Neisson Rhum (Agricole Vieux) Reserve Speciale Rum 1L

Neisson Rhum Agricole Réserve Spéciale comes from Distillerie Neisson, one of only two remaining family-owned rum distilleries on Martinique. The Neisson family began planting cane on Morne Vert in the early 1920s and founded the distillery itself in 1932 under brothers Jean and Adrien Neisson, building a reputation as the smallest producer on the island. The estate sits in Martinique's northwest corner, where volcanic soil is considered among the richest in the region, and the distillery continues to make, age, and bottle every rhum on site.

As required under Martinique's strict AOC designation, this rhum is distilled from fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses. Neisson ferments the cane juice for up to 72 hours, longer than most other producers on the island, before running it through an old copper Savalle column still. The resulting spirit is aged up to ten years in a mix of French oak and used bourbon and whisky barrels, then bottled at 42% ABV without additives.

The nose leans toward dark fruit, leather, and roasted nuts, with hints of orange marmalade and tobacco. On the palate, black pepper and licorice arrive first, backed by smoky oak, almond, and a touch of vanilla, before settling into a warm, spice-driven finish with lingering dried fruit.