Overview
Brand: Valinch & Mallet
Origin: Distillerie Damoiseau (Bellevue), Le Moule, Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe, France
Still: Column
Age: 20 years
Finish: ex-Bourbon*
ABV: 58.2%
Valinch & Mallet are a UK-based independent bottling company co-founded by two Italian whisky enthusiasts: Davide Romano and Fabio Ermoli. Like many European-based independent bottlers, Valinch & Mallet (V&M) primarily focuses on (Scotch) whisky products, but have added several fine rums to their portfolio.
Among these rums is their Bellevue 1998 Single Cask: molasses-based rum produced at the Damoiseau distillery in the French overseas department of Guadeloupe. Now you may be asking yourself "where does the 'Bellevue' name come from, then?", and have further questions after googling "Bellevue rum" and finding a number of results relating to different distilleries on the islands making up the Guadeloupe archipelago.
This bottle is named Bellevue after the estate that the Damoiseau distillery was built on top of; the grounds are located in Le Moule on Grande-Terre, the second-largest island in Guadeloupe, and the distillery was founded in 1942 by Roger Damoiseau. Roger's grandson Hervé Damoiseau currently runs the distillery, which produces rhum under the Damoiseau brand.
As noted by The Lone Caner's Guadeloupe 1998 review, there are, confusingly, several distilleries that may reference the name "Bellevue" in certain bottlings: Distillerie Damoiseau (Le Moule, Grande-Terre), Habitation Bellevue (Capesterre-de-Marie-Galante, Marie-Galante), and Reimonenq (Sainte-Rose, Basse-Terre). In my reading, I have yet to figure out why the Bellevue name is used to reference so many different rums.
I have in front of me today a sample of V&M's bottling of Damoiseau molasses-based rum, produced via column still in 1998; it aged for 20 years before being bottled at 58.2% ABV. It should be noted that rum from this 1998 batch has been released by a number of IBs in the past, often using the "Bellevue" name. The base rum was sold by Damoiseau to Main Rum Co., as noted by Single Cask Rum, with the intent of it being used in baking. The sales of these casks to IBs reportedly upset Hervé, who vowed to not sell casks to bulk merchants again.
This sample was provided to me by Andrew Hinton, a friend of mine and admin of the Friends of Rum Tennessee (FORT) group.
Appearance
Orange-brown, medium clarity, high viscosity
Nose
Peaches, saltwater, wet stone, allspice, cranberries, freshly-cut wood
Palate
Vanilla, frosting, allspice, cinnamon, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, tar
Finish
Medium-long, warming, spicy; oak, mesquite BBQ smoke, grilled peaches, cinnamon
Rating: 8/10
Summary
While the details around the name of the bottle is confusing, one thing is for certain: this is a tasty rum. The long aging is apparent but very well done, lending some oak-forward moments but still allowing the underlying character of the liquid to shine.
At first blush, V&M Bellevue 1998 reminds me a lot of the recent Isautier Traditional release, with both rums sharing some similar notes; however, this Bellevue is a lot smokier and a bit more spicier than the Isautier. The raspberry and strawberry notes come through here, while mesquite BBQ, allspice, and cinnamon bring a little more "oomph" to the experience. After adding some water, I get a bit of a tar note on the back palate and finish, reminiscent of some Caroni samples I've had in the past.
This was a great tasting, and a hat-tip to the folks at Valinch & Mallet for procuring some really fine rum. Bellevue 1998 definitely has instilled in me an interest in Guadeloupe rum and further appreciation for the molasses-based products of locales more often associated with sugarcane juice distillate.