Rum Clairin (Aged)

• Aged rum distilled in Saint Michel de l’Attalaye, Haiti, by Saint Benevolence
• Produced at third-generation-run Dorcinvil Distillery by cofounder and master distiller Dr. Rev. Gueillant Dorcinvil
• Distilled from a combination of sugarcane juice and sugarcane syrup
• A field blend of indigenous cane varieties is hand harvested and crushed via mechanized press
• The first-press juice is spontaneously fermented with native yeast for 8–10 days; a separate batch of first-press juice with bagasse is boiled and reduced to syrup and fermented with ambient yeast
• The fermented juice and syrup are distilled separately in handmade, 200-liter copper pot stills
• Aged for 18–22 months in new American oak of varying char levels
• Aged, blended, and bottled in Jacksonville, Florida
• Nougat, fresh guava, dried coconut, and pineapple skin on the nose; a structured palate exhibits candied tamarind, coconut cream, and clove
• 50% ABV

Though there is certainly precedent in Haiti for resting clairin, oak-aged expressions can be hard to come by. Saint Benevolence first produced their aged clairin as an experiment; its resounding popularity compelled them to continue its limited production.