O Reizinho Finish

O Reizinho works on the island of Madeira, one of the few places outside the French islands legally allowed to use the words rhum agricole, distilling from fresh pressed sugar cane juice rather than molasses. This bottling runs the spirit through a pot still and then rests it in casks that once held Madeira wine, a fortified wine finish that leans into the fruitier side of cane juice rather than smoothing it flat.

The nose is fruity and cinnamon led, with sugarcane and a clear thread of honey, while the palate stays grassy, woody and gently sweet, honey again to the fore. It carries the green, slightly raw snap of young agricole, closer in spirit to a cachaca than to a long aged Martinique vieux, and the Madeira finish drapes plum, tobacco and a soft wine note over the cane. Bottled at 45% and left honest, it suits drinkers who like their cane juice fresh and lively rather than oak heavy.