Martinique
Martinique, referred to in Martinican Creole as Matinik or Matnik, is a French island situated in the Caribbean, specifically within the Lesser Antilles archipelago. Its history is characterized by power struggles among European colonial empires, the development of agricultural practices, natural disasters, and a distinctive decolonization approach centered on assimilation into the French Republic. Of volcanic origin, the island enjoys a humid tropical climate. Martinique is also celebrated for its rich literary heritage, with prominent authors such as Joseph Zobel, Aimé Césaire, and Frantz Fanon producing significant works that explore life on the island and the history of slavery. However, how can we discuss Martinique without referencing its renowned rum distilleries, which have significantly shaped its history, current status, and undoubtedly its future reputation? Martinique rum is renowned globally for several reasons: it is one of the few agricultural rums, produced from pure sugar cane juice and distilled, among other methods, using the celebrated Creole column still.
It is also proud to showcase a distinctive AOC, which is quite rare in the realm of rum, although other countries are starting to express interest in it for their own production. Due to its varied topography, Martinique comprises four distinct regions, each characterized by unique climates and soils, resulting in the production of markedly different rums: The northern Caribbean coast features volcanic soil, significantly influenced by Mount Pelée, characterized by rugged terrain and a humid tropical climate. From north to south, one can discover the HBS, J.M., Depaz, and Neisson distilleries. The North Atlantic coast is characterized by significant temperature fluctuations and clay soils. The Saint-James distillery is situated in this region. The central region features moderate rainfall and fertile soils abundant in organic matter, creating ideal conditions for optimal sugarcane cultivation. It hosts the Clément distillery, HSE, Distillerie Simon, A1710, and La Favorite. And finally, the south features a drier climate and red soils abundant in iron and clay. La Mauny and Trois-Rivières are situated in this region.
History 1790: Antoine Leroux-Préville founded the Fonds-Préville Estate and established a sugar factory on the premises. 1845: Jean-Marie Martin, whose initials were inscribed on the rum barrels, acquires the estate and constructs the distillery, marking the inception of the brand! 1914: The Crassous family of Médeuil reacquires the estate to merge it with the Bellevue Plantation. The Method The rum is distilled in accordance with the authentic tradition of Martinique's agricultural rum, a craft that has been handed down through generations, utilizing traditional equipment such as two Creole copper distillation columns. It is aged in new or used American or French oak barrels, varying in size from 55 to 400 liters, which have previously contained bourbon for several years. All bottles are distinguished by their deep, dark hue.
Cuvée Hors d’âge 1845 € 30 Millésime 2004 € 38 VSOP € 16 XO € 18 Cognac Finish € 16 Fumée Volcanique € 16 Terroir Volcanique € 24 Cuvee Canopée € 29 Dame Jeanne N°1 € 70
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