Confrérie du rhum

The history of the Confrérie du Rhum

La Confrérie du Rhum is a French-language Facebook group created by Benoît Bail in 2013. A mix of confirmed amateurs, novices and professionals, this community of 30,000 people is above all a place for discussion and discovery. Advanced and technical exchanges coexist with advice for new rum enthusiasts. The latest releases are discussed and unpacked, and we share our feelings, tasting feedback, favorites and rants, which sometimes lead to lively debates.

To find out more about the origins of the Confrérie, read our interview with Benoît Bail on the occasion of the release of La Mauny 2005.

The rums of the Confrérie du Rhum

The first vintages

Very early on, the group's directors wanted to unite the members around an exclusivebottling project, which gave rise to the Confrérie du rhum 's first cuvée: a rum from Barbados, distilled in 2000 at West Indies Rum Distillery, released in only 55 copies.

The first two cuvées were taken from the catalog of a well-known European wholesaler, which brought them closer to the expressions already offered by the independent bottlers already in place. But very soon, much more exclusive partnerships were forged with agricultural rum producers in the French West Indies.

Agricultural rums

Rum makers from Martinique and Guadeloupe also discovered the Confrérie du rhum and took a keen interest. Taking part in the discussions, they gave enthusiasts a few keys to their know-how. They were also able to communicate with their customers and raise awareness of their products.

Naturally, bonds of trust were forged with the group's directors, resulting in exclusive selections - a rare occurrence in the agricultural rum world. Thus, a cuvée of white rum from Longueteau was created, followed by a series of casks from La Favorite, a brut de fût from HSE, another from La Mauny, and so on... Read more