Papalin 4 Year Old Reuniuion Island Rhum 700ml, ABV

Aged in Caroni and Mount Gay rum barrels, bourbon casks from Buffalo Trace and even cognac casks. While it does venture blithely outside its natural borders, this rum really emphasises its deeply Haitian character. Evoking in turn a sweet wine, a fruit brandy and a Scottish single malt, Papalin Haiti returns from its longhaul travels, its suitcases filled with flavour and aroma treasures that enrich its palette.

Tasting Notes:

Colour : Burnished gold.

Nose : Full, heady. Like a great sweet wine, the first nose is fruity (pineapple), herbaceous (cut hay) and vanilla. Allowed to breathe, the aroma palette becomes more spicy (pepper, clove) and hot (paprika, Cayenne pepper).

Palate : Concentrated, rich. Its vanilla, floral (tuberose) and praline dimensions take us to a mid-palate that has more than a little in common with the elegant bitterness of a Speyside whisky. After this malty interlude, the end of the palate becomes divinely syrupy (geranium and acacia honeys), finely liquorice and vegetal (pipe tobacco).

Finish : long, rich. The vanilla start of the finish is characterised by notes of rice pudding and flan. The slightly camphoric end of the finish has clearly moved closer to the world of white alcohols (pear, Mirabelle plum).