Saint James Royal Ambre 45%. A pleasant surprise when on holiday in Salou, Spain, was stumbling across a litre bottle of this difficult to find 45% ABV Royal Ambre.
Whilst the Saint James brand is omnipresent in France, it is not so popular in Spain. This particular bottling I had not seen available in the UK for quite some time. Only the 40% ABV version.
I can’t remember how much I paid I think it was around €15. I picked up another bottle of the 40% ABV Royal Ambre on sale at Amazon for £17.99 shortly after. It has long been a review I wanted to update. I really shouldn’t have posted the original review, before I had gotten my head around Agriole Rhum, a little more. I’ve had a fair bit of stick for it. Rightly so, it’s a dreadful review.
Saint James Royal Ambre is for many similar to the likes of Appleton Signature and Mount Gay Eclipse. Solid, inexpensive, readily available (not always the case for the UK with this!) and consistently decent, if not spectacular. Good every day “mixers”.
I’ve noticed, that this 45% ABV version of Royal Ambre notes Eleve Sous Bois on the front label and the 40% ABV release notes Pur Canne. As far as I am aware they the same rhum, just at a differing ABV. The Saint James website now shows Pur Canne on this bottling now, so I must just have an older bottling.
Saint James Royal Ambre 45% ABV is presented in the familiar tall square bar style bottle used for most of Saint James range. It has Saint James 1765 etched on the front. This denotes when the Sugar Distillery at the foot of Mount Pelee in Martinique was born. A bottle of the 40% variant will set you back around £25 in the UK for a 70cl bottle.
The first rums distilled in the habitation of “Trou Vaillant” in Martinique were exported to North America under the name of Saint James Rum in 1765.
Saint James Royal Ambre is aged in ex-bourbon barrels for between 18 and 24 months. Production is in line with the AOC and the rhum is distilled on traditional Coffey Column stills.
In the glass I am presented with a medium brown liquid with a orange/red glow. The nose is a sort of halfway house between a young grassy white unaged Agricole Rhum and an older VSOP. Which in fairness is precisely where this aged agricole should be positioning itself.
It has been aged but for under two years so whilst it is taking some of the influence of the oak on – the time in the barrel hasn’t been enough to “smooth” out the rum to something approaching what many might consider an aged agricole profile.
It’s quite sweet and a little flowery. Very nutty with lots of peanut, walnut and praline bursting out from under the grassier, floral notes. It has a nice layer of gentle spices dialled back ginger and a little hint of cinnamon.
As a sipper it is quite flavourful. Whilst a little rough and ready it makes a half decent stab at it. I’ve paid a lot more for a lot worse. The initial entry is again quite sweet and grassy. The nuttier and oaky notes add a depth to it, which add some complexity. That said it is quite “hot” and a little boozy. The mid palate and finish are very heavy on the oak and ginger. Which goes along with a big hit of sweet grassy alcohol, it’s a reasonable length but it does get a touch bitter towards the end.
It is perhaps in drinks such as Mai Tai’s and Ti Punches where Saint James Royal Ambre works best. It’s reasonably priced. So if you want something with a bit more oak and spice, than a white agricole in your drink this is a pretty good way of acheiving that. You won’t break the bank in doing so.
It’s a versatile and useful Rhum Agricole. It will probably appeal most to cocktail enthusiasts. I would imagine it is a good rhum to have to hand for a bartender. As it is so versatile.
It’s a solid sipper/premium mixer that will be just what is required in certain scenarios.
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