Engenhos do Norte Branca Fire

Engenhos do Norte makes cane-juice rum on the Portuguese island of Madeira, one of the few places outside the French islands permitted to use the term, and Branca is one of its house brands. This Fire bottling is a high-proof white given a Madeira cask influence, a fitting local twist on the style.

Distilled from fresh-pressed sugar-cane juice on a column still and bottled at 60%, it keeps clear agricole character. The nose is fruity and floral with apricot, grass and sugarcane, while the palate stays fruity and intense with grass and a firm cane backbone. The finish brings a bitter edge, black pepper and a soft, smooth close that is unusually easy for the strength. The grassy punch sits alongside bright apricot and lychee fruit, making it a lively, fiery white that works as well in cocktails as it does neat, a characterful pick for fans of high-proof blancs.