Velier Bielle Rhum Rhum Libération 2015 2009

Another Rhum Rhum Liberation bottled by Velier, the prestigious Genoa house, this draws on Bielle's cane juice on Marie-Galante. A six year aged agricole made from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice and pot still distilled, it is bottled unsweetened at a relaxed 45 percent.

The pot still and reduced proof give a soft, fruit-forward profile: pear, honey and caramel on the nose, with a nutty, rounded palate carrying pear and a peppery edge. The finish brings raisin, oak, tobacco and spice. There is a pastry-like quality through the middle, the smoky oak and light chocolate adding depth without weight. The balance is the draw rather than power, making it an easy, slow-sipping agricole for drinkers who prize roundness and fruit over intensity.