Silver Seal Barbancourt Haitian 2004

Barbancourt is Haiti's most famous house, distilling from fresh-pressed sugar-cane juice in a refined style closer to cognac than to raw village clairin. This single cask was selected by Silver Seal, the collector-respected Italian bottler from Modena known for unsweetened single casks at modest strength, from the 2004 vintage.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak and bottled at 46%, it leads with a sharp, fruity nose of almond, dried apricot and passion fruit, then a palate of fruit, cinnamon and black pepper, closing on fruitcake, dried apricot, spice and chocolate. As a cane-juice rum from Haiti it sits in agricole territory in spirit, while the independent single cask treatment and natural presentation give it the firm, dry character collectors look for in a Barbancourt of this age.