Neisson Léritaj is part of The Anthologists. The name of this collection means "heritage" in Martinican Creole . It refers to the family business founded in 1931 by Jean and Adrien Neisson on the Thieubert estate in Le Carbet, on the island's north Caribbean coast. This blend of rhum agricole, aged for at least five years, is bottled at 48.5% ABV . It was not conceived as a variation of the XO, which nevertheless has the same alcohol content. It relies on a unique aging process, where new oak is used alongside casks from the house.
The Neisson distillery uses sugarcane grown largely on its own land, on the volcanic slopes overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The vesou , the juice extracted during crushing, is immediately fermented. The resulting cane wine is then distilled in a copper Creole column still. This small continuous distillation unit is one of the distillery's signature features: it produces a distillate rich in cane aromas, which ages well in oak barrels.
The aging process took place in two types of casks. New oak casks contributed their tannins and toasty woodiness. Casks previously used by the distillery, being more neutral, allowed the distillate's character to express itself more fully. Under the Caribbean climate, the angel's share reached between 29 and 40% of the volume, depending on the cask. This level of evaporation, typical of tropical aging , significantly concentrates the spirit over a few years, which explains the density of the blend.
