La Favorite Millésime 2015 (Brut de Fûts)

La Favorite is one of Martinique's family-run AOC distilleries, and this 2015 Millesime is a brut de fut, bottled straight from cask at full strength. Eight years of tropical ageing put it comfortably above the XO threshold while keeping the cane character front and centre.

Distilled on a creole column from fresh-pressed sugar-cane juice and matured in ex-bourbon oak, it shows the drier, spice-forward side of aged agricole rather than any molasses sweetness. The nose layers sugarcane, wood and a familiar agricole lift with caramel, while the palate brings tropical fruit and caramel over the grassy core. The finish turns to hay, herbs, mint and green notes, the cane still audible under the oak. At 51.9% and unsweetened, it has the structure to reward slow sipping or a robust stirred drink, a well-judged balance of fruit, wood and freshness.