<\/p>\n
Why does a rum from Trinidad & Tobago develop this aromatic profile? Let’s go from the bottle to the cane to find out.<\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"Rhum](\"https:\/\/www.rhumfestparis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/trinidad.jpg\" "\\"Rhum")
<\/p>\n
You continue your peregrinations on the rum trail,<\/strong> always in search of knowledge and understanding. It’s not always easy to see clearly in this universe, but fortunately you have your personal adviser (well, he looks after a few other people too): your specialist wine merchant.<\/strong><\/p>\nAnd today, you’ve got an idea in mind: to find out more about traditional English rums<\/strong>, with Trinidad and Tobago<\/strong> as your next stop. This choice seems to please your dealer in good things, who is instantly enthusiastic and explains that it’s very difficult to find a rum of this origin that would show all its facets.<\/p>\nHe tells you about official bottlings, raw casks<\/strong>, independent bottlers and a defunct distillery.<\/strong><\/p>\nAt the end of all this gibberish, he recommends a bottle, adding that he could have sold you five and that it would still have been complicated to find common points between them all.<\/p>\n
Now you’re well on your way…<\/p>\n
So, once you’ve returned home and completed your preparatory ritual, you’re ready to discover this new eau-de-vie de canne.<\/strong><\/p>\nYou immediately recognize its dual nature. The fruit<\/strong>, which comes in a variety of forms (dried, exotic and even blackcurrant-like berries<\/strong>), is softened by vanilla<\/strong>, while a second, darker<\/strong> thread lurks in the background.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
It’s often this second face that makes a Trinidad rum so distinctive: roasted, burnt, smoky and even tarry notes.<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Your growing experience points you in the direction of molasses<\/strong> as a raw material<\/strong> – nothing here suggests cane juice. Good, you’re learning. There’s a relative heaviness, a thickness to this rum that reminds you of other British-style rums<\/strong>; it is, however, endowed with an undeniable identity of its own.<\/p>\nIt also seems to you that the casks<\/strong> used must be very heavily toasted<\/strong>, which would explain (at least in part) the roasted, even burnt aromas. Once again, more than likely, well done!<\/p>\nFermentation and distillation, on the other hand, are less straightforward, and you come up with a combination of a column and an iron still.<\/strong> This time you get it wrong, but to be honest, it wasn’t easy. Let’s see what it’s all about.<\/p>\nThere is only one distillery in Trinidad: Trinidad Distillers Limited (TDL)<\/strong>. Until the early 2000s, there was a second distillery, which has since closed – more on that later.<\/p>\nTDL has two distillation units, one single column and one multiple column<\/strong>. Traditionally, the large single column is used to produce a relatively heavy distillate<\/strong>, while the quintuple column is used to run lighter rums<\/strong> (meaning higher in alcohol and less concentrated in aroma).<\/p>\nA large proportion of rums are produced by blending these two distillates<\/strong> (so you’re not entirely wrong).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Like many enthusiasts, you have the idea that rums distilled on a column still are necessarily less expressive than those distilled on an iron still. This is not the case.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/strong><\/p>\nThe counter-example that jumps out at the neurons (and nostrils) is that of the Creole column<\/strong> used in the French West Indies<\/strong>, whose product is highly aromatic (otherwise, what would be the point of ti-punch?!).<\/p>\nBut column distillation<\/strong> doesn’t necessarily mean vodka-like, insipid rum. The degree of pouring need not exceed 90%<\/strong> (for example, the AOC Martinique limits it to 75%).<\/p>\nIt is also possible to “spike”<\/strong> at an intermediate level<\/strong> of the column to recover a distillate with a lower alcohol percentage and higher aromatic concentration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Distillation is the crucial stage in shaping the aromatic profile of Trinidad rums.