Neisson 1997 Fût Unique

Neisson is a small family distillery on Martinique, working since 1931 and long held in high regard among AOC agricole houses. This 1997 Fut Unique was distilled from fresh-pressed sugar cane juice rather than molasses, then matured 15 years to a finished strength of 44.7%, a single-barrel bottling that carries the producer's quietly serious reputation.

The column-still spirit keeps the grassy, vegetal backbone of cane juice but folds it into the deeper register that long oak ageing brings. The aroma runs to caramel, citrus, raisin and a touch of leather, while the palate turns nutty and savoury with chocolate and a licorice edge, closing on caramel, orange peel and warm spice. Unsweetened and dry, it sits firmly in the aged agricole tradition rather than the sweet molasses camp, a contemplative pour for slow sipping.