Rum Nation Blanc 2015

This Blanc is Rum Nation's Guadeloupe agricole, a 2015 bottling of cane juice rum at 50%. Pressed from fresh cane rather than molasses, it offers genuine agricole character in an accessible, everyday package, a useful stepping stone for drinkers moving on from neutral white rum.

Distilled to keep the grassy, vegetal congeners, it shows a fresh, agricole nose with green olive and a faintly alkaline note, a palate of sugarcane, freshness and olive, then a dry, green, grassy finish with a touch of mint. Lively and a little maritime, with the saline, herbaceous snap the style is known for. It works neat for the curious but really comes into its own in cocktails, where its freshness makes a surprisingly round, drinkable Daiquiri at 50%.