Tamosi Hiali - Marie-Galante Pere Labat 2013 is a selection of rhum agricole from the small island of Marie Galante. Vintage old rums from the Poisson distillery are quite rare, and this Hiali ("brilliant" in the Taïno language) is full of promise.
The pure cane juice was harvested not far from the distillery, on this still very rural and unspoilt island. 72 hours and a little baker's yeast were needed for fermentation. Distillation took place on a Creole column, from which 70% of the white rum flowed. It was then placed in American bourbon oak barrels for a good 6 years, before traveling to Europe. In Amsterdam, Holland, it underwent a further 9 months of maturation in calvados barrels.
Nico's tasting notes
On the nose, there's a certain vegetal freshness, with a hint of vanilla. The cane develops peppery accents, which respond to an oak barrel tinged with hay and straw. The fruit is initially acidic, before thickening into a light, slightly oxidized syrup.
With aeration, the rum has retained its youthful freshness. The cane, with its still green, herbaceous juice, is set against a nougatine of sweet spices, such as tonka bean or cinnamon.
On the palate, the cane seems old, mature, candied by time. Its flavors intermingle with very soft, almost sweet herbaceous aromas, like herbs from the past. A hint of lemon and spice lifts the mid-palate, leaving us with a rather dry, vegetal, oxidized, rustic woodiness.
The finish returns to fermented cane juice, with hints of bagasse and pepper.
"A delicate finish, which brought rustic, oxidized notes to an old agricultural rum still full of fresh cane..."
Begi
Powerful and rich