<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Fermentation<\/strong> is also an important part of the process. Relatively short<\/strong>, lasting no more than 48 hours in most cases (in exceptional cases, up to 72 hours for certain rums), it is carried out using different strains of yeast<\/strong>, depending on the desired result.<\/p>\nBut all this doesn’t explain that bituminous facet<\/strong> that titillated your nostrils. To try and explain it, I have to talk about the second distillery present on the island until the beginning of the 21st century.<\/p>\nThe name alone is enough to give goose bumps to enlightened amateurs<\/strong>, collectors<\/strong> and (unfortunately) speculators alike. Caroni.<\/strong><\/p>\nI won’t bore you with its history (about which you can find plenty of sources online). Just know that Caroni<\/strong> rums are characterized by aromas of hydrocarbons, rubber and tar.<\/strong><\/p>\nFortunately, these are regularly combined with exotic fruits<\/strong> and vanilla<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n
It’s impossible to know for sure the origin of this unique profile, although several theories exist (failed distillation, the presence of tires in the cellars, the existence of a natural tar deposit on the island which could have transmitted its taste to the water used to produce the rum…).<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
But how did these aromas reach a large proportion of the rums from the other distillery: Trinidad Distillers Limited<\/strong>? If the theory about the natural presence of asphalt is correct, then the same reason could have influenced these rums as much as the Caroni.<\/p>\nPersonally, I’m leaning more towards another explanation. TDL<\/strong> would have recovered and stored Caroni barrels<\/strong> (or vats) and used it as a bonnifier (flavor enhancer) in their production.<\/p>\nPerhaps this secret is known to a few people, who will spill the (rubber) beans in time, but until then, the mystery remains.<\/p>\n
So, after this tasting and a few explanations, you’ll be better equipped to understand and appreciate Trinidad rums.<\/strong><\/p>\nHowever, you’ll need to taste many more to fully appreciate this style<\/strong>, if that’s even possible. So arm yourself with patience and your tasting glass.<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rum from Trinidad and Tobago, get to the bottom of the bottle Why does a rum from Trinidad & Tobago develop this aromatic profile? Let’s go from the bottle […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12791,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
Il est temps de rendre visite \u00e0 votre boutique pr\u00e9f\u00e9r\u00e9e. Il y a tout un pan d\u2019\u00e9tag\u00e8re sur lequel vous ne vous \u00e9tiez jamais attard\u00e9, o\u00f9 sont assorties des bouteilles aux noms bien connus, surtout lorsque l\u2019on appr\u00e9cie les punchs planteurs ou les ti-punchs. Mais vous vous rendez compte qu\u2019il y a aussi \u00e9norm\u00e9ment de rhums vieux.<\/p>\r\n
Votre caviste, pas avare d\u2019informations et de bons conseils, vous encourage \u00e0 repartir avec, ce qu\u2019il appelle, un VSOP, terme que vous pensiez r\u00e9serv\u00e9 au cognac (vous en savez des choses\u00a0!). Il vous parle aussi d\u2019AOC, de rhum agricole, de cahier des charges, rhum vieux, de r\u00e8glementation, de meilleur rhum du monde (oui, son avis est peut-\u00eatre un peu biais\u00e9). Bref, il vous abreuve d\u2019informations, \u00e0 d\u00e9faut de rhum. Vous suivez son conseil, et c\u2019est une bouteille de rhum AOC Martinique VSOP, qui rejoint votre armoire \u00e0 merveilles liquides.<\/p>\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rhumfestparis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canne-a-sucre-rhum.jpg\")
\r\n
La patience n\u2019\u00e9tant pas votre fort, votre flacon nouvellement acquis voit son bouchon sauter le soir-m\u00eame. Vous ne vous rappelez pas tout ce que votre expert es-rhum vous a dit mais, vous avez gard\u00e9 en t\u00eate que votre nouveau rhum r\u00e9pond au qualificatif de rhum agricole et qu\u2019il est donc issu de la fermentation de jus de canne fraichement press\u00e9 (quand je vous dit que vous en savez d\u00e9j\u00e0 beaucoup).<\/p>\r\n
