Crude distillation
Brut de distillation" is the name given to rum bottled without water reduction, at the degree at which it leaves the distillation column or still. More commonly, the terms "brut de colonne" or "brut d'alambic" are used to specify the type of distillation method involved.
Agricultural rums are generally brut de colonne. All rums go through this stage before being reduced to 55°, 50° or even 40°. Increasingly, however, distilleries are offering rums at over 70°. Neisson'sEsprit de Neisson launched this trend for the distillery's 70th anniversary. They have now released an organic version, still at 70°.
Several distilleries in Martinique and Guadeloupe have tried their hand at this, including La Favorite (with the Brut 2 Colonne series), Dillon, Saint James, Longueteau with the Genesis range, Bologna with Distillat, Montebello (with the Bolokos series), ReimonenQ, Bielle and Père Labat.
In the case of some distilleries, it was sometimes independent bottlers who revealed rums brut de distillation. These included Old Brothers, with several rums from the Bielle distillery in Hampden (Jamaica), and l'Esprit, with rums from the La Favorite, Diamond (Guyana), Worthy Park (Jamaica) and Fiji South Pacific (Fiji Islands) distilleries.
Les frères de la côte also bottled a crude distillation rum from the ReimonenQ house, before it did so itself.
Brut de distillation rums are not as "brut" as their name suggests. Indeed, if they are not reduced with water, they are often brewed in stainless steel tanks for several weeks, and sometimes for several months, in order to be refined. Read less
