Saint James Très Vieux Rhum Agricole

Saint James has made rum in Martinique since 1765, and this Tres Vieux is its long aged expression, full AOC rhum agricole from fresh pressed sugarcane juice on a Creole column still and matured twelve years, placing it well into the Hors d'Age tier. Tropical ageing means those twelve Caribbean years carry more oak influence than the same time in a cooler climate.

Bottled at a traditional 43 percent and unsweetened, it leans firmly toward the wood. The nose is grassy, woody and fresh with an agricole lift, the palate turns woody and lightly sweet with plum and a clear agricole core, and the finish runs spicy, woody and menthol tinged with a peppery edge. The barrel sits forward here, sometimes showing a touch of astringency, with a faint smoke and sugarcane underneath. This is a textbook old style Martinique vieux, dry and spice driven, for drinkers who like their aged agricole oak heavy and savoury.