Le Domaine de Saint Aubin has existed as a Plantation since 1819 and it takes its identify from unique proprietor Pierre de St. Aubin. It’s positioned south of Rivière des Anguilles on the South coast of Mauritius. It’s operation as a sugar rising plantation has continued unabated because it’s inception but Rhum manufacturing got here later. How a lot later I have no idea. The plantations location provides rise to a microclimate whose steadiness of rain and sunshine pairs with the volcanic soil to create very best circumstances for cultivating sugarcane.
The sugarcane, as soon as harvested is straight away transported to the mill the place it’s pressed to extract the juice. The primary press is called ‘fangourin’ regionally and it’s this that’s used to bear fast fermentation. In addition they make use of each batch and steady strategies of distillation.
To be trustworthy, that’s about as a lot info as I can discover concerning the place……so we’ll swiftly transfer onto the liquid within the bottle.
Saint Aubin Historical past Assortment Cuvée Grande Réserve – 40% abv – 3.9 g/l components
To cite the accessible info:
With the “Historical past Assortment” sequence, the distillery of Saint Aubin pays tribute to the historic information that formed Mauritius.
Restricted to 5218 bottles, our Cuvée Grande Réserve commemorates the bicentenary of the conquest of “L’Isle de France” which befell between the twenty ninth November and the 2nd December 1810 within the north of Mauritius.
Just a few months following the Battle of Grand Port, England had gathered an expeditionary drive commanded by Sir John Abercomby. They landed in Cap Malheureux and shortly dominated the French forces of the Governor Decaen which had been low in quantity. Following the Treaty of Paris in 1814, Isle de France was given to England and acquired its identify Ile de Maurice, or Mauritius again.
The rear bottle label states 7 years previous, which might tally with the indicated 2007 Harvest and 2014 launch dates famous on the field. However I’ve learn that there are parts of 10 12 months previous batch distilled Rhum within the mix which in accordance with Lance over at The Lone Caner is 30% batch and 70% steady. Maturation befell in a mix of each ex-bourbon and French oak casks.
Let’s see what this one gives up.
Tasting Notes
Nostril: Upon preliminary pour, the one most outstanding aroma that involves the fore is that of an artificial caramel…..the like of which might be discovered atop an affordable grocery store creme caramel. I’ll be trustworthy, it takes some shaking. So we energy by. An extra of vanilla is damaged by ripe crimson fruits……raspberries, plums and a wealth of hedgerow berries. Pink berry packet microwave porridge with a sprinkling of brown sugar. Smooth crimson liquorice. Walnuts and maple syrup. Spiced caramel. There’s a again finish of moist wooden that also carries that artificial caramel and possibly the merest trace of chocolate milkshake.
Mouth: The phantasm of a strong, oily mouthfeel quickly slides off the sting of the tongue to show a whole transition from the nostril. Artificial caramel that brings disagreeable bitterness. Heaps of crimson berry compote. Dried cranberries. Candy porridge. Maple syrup on buttery pastry. Icing sugar. Caramel spiked with pre-grated nutmeg and cinnamon powder. Heaps of vanilla. The barrel is disappointingly lacking for one thing that has spent a good period of time in French oak and it solely reveals through somewhat spice. The end is of a medium size and brings a few of that crimson liquorice together with a contact of fennel like anise. Caramel bitterness on the demise.
In conclusion: All of it simply feels very muted. Prefer it needs stretch it’s legs. It needs to have somewhat extra energy within the supply. It needs to to reside as much as what we all know that Mauritius can produce. It needs to be reflective of its environment. However it’s sadly certain by the choices made put up course of quite than being outlined by the method itself and it turns a what might’ve been right into a what’s definitely not. Its not notably candy, the additions haven’t been used to try this. It’s boring, muted, artificial and maybe essentially the most terrible factor {that a} Rum might be, bland. The addition of caramel at such ranges that it clearly holds again the olfactory expertise while making its presence recognized through artificial bitterness on the palate coupled with what I’d hazard a guess is a fruit maceration executed with all of the subtlety of a brick to the face had been two of the worst selections made within the creation of this product. I’d even be arduous pressed to determine it as a cane juice product, which is a criminal offense in itself. A lesson to all that even at this stage, we will all be duped into shopping for a poor product and proof additional that label readability is required. Until you take pleasure in boring, muted, straightforward going choices from a number of the massive South American gamers, steer clear. Mauritius can (and may) achieve this significantly better. The stays of the bottle are free to an excellent house.
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