Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Plantation. Rhum Depaz are a rum brand and distillery from the French speaking island of Martinique. As a result most (but not all) of their rhums follow the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) Martinique.

The AOC is series of rules and regulations which producers much adhere to in order to produce rhum which is then accredited with an AOC certificate. For further information on the AOC please read here.

Further information on Rhum Depaz can also be found on their own very detailed website. Which is a great read.

In keeping with the AOC, Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole is produced from freshly harvested sugar cane juice. The rhum is distilled on a traditional Column Coffey still. Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Plantation is matured for at least 3 years in oak barrels. It is bottled at a very decent 45% ABV.

Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Plantation is quite readily available now in the UK and retails at around £37. This may sound expensive for a 3 year old rum but this is rhum and the production process is more labour intensive and expensive than most molasses based rums. Well that’s the theory anyway…..

Presentation wise I really like the rounded stubby bottles Rhum Depaz use. The labelling is clear and the branding is up to date and gives Rhum Depaz a strong identity. With this being one of their younger less expensive rhums you do not get a card sleeve to store the rhum. A chunky cork stopper is present, however and the bottle presentation is in keep with the older, more expensive expressions.

The only thing to be aware of is that Rhum Depaz (like many Agricole producers) tend to use quite similar presentation and wording on their rhums. So if you are in a store you may get confused, as to which rhum you are buying. Particularly, early on in your Agricole journey. A number have similar names and presentation. So be aware of this as you can easily buy the wrong bottling.

This is the third Rhum Depaz I have reviewed following on from Rhum Depaz Rhum Hors D’Age Agricole XO and the Rhum Depaz Rhum Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish.

In the glass Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole is a very vivid orange/brown spirit. The nose has really nicely defined aromas of sweet sugar cane and mellow vanilla. This is further enhanced by notes of toffee, caramel and some sweet pineapple and mango. I would have put this as being a much older rhum to be honest.

Sipped Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole shows a little more of its relative youth. It’s a very spicy affair on the first sip. Lots of ginger and allspice hit the palate immediately. This quickly subsides into some slightly bitter woody notes and oak spices.

It is not as sweet as the nose suggested but there are still some good blasts of sugar cane and toffee on the mid palate and the finish. The finish is actually the sweetest part of this rhum.

It’s actually quite a complex little sipper and once you get past the first couple of sips it becomes far less spicy and more of the subtle sugar cane notes come to the fore. There are nice flavours of banana, pineapple, mango and a touch of shortbread in the mix.

As a mixer this works nicely in an old fashioned and in a Mai Tai. In a Ti Punch it works very well.

It’s not at all grassy like some younger white agricoles but the extra ABV to 45% really works in its favour. Helping the spicy notes from the oak stand out in a mixed long drink.

A really enjoyable rhum and priced very competitively.