Produced by the small Mauritian distillery Oxenham and released in a very limited series, Bougainville XO has been matured for at least 6 years in Oloroso sherry casks and Pedro Ximenez barrels.
Nico's tasting notes
The nose opens with a fruity, funky style of rum, as sweet as a tropical version of tutti-frutti. There are dried fruits (mango, papaya, apricot), more tangy ones (strawberry and raspberry gums), and ripe plums. The heart is generous, refreshed by a hint of yellow lemon.
Aeration allows the rum to gain a certain stature, and you can now smell the mellow sugar cane. However, this is a molasses rum, and the brioche side really makes up for it, developing a vegetal character that then touches more on tobacco. A certain complexity prevails, with notes of walnut, honey and velvety fruit.
On the palate, there's plenty of presence, thanks in particular to a little pinch of spice that hits the taste buds right from the start. Cane juice and molasses once again toy with our senses, as we think we're savoring tender, brioche-like sugar cane. This is followed by a woodiness typical of wine casks, marked by blond tobacco and gunflint.
The finish is dominated for a long time by this tannic woodiness, then develops nuances of rancio and roasted nuts.
"It's a beautiful journey from the first nose to the finish, encountering a very interesting variety of aromas..."
