Sampan Rhum Vietnam. I aways like it, when I am reviewing something from a distillery that I haven’t touched upon previously. It makes the “introduction” section so much easier. Today, I am reviewing my first ever r(h)um from Vietnam.

Located right on the seafront, just metres from the beach stands Distillerie d’Indochine. The Owner and Master Distiller Anotine Poircuitte has over 35 years of experience in the field of wine and spirits so the website tells us!.

The sugar cane used to distil Sampan Rhum Vietnam is sourced from within 40km of the seafront distillery. It is delivered within 12 hours of being harvested and is crushed immediately.

The Sugar Cane Juice is then fermented for 3 to 4 days. Distillation takes place in a 11-plate copper column still, at a strength of around 70% ABV. The resulting rhum isn’t bottled immediately. It is rested in steel tanks for between 8 to 12 months.

Labelling of Sampan Rhum Vietnam gives the date of distillation and the bottling date. I am reviewing from a sample, I purchased from The Whisky Exchange. So unfortunately I do not know exactly what batch this is from. I could guess going from their most recent listing but I can’t say for definite its from that batch. If you zoom in the photo you can find out more.

If you have clicked on the link above you will see that a 70cl bottle with an ABV of 43% retails at around the £45 mark here in the UK. A little pricy for unaged white rhum but obviously it has to make its way from Vietnam for starters. Which is never going to be cheap…….

Presentation wise the rhum comes in a 3/4 stubby style bottle. Complete with a nice chunky cork stopper. You also get a nice cardboard presentation box to house the rhum. I like the simple pared back design and the information on the bottle (from what I can see) seems to concentrate on what is in the bottle rather than fairy tales. Another tick in the box for Rhum Sampan Vietnam.

I have tested Rhum Sampan Vietnam for any additives using the Hydrometer and it came up clean. With such production methods in place I would have been extremely surprised (and hugely disappointed) had this not been the case.

So without further ado I think I will crack open my sample and see how this one goes down!

In the glass Rhum Sampan Vietnam is as expected crystal clear. The nose reveals some traditional “agricole” like notes but it isn’t as grassy as you might expect. Whilst the “resting” in steel tanks shouldn’t age the rhum – it certainly seems to have had an influence here. It’s a very dry, very mineral heavy kind of nose. Pebbles from the sea – with a salty briny note but a very definite “stony” note.

It’s very clean and fresh. Hints of sea salt and and freshly cut hay. Mixing nicely alongside a slightly “Parma Violet” like note. Parma Violet are a brand of very “perfumed” sweet  – that personally I detest but in this rhum it seems to work nicely. Adding an extra layer to the overall experience.

It’s not a huge grassy agricole style of cane juice rhum. Maybe a little more clinical but I do lenjoy the nose.

Sipped the rhum is very approachable. Very agreeable with a nice balance. Nice grassy almost fruity notes, mingle very nicely alongside the more floral and “perfumed” notes. It’s not as pungent or as rough as a lot of younger Agricole Rhum. It is more refined overall.

The mid palate becomes quite perfumed and flowery but you still get a nice kick and bite of the unaged rhum. Fruitiness is in place with notes of peach and lychees for a more instense flavour. It has however a little bit clean and clinical and lacks any real funk. Which is a little disappointing.

Finish wise it is a long fade of flavour and it all stays very nicely balanced. It’s not pulling up any trees but its got a lovely balance to it and is clearly a well made product.

As a mixer it delivers nicely in lighter cocktails and makes an decent enough Ti Punch without really quite hitting the heights some other young Agricole can reach,

Sampan Rhum Vietnam is clearly a very well made product and a lot of care has gone into its production. Personally I would like a bit more bite and funk for it to really mix alongside other unaged “Cane Juice” or Agricole style rhums. It’s good but not quite great.