Savanna Intense 2009

Savanna in Reunion is known for making agricole, molasses and intensely funky Grand Arome rum, and this Intense 2009 is a molasses expression aged seven years in ex-bourbon oak that lives up to its name with a clear ester lift. A tropically matured rum bottled at 46%, it shows the distillery's funkier, more aromatic side.

The nose flags the esters at once, raisin and glue alongside citrus and grass, while the palate turns nutty and characterful, walnut and roasted nuts with a floral note and a clear ester thread. The finish is earthy and dry with walnut and a touch of alcohol warmth. This is a rum that leans into funk and nuttiness rather than smooth sweetness, the molasses base and Reunion house style both legible. Bottled at 46% with the dryness intact, it is a savoury, ester-driven aged rum for drinkers who enjoy a little wildness and walnut depth in their glass rather than easy caramel.