Neisson L‘Esprit de Neisson Bio 2024

Neisson, the small family distillery beloved by agricole drinkers, bottles its L'Esprit as an organic blanc at a formidable 70 percent, distilled from fresh-pressed sugar cane juice on a creole column run low to keep every grassy congener in the spirit. This is the unaged AOC Martinique blanc tier, rested rather than oaked, so the cane speaks without any wood in the way.

The character is pure agricole snap: green olive, fresh-cut grass and a herbal, vegetal lift on the nose, then an oily, peppery palate threaded with anise. The finish stays bracingly green, all grass, citrus and white pepper. At 70 percent and unsweetened it is uncompromising neat, but that strength is the point, built to anchor a Ti Punch where lime and a touch of cane syrup tame the proof and let the herbaceous fire come through. A purist's blanc, dry and electric.