it is best described as a soft, dessert-leaning style rather than a dry one. The 45% strength is barely felt, making it an easy, long-finishing sipper. An exotic, approachable choice for drinkers curious about cane juice rum from beyond the usual islands.