Les Frères de la Côte La Favorite Ed. 041 Captain’s Choice Matinik 2015

This Captain's Choice bottling is an independent selection by Les Freres de la Cote, drawn from La Favorite, one of the last family distilleries within Fort-de-France, and distilled from fresh sugar-cane juice. The 2015 vintage is bottled unsweetened at cask strength, an aged Martinique agricole pitched as a step up in intensity without tipping into a full bruiser.

Gentle tropical ageing in ex-bourbon oak gives it a mature, dusty character, with a closet-like nose of old cellar and dust over apple, pear and dried fruit. The palate is vibrant and vegetal, carrying tropical and dried fruit with peppery wood spice, before a long, slightly bitter finish. At 51.5% it reads dry and characterful rather than aggressive, a serious aged agricole for drinkers who like the grassy, vegetal side of Martinique with real backbone.