From Guadaloupe a rhum agricole from Reimonenq distillery, a must to visit in the butterfly shaped island. Today i drink it again…
At first it presents heaven-like shades and it smells solvent like a newly painted boat. There is a great flavouring explosion at the nose revealing the spirit to be generous, intense and rich. It needs time to unvail itself after nine years of warm rest. Around its herbaceous body where artichoke and rhubarb emerge, there are some balsamic notes, especially menthol. A pepper trace combines the scent of shell fruit’s oil. Slowly its heaviest tertiary aromas come out with an intense tropical fruit jam smell like guava, papaia and alcoholic red fruits. If I close my eyes I think about the homemade coffee or herbal spirits.
When you smell it, never expect the delicacy and the balance that a classic agricole has, like the Martinica one. That ‘s because also in this nine years ReimonenQ bottling it has been perfectly followed the distillery and their own products’ style.
Just at the very first sip its taste is full-bodied with herbaceous and salty notes confirming the smell and underlining its unique structure. As soon as the warming taste of alcohol disappears the earthy scent emerges and the soury and spicy characteristics given by the wood’s tannin won’t ever be revolting. Saltiness, pepper, nutmeg, alcoholic and caramelized fruits flavours follow one another up to freshly toasted coffee beans and sour cocoa notes. Even though its taste seems to be vanished from the mouth, the light smoked tone stands firmly in the aftertaste.
In my opinion this is an agricole rhum that gets close to the intensity of my beloved jamaican ones.
The very end of this tasting experience follow us like the embers of a fireplace that won’t extinguish. In this case I don’t think about winter time but what I can see with the eyes of my mind is the caraibic island’s warmth and the steam around the rooms of the ReimonenQ distillery ‘s aging house.
If you like this look the fotogallery too!
A presto lungo #leviedelrum
Marco Graziano
