Tahiti

At the heart of the history of Tahitian rums is an endemic variety of sugar cane called O Tahiti. It has been a food plant for years, consumed as is by the Polynesians for its sweet juice. Since the 18th century, it has been popularized and exported all over the world thanks to Bougainville who recognized its exceptional aromatic and sweetening qualities. While at the beginning of the 19th century, it was the most cultivated species in the world, the first large Polynesian sugar farms only came into being in the second half of the 19th century. Of course, the first Tahitian distilleries (of molasses rum) were built at the same time. The O Tahitian cane was then replaced in the rest of the world, because despite its qualities, it was less resistant to disease than other hybrid species.

The Tahitian distilleries all disappeared during the 20th century, due to a lack of profitability and often also due to a lack of manpower in the cane plantations. But David Moux woke up in 1992, when he took over the plantation and the facilities where his parents had worked in the past. Tamure rum, a blend of pure juice rums and molasses rums, followed. The Manutea Tahiti distillery has also been working with molasses since the early 90's, to elaborate punches and liqueurs from the Tahitian country.

A few sugar cane enthusiasts then rediscovered the richness of their land and the endemic species that compose it. They undertook to revive the cultivation of 12 species (including 8 varieties of O Tahiti) on the peninsula of Tahiti, on Tahaa (Leeward Islands) and even on the coral and sandy soil of Rangiroa, in the archipelago of Toamotu. The harvest is done by hand from August to November, unlike the West Indian season. The tests were more than conclusive, and three rums of pure cane juice were born from this experiment:

Mana'o began distilling pure organic cane juice in 2015, to market its first white rums in 2016. Its 50% white Mana'o was the first Tahitian rum to cause a sensation in mainland France. The cane comes from the peninsula of Tahiti or Tahaa. It is pressed and fermented on site, then the must is transported by boat to the distillery in Tahiti.

Manutea pure cane juice rum was born at the same time and follows the same process. The cane grows on Tahaa, it is pressed and its juice is fermented there, then the must is transported by boat to the distillery in Moorea. Two versions are offered at the beginning, a Manutea 40% and a Manutea 50%, they are superb cane brandies.

The Pari Pari distillery offers its T Rhum whose cane is harvested, fermented and distilled on the island of Tahaa. Read less