Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish. Rhum Depaz are an Agricole Rhum producer from the French West Indies.

More specifically they hail from the island of Martinique. Rhum Agricole from Martinque can be produced in line with the AOC. The AOC – Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is the French equivalent to EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) is one of the geographical indications defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. The law ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed to be sold as such. The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of the regional foods, eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products. Which may be of inferior quality or differ wildly to the original product.

Rather than re-create more content I would urge you to investigate here for more information on the AOC designation.

Rhum Depaz is produced using solely Blue Sugar Cane. It is noted that Blue Cane has a higher sugar level and is “heralded” for its intense flavour profile. It is noted as being the most expensive and difficult sugar cane to grow. The sugar cane is harvested once a year at the Depaz Plantation and the production of Rhum Depaz from Cane to bottle is undertaken in-house.

Depaz Distillery is situated in the North West of Martinique at the foot of a volcanic mountain – Mount Pelee.

For review today we have Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish. The rhum comes in a stubby bottle with a cork enclosure. Presentation wise as with most aged agricoles its impressively packaged and you get a card box to store your rhum in when you aren’t quaffing it. Retail wise I have seen this rhum selling anywhere from £75 to £85 online. So you would be wise to shop around for this.

Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish has been aged for 8 years in small oak barrels before being transferred to ex Port casks and matured for a further 11 months. It is bottled at 45% ABV.

The nose is interesting. Soft and fruity. A lot of red grape and a touch of bubblegum. Further nosing reveals a quite oaky as opposed to grassy Agricole style of rhum. It is very well balanced. Notes of figs, blackcurrants and cranberry make an appearance.

It is quite a mellow, well balance nose. It is not hugely complex but you can certainly feel the added fruitiness afforded by the second maturation in Port casks. There is a zesty orange peel lurking in the nose as well.

Sipped this is quite an unusual tasting Agricole rhum. The sweeter notes on the nose have faded slightly giving more familiar notes of grassiness but they never overwhelm the more delicate notes of this rhum. The initial sip gives a burst of red currants and peach. There are notes of vanilla and some white chocolate mingling alongside some very nice zesty orange peel – which has carried through from the nose.

The mid palate has a lovely balance of oak and vanilla. It has a blackcurrant crumble feel to it – stewed winter fruits and some really nice buttery notes of biscuit and cream. Some nuttiness as well puts in an appearance.

The finish is quite long – yet mellow with the fruitier Port like notes taking over alongside the orange zest and some nice woody notes. It fades out nicely leaving behind a nice oaky Agricole like flavour. Another sip and you are back the with fruity notes.

This is definitely a rhum which could appeal to more seasoned molasses based rum drinkers. It is not as sweet as Foursquare’s Port Cask (I know someone will ask) the Port Cask finish is a bit more subtle. The balance of the two are similar though. This is a really nice sipper.

I’m very fond of this.