Saint James Royal Ambre Rhum Agricole Review:

In the world of distilled spirits where one looks at distillation and aging as the primary defining factors of a spirit, it is very uncommon to speak of any product as “seasonal” or “fresh.” One might find notes of malted barley, but we don’t really speak of the nuances of the raw ingredient much more than “light" or "dark malt," etc. This is why I love agricole rum. You would be hard pressed to find many other products where the raw ingredient shines through.

Firstly the interest for myself has no doubt be sparked due to my new proximity to the San Francisco bay area, where an agricole (cane sugar) rum renaissance of sorts is currently underway. A bar has opened in the last couple years specifically geared towered agricole rum and rum mixology, while St. George Spirits across the bay in Alameda, has been producing an agricole using sugar cane grown in Southern California. Secondly cane rum is also a great bridge into rum as a whole. If you were unaccustomed to the super sweet oaky angostura like I was, agricole provides a gateway. The herbal and vegetal flavors of cane rum are not unlike some of the malty tones of scotch, or the pepper kick of tequila.

So what really is cane rum? Where the majority of the rum produced in the world is made from molasses (+90%), a byproduct of sugar production, agricole rum is produced from fermented fresh sugar cane juice, or a syrup produced from the juice. Where you can find cane rum in Guatemala, Trinidad, and now California, the heart of the most prized agricoles come from former colonies and French territories of Martinique and Guadalupe. Due to the strict French regulation put in place, Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC), Martinique is what many would state is the epicenter. Usually distilled at a lower percentage, and aged in French oak, cane rum’s nose and palate are more due to the sugarcane itself, rather than the aging process. As Paul Clark of the Cocktail Chronicals states, “these rums flirt with the notion of terroir, a sometimes awkward concept in the realm of spirits.”

I choose Saint James Royal Ambre as an introduction to cane rum due to the relatively short aging, around 18 months to 2 years. A second blend out of the Limousin Oak barrels, Royal Ambre is produced from cane which is exclusively grown on Martinique for the Saint James Distillery. So let’s get to the review! 

Saint James Rum Agricole Review:

Price: I purchased this for $29.99 for a 750ml bottle at an Italian grocer. You should be able to find this cheaper.

Packaging/Labeling: Classic square style. Looks nice on any bar. Not much helpful information on the label. 

Alcoholic Content: 45% abv, 90 proof. Ideal for a product of this kind.

Nose: Dark brown sugar sweetness meets your nose, though noticeably lighter than your average darker rums. Lovely freshness and floral bouquet. In one sense there is a relative richness that holds everything together, yet there is a mild muskiness which is common with certain rums. However this is nothing entirely unpleasant.

Palate: Immediately you gain a sense of subtlety on the front. Syrup and spice warm gently. Cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, light char and burnt sugar. The sweetness is less pronounced on the palate. The finish is dry and peppery. You begin to pick up more of the vegetal qualities you might expect on the end.

Conclusion: The profile is quite different than most rums I’ve had a chance of tasting and adding water does wondrous things to this. Some reviewers will state that the lighter profile mixed with the higher abv makes this more of a mixer than a sipper. However, not being keen to rum cocktails, loving subtlety, always wanting higher abv, and loving the fact that the sweetness is turned way down, this is made to be enjoyed only with a little added water. I agree this is not a sipper for everyone to enjoy, but I can’t really image spending 25-30 dollars to place this in a simple cocktail. In my opinion this is a very interesting and wonderful change from the “daily grind.” I think it will be very fascinating to some who have the time, and fairly boring to those who don’t want to relish something new. Ultimately it’s a great value.

El Dorado 15 Year Old Rum Review:

“RUM, n. Generically, fiery liquors that produce madness in total abstainers.” 

– Ambrose Bierce

Historically when people think of rum it tends to conjure up images of the high seas and swashbuckling pirates. No doubt that aspect of history is very interesting yet what interest me even more is how rum has effected American history. It could be argued that rum is the most American of all spirits. The colonists were sure drinking much more of it than anyone (or anything) else at the time of the revolution. Estimated rum consumption before the Revolution had every man, woman, and child drinking up to 3 Imperial Gallons of the stuff a year. One can only surmise that women and children were definitely at the lower end of the consumption spectrum. And it was rum, not whiskey, which George Washington persisted on serving at his 1789 inauguration. The decline of rum is much more of a debated story to be told another time, but my point of this whole speech is that a rum review sits very snugly with a blog dedicated to the “Native Spirit” of America.

As this is a whiskey blog, with a focus on Bourbon, I have not yet heavily featured other spirits. Rum is one of those categories in which I feel can openly admit my naivety. And truth be told I have never been taken by rum (until recently). It’s always been a bit too sweet. But I believe it’s always good to push oneself to try new things and expand ones palate. I don’t doubt that in time I will eventually come to love every variation of the spirit.

With a history of over 300 years and the use of wooden continuous coffey and Pot stills, El Dorado 15, from Demerara Distillers, seemed to me to be the perfect introduction to rum on this blog. Like most rum produced in the world, El Dorado 15 is a blend of multiple ages and styles produced at the distillery (15 years signifying there is nothing younger than 15 year old rum in the bottle – and possibly there is a variation of up to 25 year old rums). Due to their relative isolation, Demerara, like most rum distilleries, have multiple stills in which they produce various characteristics that will ultimately be blended into the final product. Of the three stills running at the distillery, they use a wooden coffrey still, a wooden pot still (both of which are the last working wooden stills of their kind), and a French Savalle Still. All the rum is aged in oak barrels.

El Dorado 15 Year Old Rum Review: 

Price: Around $37.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: Beautiful bottle besides the plastic cork top and plastic wax symbol. 

Alcohol Content: 40% abv, 80 proof. 

Nose: Sweet almond, honey, brown sugar, marzipan and banana, Dry autumn leaves. Beach sand.

Palate: Robust yet evenly distributed and light on the tongue. Creamy honey and butter cream pie. There is Demerara smoke with hints of smooth coffee that trail off into a lightly sweet caramel banana note. The wood is reminiscent of a heavily oaked bourbon such as Makers 46 or Knob Creek, but without the harsher tannins. 

Conclusion: This is dangerously easy drinking. I went through three glasses of this stuff without even blinking. I wouldn’t suggest this as a mixer, and to be clear, that is never the intention of reviewing any of these spirits on this blog. Drink this neat – ice is really not necessary unless your sipping this on a beach somewhere. This is a highly recommended benchmark rum.