Et pourtant, lorsque vous mettez le nez au-dessus de votre verre \u00e0 d\u00e9gustation, tout juste rempli de 2 ou 3 cl, vous ne d\u00e9tectez pas ces ar\u00f4mes de canne fraiche auxquels vous vous attendiez.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nCe sont des \u00e9pices, du bois\u00e9, un zeste d\u2019orange, des fruits secs, des ar\u00f4mes torr\u00e9fi\u00e9s et une note p\u00e2tissi\u00e8re qui le caract\u00e9risent.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n
Le vieillissement d\u2019une dur\u00e9e minimum de 4 ans (c\u2019est ce que VSOP donne comme indication) a donc profond\u00e9ment modifi\u00e9 le profil organoleptique du rhum. Cependant, il se distingue aussi d\u2019autres rhums vieux que vous avez pu croiser sur votre \u00e9pop\u00e9e rhumesque<\/i> et poss\u00e8de une identit\u00e9 particuli\u00e8re et marqu\u00e9e.<\/p>\r\n
Plusieurs facteurs expliquent cette signature gustative.<\/p>\r\n
Certes, comme vous l\u2019avez remarqu\u00e9, l\u2019\u00e9levage (dur\u00e9e pass\u00e9e au contact du bois dans le f\u00fbt) joue un r\u00f4le pr\u00e9pond\u00e9rant au travers des ar\u00f4mes qui en sont issus, mais il n\u2019est pas le seul. Le distillat a \u00e9galement son mot \u00e0 dire \u2013 et quand il s\u2019agit de rhum pur jus de canne, il a beaucoup \u00e0 raconter, a fortiori au sein de l\u2019AOC Martinique.<\/p>\r\n
Attention, je vais incorporer un petit peu de technique dans votre verre de rhum.<\/p>\r\n
Comme toute Appellation d\u2019Origine Contr\u00f4l\u00e9e, celle-ci est fond\u00e9e sur la notion de terroir. Pour faire simple, gardons \u00e0 l\u2019esprit l\u2019importance du savoir-faire reconnu selon lequel sont r\u00e9alis\u00e9es toutes les \u00e9tapes de production au sein d\u2019une aire g\u00e9ographique pr\u00e9cise.<\/p>\r\n
L\u2019AOC Martinique, qui a \u00e9t\u00e9 adopt\u00e9e en 1996 avait comme objectif principal de prot\u00e9ger les rhums produits sur l\u2019\u00eele des contrefa\u00e7ons. Bien s\u00fbr, c\u2019est un point important pour le consommateur, qui est assur\u00e9 de la qualit\u00e9 des produits arborant cette indication, mais ce qui l\u2019est tout autant, r\u00e9side dans le cahier des charges de l\u2019AOC. Les producteurs de rhums AOC Martinique doivent suivre \u00e0 la lettre un certain nombre de r\u00e8gles tout au long de l\u2019\u00e9laboration du pr\u00e9cieux liquide.<\/p>\r\n
<\/p>\nAnd today, you’ve got an idea in mind: to find out more about traditional English rums<\/strong>, with Trinidad and Tobago<\/strong> as your next stop. This choice seems to please your dealer in good things, who is instantly enthusiastic and explains that it’s very difficult to find a rum of this origin that would show all its facets.<\/p>\n He tells you about official bottlings, raw casks<\/strong>, independent bottlers and a defunct distillery.<\/strong><\/p>\n At the end of all this gibberish, he recommends a bottle, adding that he could have sold you five and that it would still have been complicated to find common points between them all.<\/p>\n Now you’re well on your way…<\/p>\n So, once you’ve returned home and completed your preparatory ritual, you’re ready to discover this new eau-de-vie de canne.<\/strong><\/p>\n You immediately recognize its dual nature. The fruit<\/strong>, which comes in a variety of forms (dried, exotic and even blackcurrant-like berries<\/strong>), is softened by vanilla<\/strong>, while a second, darker<\/strong> thread lurks in the background.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Your growing experience points you in the direction of molasses<\/strong> as a raw material<\/strong> – nothing here suggests cane juice. Good, you’re learning. There’s a relative heaviness, a thickness to this rum that reminds you of other British-style rums<\/strong>; it is, however, endowed with an undeniable identity of its own.<\/p>\n It also seems to you that the casks<\/strong> used must be very heavily toasted<\/strong>, which would explain (at least in part) the roasted, even burnt aromas. Once again, more than likely, well done!