Saint James J. Bally Héritage X.O. – Carafe

Saint James is one of the oldest and largest Martinique houses, distilling since 1765 the AOC way from fresh pressed sugar cane juice with no added sugar, here issuing an Heritage XO under the historic J. Bally name on a creole column still that keeps the grassy cane character in the spirit. As an XO it has spent at least six years in oak, and tropical ageing means that maturity shows well beyond its years.

The nose is classically agricole, grass and oak with a dry edge, while the palate turns spicy and peppery with firm tannins and a sherry like note, the finish staying dry and spicy with toffee and vanilla. It drinks as a well balanced, typically Martinican vieux, the grassy core carried into drier, spice forward maturity rather than sweetness. Bottled at 43% and unsweetened, it is a serious, structured aged agricole, best appreciated neat so its dry spice and long finish can unfold, or stirred into an old fashioned style serve.