Saint Aubin Sauternes Cask Finish

A Sauternes cask finish from Saint Aubin, a Mauritian estate working from fresh-pressed sugar-cane juice. Mauritius sits outside the protected agricole appellations, so this is best described as agricole-style: cane-juice spirit, here pot distilled for extra weight, then finished in casks that held the sweet Bordeaux wine to layer dried-fruit richness over the cane.

The wine influence is clear from the first sniff, woody and pastry-like with vanilla, caramel and coconut. The palate follows with caramel and vanilla joined by raisin, and the finish adds a tarry, resinous depth alongside more dried fruit. At 46% it stays light on its feet while keeping plenty of character, and the cask marks the spirit without burying it. Added sugar is not declared; the sweet impression comes largely from the Sauternes barrel. A fruity, spice-touched rum that drinks easily and rewards an unhurried glass.