<\/p>\n Fermentation and distillation, on the other hand, are less straightforward, and you come up with a combination of a column and an iron still.<\/strong> This time you get it wrong, but to be honest, it wasn’t easy. Let’s see what it’s all about.<\/p>\n There is only one distillery in Trinidad: Trinidad Distillers Limited (TDL)<\/strong>. Until the early 2000s, there was a second distillery, which has since closed – more on that later.<\/p>\n TDL has two distillation units, one single column and one multiple column<\/strong>. Traditionally, the large single column is used to produce a relatively heavy distillate<\/strong>, while the quintuple column is used to run lighter rums<\/strong> (meaning higher in alcohol and less concentrated in aroma).<\/p>\n A large proportion of rums are produced by blending these two distillates<\/strong> (so you’re not entirely wrong).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n The counter-example that jumps out at the neurons (and nostrils) is that of the Creole column<\/strong> used in the French West Indies<\/strong>, whose product is highly aromatic (otherwise, what would be the point of ti-punch?!).<\/p>\n But column distillation<\/strong> doesn’t necessarily mean vodka-like, insipid rum. The degree of pouring need not exceed 90%<\/strong> (for example, the AOC Martinique limits it to 75%).<\/p>\n It is also possible to “spike”<\/strong> at an intermediate level<\/strong> of the column to recover a distillate with a lower alcohol percentage and higher aromatic concentration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fermentation<\/strong> is also an important part of the process. Relatively short<\/strong>, lasting no more than 48 hours in most cases (in exceptional cases, up to 72 hours for certain rums), it is carried out using different strains of yeast<\/strong>, depending on the desired result.<\/p>\n But all this doesn’t explain that bituminous facet<\/strong> that titillated your nostrils. To try and explain it, I have to talk about the second distillery present on the island until the beginning of the 21st century.<\/p>\n The name alone is enough to give goose bumps to enlightened amateurs<\/strong>, collectors<\/strong> and (unfortunately) speculators alike. Caroni.<\/strong><\/p>\n I won’t bore you with its history (about which you can find plenty of sources online). Just know that Caroni<\/strong> rums are characterized by aromas of hydrocarbons, rubber and tar.<\/strong><\/p>\n Fortunately, these are regularly combined with exotic fruits<\/strong> and vanilla<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But how did these aromas reach a large proportion of the rums from the other distillery: Trinidad Distillers Limited<\/strong>? If the theory about the natural presence of asphalt is correct, then the same reason could have influenced these rums as much as the Caroni.<\/p>\n Personally, I’m leaning more towards another explanation. TDL<\/strong> would have recovered and stored Caroni barrels<\/strong> (or vats) and used it as a bonnifier (flavor enhancer) in their production.<\/p>\n Perhaps this secret is known to a few people, who will spill the (rubber) beans in time, but until then, the mystery remains.<\/p>\n So, after this tasting and a few explanations, you’ll be better equipped to understand and appreciate Trinidad rums.<\/strong><\/p>\n However, you’ll need to taste many more to fully appreciate this style<\/strong>, if that’s even possible. So arm yourself with patience and your tasting glass.<\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Rum from Trinidad and Tobago, get to the bottom of the bottle Why does a rum from Trinidad & Tobago develop this aromatic profile? Let’s go from the bottle […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12791,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Il est temps de rendre visite \u00e0 votre boutique pr\u00e9f\u00e9r\u00e9e. Il y a tout un pan d\u2019\u00e9tag\u00e8re sur lequel vous ne vous \u00e9tiez jamais attard\u00e9, o\u00f9 sont assorties des bouteilles aux noms bien connus, surtout lorsque l\u2019on appr\u00e9cie les punchs planteurs ou les ti-punchs. Mais vous vous rendez compte qu\u2019il y a aussi \u00e9norm\u00e9ment de rhums vieux.