Poisson Père Labat Très Vieux Rhum Millésime 2018

A vintage 2018 millesime from Poisson, the small Marie-Galante distillery behind the reputed Pere Labat label. Marie-Galante sits under Guadeloupe's IGP rather than the Martinique AOC, so its age tiers are not protected, but this is genuine fresh-pressed cane-juice rum aged three years in ex-bourbon oak and bottled at 45%.

The spirit is column distilled in the island style, keeping plenty of fruity, vegetal cane character that the short tropical ageing has only lightly tempered. The nose is immediately fruity and vegetal, full of mirabelle plum, banana and pineapple. The palate brings a real dose of umami and licorice alongside tropical fruit and a green-pepper bite, and the finish stays herbal, fruity and grassy with sugar cane. Young and a touch nutty, with high-quality cane juice underneath that a few more years could have rounded further. Added sugar is not declared; it reads dry and savoury, a characterful young agricole.