Overview
Brand: Holmes Cay, Single Origin series
Origin: Distillerie de Savanna, Cambuston, Saint-André, Réunion
Still: Column
Age: Unaged
Finish: n/a
ABV: 55%
Réunion has not historically been a widely-available rum in the US, with the elusive Savanna distillery being an oft sought-after bottle for collectors. That's why I got excited when Eric Kaye announced not one, but two Réunion rums– a rhum agricole and this grande arôme.
Grande Arôme rum is a somewhat rare marque that comes from French heritage producers like Savanna on Réunion and Le Galion on Martinique. This style– which literally translates to "large aroma"– has a high amount of esters, is molasses-based, and uses dunder in the fermentation process; it's no wonder this is often compared to high ester Jamaican rum!
The Réunion GI states the following as requirements for grande arôme:
- Vinasses (“dunder”) is used in the mash recipe
- Volatile compounds must be at least 800 g/hlAA
- Esters must be at least 500 g/hlAA
Holmes Cay's Réunion Island Grande Arôme rum landed on shelves in 2023, and I knew I had to pick this up. The unaged rum is molasses-based, and had a non-wild fermentation period of 10 days before being put through a Savalle column still. It was bottled without aging or additives at 57.5% ABV.
Appearance
Clear, medium viscosity
Nose
Ripe kiwi, blueberries, underripe pineapple, bubblegum, underripe raspberries, bananas, bell pepper, pipe tobacco
Palate
Overripe banana, sharp kiwi, underripe blueberries, pineapple, orange bell pepper, raspberries, bubblegum, sesame oil
Finish
Long, fruity, funky; green bell pepper, white wine vinegar, pineapple rind, green apple, sour blueberries, permanent marker
Rating: 9/10
Summary
Holmes Cay's Grande Arôme rum is incredible! Compared to the HERR I've previously reviewed, this is a bit more composed and enjoyable on its own. Each sip brings a different flavor note to the forefront.
The rum bursts with notes on the nose and palate of underripe and overripe tropical fruits like kiwi, pineapple, and banana, while also featuring blueberries, raspberries, bell peppers, and a bubblegum note. Pipe tobacco sneaks through when nosing in the glass, while a stinging savory-sour note of sesame oil comes through on the back palate. The finish is long and complex, bringing vinegar and green apple to the party.
As an enjoyer of bold, funky rum, this really hits the spot, and offers something completely different than, for example, any given pot still Jamaican rum. I hope this expression and more Savanna rums keep making their way to the US; they're always fun to try.