<\/p>\r\n Votre caviste, pas avare d\u2019informations et de bons conseils, vous encourage \u00e0 repartir avec, ce qu\u2019il appelle, un VSOP, terme que vous pensiez r\u00e9serv\u00e9 au cognac (vous en savez des choses\u00a0!). Il vous parle aussi d\u2019AOC, de rhum agricole, de cahier des charges, rhum vieux, de r\u00e8glementation, de meilleur rhum du monde (oui, son avis est peut-\u00eatre un peu biais\u00e9). Bref, il vous abreuve d\u2019informations, \u00e0 d\u00e9faut de rhum. Vous suivez son conseil, et c\u2019est une bouteille de rhum AOC Martinique VSOP, qui rejoint votre armoire \u00e0 merveilles liquides.<\/p>\r\n La patience n\u2019\u00e9tant pas votre fort, votre flacon nouvellement acquis voit son bouchon sauter le soir-m\u00eame. Vous ne vous rappelez pas tout ce que votre expert es-rhum vous a dit mais, vous avez gard\u00e9 en t\u00eate que votre nouveau rhum r\u00e9pond au qualificatif de rhum agricole et qu\u2019il est donc issu de la fermentation de jus de canne fraichement press\u00e9 (quand je vous dit que vous en savez d\u00e9j\u00e0 beaucoup).<\/p>\r\n Et pourtant, lorsque vous mettez le nez au-dessus de votre verre \u00e0 d\u00e9gustation, tout juste rempli de 2 ou 3 cl, vous ne d\u00e9tectez pas ces ar\u00f4mes de canne fraiche auxquels vous vous attendiez.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Ce sont des \u00e9pices, du bois\u00e9, un zeste d\u2019orange, des fruits secs, des ar\u00f4mes torr\u00e9fi\u00e9s et une note p\u00e2tissi\u00e8re qui le caract\u00e9risent.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n Le vieillissement d\u2019une dur\u00e9e minimum de 4 ans (c\u2019est ce que VSOP donne comme indication) a donc profond\u00e9ment modifi\u00e9 le profil organoleptique du rhum. Cependant, il se distingue aussi d\u2019autres rhums vieux que vous avez pu croiser sur votre \u00e9pop\u00e9e rhumesque<\/i> et poss\u00e8de une identit\u00e9 particuli\u00e8re et marqu\u00e9e.<\/p>\r\n Plusieurs facteurs expliquent cette signature gustative.<\/p>\r\n Certes, comme vous l\u2019avez remarqu\u00e9, l\u2019\u00e9levage (dur\u00e9e pass\u00e9e au contact du bois dans le f\u00fbt) joue un r\u00f4le pr\u00e9pond\u00e9rant au travers des ar\u00f4mes qui en sont issus, mais il n\u2019est pas le seul. Le distillat a \u00e9galement son mot \u00e0 dire \u2013 et quand il s\u2019agit de rhum pur jus de canne, il a beaucoup \u00e0 raconter, a fortiori au sein de l\u2019AOC Martinique.<\/p>\r\n Attention, je vais incorporer un petit peu de technique dans votre verre de rhum.<\/p>\r\n Comme toute Appellation d\u2019Origine Contr\u00f4l\u00e9e, celle-ci est fond\u00e9e sur la notion de terroir. Pour faire simple, gardons \u00e0 l\u2019esprit l\u2019importance du savoir-faire reconnu selon lequel sont r\u00e9alis\u00e9es toutes les \u00e9tapes de production au sein d\u2019une aire g\u00e9ographique pr\u00e9cise.<\/p>\r\n L\u2019AOC Martinique, qui a \u00e9t\u00e9 adopt\u00e9e en 1996 avait comme objectif principal de prot\u00e9ger les rhums produits sur l\u2019\u00eele des contrefa\u00e7ons. Bien s\u00fbr, c\u2019est un point important pour le consommateur, qui est assur\u00e9 de la qualit\u00e9 des produits arborant cette indication, mais ce qui l\u2019est tout autant, r\u00e9side dans le cahier des charges de l\u2019AOC. Les producteurs de rhums AOC Martinique doivent suivre \u00e0 la lettre un certain nombre de r\u00e8gles tout au long de l\u2019\u00e9laboration du pr\u00e9cieux liquide.<\/p>\r\nIt’s often this second face that makes a Trinidad rum so distinctive: roasted, burnt, smoky and even tarry notes.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Like many enthusiasts, you have the idea that rums distilled on a column still are necessarily less expressive than those distilled on an iron still. This is not the case.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Distillation is the crucial stage in shaping the aromatic profile of Trinidad rums.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
It’s impossible to know for sure the origin of this unique profile, although several theories exist (failed distillation, the presence of tires in the cellars, the existence of a natural tar deposit on the island which could have transmitted its taste to the water used to produce the rum…).<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\r\n\r\n