Saint James Cuvée l'Essentiel is a blend of 3 vintages aged in small bourbon casks for over 12 years: 1998, 2000 and 2003.
Nico's tasting notes
In brief: fruit - wood - vegetable - sweet spices - complex - round
On the nose, the charm is immediate. In true Saint James style, dried fruit and precious wood augur a most refined nectar. Intertwined with complexity, these two pillars unfold a host of elegant, gourmet nuances. Dried apricot and prune are sewn with honey, wood is spice and chocolate, orchard fruit oozes sweet juice, pineapple and ginger are candied. The woody tannins become increasingly mellow, delivering a sweet, concentrated orange liqueur.
Aeration first reveals a ripe banana, then a small layer of varnish as a token of concentration. The woodiness is imposing, but not overly roasted or caramelized, instead dispensing powerful notes of spice, nuts and tobacco. Sugar-laden fruits, exotic and otherwise, follow one another, all seemingly perfectly ripe.
On the palate, the impression of elegance remains despite an overflow of aromas that blend and intermingle. This complex weave is the result of effortless work, which is precisely what draws us in. The wood concentrate is never astringent; it melts in all directions, pointing in turn to dried fruits, spices, or both at the same time. Candied fruit is dressed in stone, cane is adorned with resin.
The finish is very long, marked by dried fruit and cane that still carries a zest of lime and a pinch of pepper as a reminder of its youth.
"The ageing process typical of the house is expressed here with delicious refinement..."
Samuel LORIA
Another excellent AOC Martinique rum from Saint James, to be tasted as soon as possible before it runs out!