Overview
Brand: Papalin
Origin: Distillerie Faubert Casimir, Baraderes, Nippes, Haiti; Distillerie Bethel Romelus, Pignon, Nord, Haiti; Distillerie Chelo, Saint-Michel-de-l’Attalaye, Artibonite, Haiti; Distillerie Arawaks, Cavaillon, Sud, Haiti; Distillerie De Port-au-Prince, Port-Au-Prince, Ouest, Haiti
Still: Pot
Age: 4 years
Finish: ex-Bourbon & ex-Cognac & ex-Rum
ABV: 53.1%
Papalin, the "tropical dependent bottler" brand from La Maison & Velier, is back again with a blend of rums that promises to be greater than the sum of its parts. Papalin Haiti is an ambitious effort: mixing a number of clairins and rum aged in a multitude of different casks; a bit of a leap in scope compared to the 7 year Jamaican expression, which just had only two rums aged in ex-Bourbon casks.
Papalin Haiti 4 year blends sugarcane syrup-based rum from Distillerie De Port-au-Prince (of Providence Rum fame) with clairin from the producers of The Spirit of Haiti expressions: Sajous, Vaval, Casimir, and Le Rocher. Each blending components was produced with a pot still, and all were aged 4 years at Distillerie De Port-au-Prince.
To make things even more interesting, different casks were used to age the rums. Ex-bourbon– including Buffalo Trace, ex-rum– including Caroni and Mount Gay, and ex-Cognac casks housed the components for the duration of maturation. After blending, the resulting rum was bottled at 53.1% ABV.
Appearance
Orange, low viscosity
Nose
Overripe red grapes, vanilla bean, motor oil, black licorice, butterscotch, toasted marshmallow, fresh-cut sugarcane
Palate
Rotting grapes, vanilla, cinnamon, fresh-cut sugarcane, red raisins, motor oil, butterscotch, green beans, oatmeal cookie, hint of star anise
Finish
Medium-long, vegetal, smokey; vanilla, butterscotch, sugarcane, red raisins, cinnamon
Rating: 9/10
Summary
I'll admit I was skeptical about how this blend may turn out when I read the multitude of components and the casks used to age them. However, I will drink my words, as I think this is just a phenomenal rum. Papalin Haiti really shows the craft of aging and blending, which results in an elegant sipping experience that changes with each sip.
Papalin Haiti's nose does well to represent the multitude of casks used to age this blend, with distinct notes of overripe grapes and vanilla from the cognac casks and the motor oil and smokiness of Caroni rum casks being the most present. On the palate, the grape/raisin notes continue to be prominent, as is vanilla, cinnamon, and fresh-cut sugarcane; green beaans, oatmeal cookie, and star anise bring some additional complexity before the medium-long, vegetal, and smokey finish.
Since trying this, I feel Papalin Haiti is one of my favorite new releases from the past year or so. It's a really fun blend of rums that are individually very enjoyable, but take on a new life when aged and blended together.