Grays Arcane Delicatissime Grand Gold

Arcane Delicatissime is a cane juice rum from Grays in Mauritius, an island that makes the full spread of rum but cannot use the word agricole, which is reserved for the French departments. Made from fresh pressed sugar cane juice and aged briefly in oak, it is best described as an agricole style rum, though it leans softer and sweeter than the dry, snappy French island benchmark.

Column distilled and lightly aged, it offers a fresh, vegetal and spicy nose of sugarcane and herbs, then a sweeter palate of vanilla, coconut, banana and floral notes lifted by pepper and spice, finishing on banana, coconut and a little caramel. The body is light and the sweetness clear, which makes it an easy, gentle pour at 41%. It is a friendly way to dip into cane juice rum without heavy funk or high strength, equally at home neat or in a long drink, though dedicated cane juice purists may find it on the simple side.