The Duchess 2004

This 2004 Martinique is an independent single cask bottled by The Duchess, drawn from Distillerie du Simon and distilled from fresh sugar-cane juice rather than molasses. Fifteen years of maturation in ex-bourbon oak make it an unusually old agricole, bottled unsweetened at full cask strength, a single cask aimed squarely at experienced palates who like their rum raw and uncompromising.

Despite the years in wood the spirit stays bracing and pungent, with a citrus-forward nose carrying orange peel and dried fruit and an intense, alcohol-driven palate where the 61% strength is very much present. The finish leans sulphurous and sharp, and the overall profile reads dry and sour rather than soft. This is a polarising, characterful agricole that wants water and time in the glass, best approached by drinkers who already enjoy a pungent, high-proof style.