Velier Arawaks Clairin Vaval Cavaillon 2016

Clairin is Haiti's village rum, made from fresh cane juice with wild, spontaneous fermentation and heirloom cane, agricole in spirit even if it cannot use the word. This Arawaks Vaval from the Cavaillon area is bottled by Velier, the most respected name in the field, drawn from the 2016 harvest at a natural 48.8%.

Pot still distillation and that untamed ferment give it a turbo-charged character. The nose bursts with sweet banana, grilled pineapple, mango and papaya over light oily diesel and a whisper of mezcal smoke. The palate stays grassy and fresh with tropical fruit and a touch of raw sugar, before a finish of black pepper, banana and grass. Unsweetened and rustic, this is more about wild personality than refined depth, a vivid neat curiosity that also lifts a bold, characterful cocktail.