Rum Nook: Assessment 98 – Clairin Sajous (Batch #1)

In late November 2014 I went to my very first rum tasting /
Grasp class.

The host was none apart from Luca Gargano of Velier fame.

That evening we tried 10 totally different Velier merchandise from
Demerara leviathans, to Caroni beast and Rhum Rhum unicorns. After which there was
one thing utterly totally different.

3 Clairins. The Sajous, Casimir and Vaval.

And as time handed it felt like that the Clairins have been what Mr. Gargano was most keen about. He spent nearly your complete allotted time speaking loopy passionately about these unaged wonders fra Haiti.

Haiti might be finest know for its sole business rum
producer: Barbancourt.

Few individuals know that Haiti has greater than 500 small producers
of Clairin as effectively. Clairin is similar to rum, as it’s a distilled from
fermented sugar cane juice.

The top merchandise are sometimes bottled straight from the nonetheless
and solely offered regionally. Typically you’d simply drop by your native micro distillery
and prime off your favorite plastic jug.

Clairin is a completely natural and pure product. No tampering
of any form. Even the yeast may be wild.

And it’s bottled at something from 30% to 60% ABV.

I ended up going dwelling from this marvelous night with only one bottle: The Clairin Sajous. The Sajous appeared like the higher selection on the time just because I preferred it higher than the opposite two.

The Demeraras, Caronis and Rhum Rhums have been all very, superb and at that time I already had a number of in my assortment. However these mystical, unaged creatuers have been those which caught my consideration probably the most on that evening.

So, the Sajous have been bottled at 53,5% ABV and as all Clairins
made on a pot nonetheless. The Sajous is double distilled by distiller Michel Sajous
within the small village of Saint Michel de L’Attalaye in central Haiti. Bottled
straight from the nonetheless, this has by no means recognized a cask.

It’s an all pure, natural, karma fortifying, zero 12 months
outdated ”eau de vie”.

IT is available in a really tall and slender bottle, which is hidden
away inside a equally slender card board field. The field is fantastically adorned
with a portray from a well-known Haitian artist.

Other than the identify and kind of product, nothing is described
on the field.

On the bottle nevertheless, we discover a label holding all related
details about the liquid inside.

And talking in regards to the liquid, we’re coping with a crystal
clear drink. It’s as a lot a white rhum as they arrive.

I haven’t been slapped within the face a lot. However the Sajous did
what it may to tough me up a bit.

Huge, insanely fruity cane juice leapt at me from the
glass together with a scary staff of brine and wax, with an natural edge which I
have by no means encountered earlier than.

It’s fairly clear and not likely that tough to
take aside.

But it surely feels balanced, adventurous, enjoyable and very clear.

It noses like nothing I’ve ever smelled earlier than.

I’m somewhat bit in love with it already, but in addition somewhat
scared how this wild, pure beast will deal with me when unleashed.

It enters with a brilliant funky, heavy profile and seems like
it sticks to your complete mouth in a cut up second.

Nevertheless because the preliminary flavours of cane juice and brine
begins to chill off, you realise that’s doesn’t stick in any respect.

The subsequent wave of flavours include wax, plasticine and
contemporary paint. Not usually very nice flavours, however for some motive they match
in.

Ending all of it off is a layer of contemporary leather-based, inexperienced
asparagus, and salty liquorice.

Tremendous nice regardless of the excessive proof and funky flavours.

Not so long as I’d have anticipated, however nonetheless lengthy sufficient
to maintain me occupied for a couple of minutes.

It exits with a variety of warmth and it doesn’t thoughts taking its
time to dial it down.

The funky fruity cane juice, salty liquorice and leather-based
makes up the rearguard and follows you all the way in which to the bus cease.

And once you’re prepared to depart and the lave flavour has
pale away, your palate is clear sufficient to eat from (!).

Ranking and remaining
ideas

That is nice stuff. Funky, flavourfull, fruity, freaky,
unbelievable, frivolous, feisty and flaming fireball.

I’m tremendous shocked that an unaged white rhum may ship
such and intense and nice expertise. I anticipated one thing tough, unpolished,
discomforting and hostile.

But it surely wasn’t not within the least doable method. It did begin
out by slapping me, however simply to set issues straight from the start. That is
not an informal drink! Oh no sir. Not even shut.

In keeping with Mr. Gargano the Sajous is so pure and so clear,
that irrespective of how a lot you drink of it and the way drunk it will get you, you’ll not
expertise a hangover.

I’m not going to check that idea right this moment. For now, I’ll take
his phrase for it.

As a result of its pungency it’s a little exhausting to like, and even
although I hate the time period, it might be an acquired style for some individuals.  Water does nothing good for it, because it mutes
the flavours with out bringing one other dimension to the spirit.

It lacks finesse, depth and variety to succeed in the highest of
the charts. However what are you truly allowed to count on from an unaged pot
nonetheless drink?

So far as I’m involved, that is my favorite white rum and
rhum to this point.

www.velier.it
http://www.thespiritofhaiti.com/ (sadly solely accessible in italian and french)

Observe

I’m no mixologist, however I can think about that this may be extremely superior
in cocktails as effectively.

Moreover we at the moment are as much as batch 3 so far as I do know, so evidently the Clairins are right here to remain.