Heading to Guadeloupe and Damoiseau this week, with a cross-tasting of several rums from the range and vintages, up to the famous 1953…

On the historical side, the beginning of the Bellevue distillery (more commonly called the Damoiseau distillery) dates back to 1914 and even well before judging by some works, and then produced a molasses rum. Throughout its history, it changed owners many times when in 1942 it was bought by Louis Damoiseau; the latter produced a rum that was exclusively sold in bulk, offering both agricultural rum and industrial rum that was shipped to Bardinet-Bordeaux to make Négrita rum. On the production side of the time, 70% of the rum came out of a single Barbet column, which was joined by others, with in the end a Speichim valve column, another with a perforated tray, and an alcohol column. Quickly, he focused on aging, and took the example of whiskies that were starting to be very popular.

It was not until 1953 that the first Damoiseau-labeled bottlings arrived. Roger Damoiseau, Louis' son, who had taken over the family business, even took the initiative of offering his rums directly to small traders, eliminating the need to go through wholesalers, not without some difficulties. Quickly constrained by his quota, which was too limited, he recovered the share of other distillers and produced more and more, going so far as to buy unsold products from his colleagues, which he bottled under his own brand (as can still be done today, but in almost religious silence).

He will pass on the distillery to his sons Jean-Luc (master distiller) and Hervé, current director of Damoiseau; the latter allows the distillery to reach a new level and take on an even larger dimension, and will allow Damoiseau to become the leading producer of agricultural rum in the French Antilles. On the production side, Damoiseau is now equipped with much more modern columns (26 trays) to produce even more, and releases a much lighter distillate than its competitors (and than at the time), between 80 and 88°; this is what will undoubtedly contribute to its success, with a light rum that sells better and is more accessible to the public. Today, Damoiseau has the largest stock of old rum in Guadeloupe, i.e. more than 3000 barrels.

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Damoiseau VSOP / 42°

The brand's "special reserve", a blend of agricultural rums aged for a minimum of four years in oak barrels. This is the new-look VSOP.

The color is amber, tending towards old gold, very bright and quite oily.
On the nose, it is round and on a fairly dry woodiness, with peppery spices and cinnamon. We find in this nose notes of caramel, slightly candied citrus fruits which bring a little freshness to the nose, and exotic fruits (banana, pineapple) for a warm atmosphere. The more time passes, the more the cinnamon seems to come out of the glass. Rather simple but well balanced, caramelized and vanilla.

On the palate, it is sweet and oily: still lots of spices and still that cinnamon, omnipresent; the tannins become acidic, but caught up by caramel, vanilla and some dried fruits (exotic), for an effective mouth that knows how not to fall into the easy way out, rather well supported. The finish is not the longest, but remains faithful to the tasting, simple and effective, fruity and easy, without forgetting to be warm. The empty glass recalls once again the cinnamon stick, really very present on this rum.

A VSOP that does its job well without being too easy, balanced and pleasant, and with lots (lots) of cinnamon… Note: 76

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Damoiseau 5 years / 42°

Another “special reserve”, this time 5 years old; aged in 180 litre Kentucky oak barrels.

Deep amber color, with copper highlights, with a clear difference from the 4 year old above; still very bright and oily.
On the nose, we have a dry profile with a classy woodiness, and still an elegant vanilla caramel, then stewed fruits, prune, spices (cinnamon, clove). The woodiness is silky and highlights the rum well.

On the palate, the attack is concentrated, quite rich and pleasant: on candied fruits (prunes, raisins) and caramelized, sweet. It is round and vanilla, gourmet and harmonious; it evolves on spices, crescendo: cinnamon, cloves, the rum becomes honeyed, almost resinous, warm and empyreumatic. The finish is moderately long on spices and caramelized dried fruits.

A nose with a dry profile but a round and delicious mouth, concentrated and honeyed with the most beautiful effect. We would perhaps ask for more length. Note: 80

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Damoiseau XO / 42°

After the 4-year VSOP, the 5-year XO, here is the 6-year XO. We are moving forward slowly but surely...

Light amber color, tending towards old gold, oily. Fairly light in color.
On the nose, we are on a register clearly different from the previous rums, it is in that more agricultural, vegetal, with always a fairly dry and vanilla woodiness (blond tobacco), dried fruits (raisins) and sweet spices (cinnamon). It is slightly spicy on the nose, the alcohol is deceptive on occasion, and despite chocolate notes that appear with rest, the rum remains overall quite simple.

On the palate, the attack is soft and sweet, with a spicy exoticism: mango, pineapple, cinnamon, tobacco, and warm and equally sweet spices (cinnamon), and lots of vanilla. The rum is concentrated on the palate but not as much as the previous rums; pleasant but without great complexity. The finish is relatively short, not to say too much, and it clearly lacks more power.

A rum apart in the range, different, but below, with a lot of vanilla in the mouth and not necessarily a natural sweet taste. Note: 75

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Damoiseau 10 years / 42°

We take a leap in time to taste a 10 year old from Damoiseau, and a first vintage rum, distilled in 2001 and bottled in 2011 at 42 degrees.

Amber color, old gold, clear and bright dress
On the nose, it is light and very fruity, on the exoticism of a ripe pineapple, on the skin of a blackened banana, and a rather lively and spicy side to the nose, with a metallic note, freshly slivered almond and an airy and very present vanilla. The rest brings its share of slightly caramelized spices and notes of tobacco and chocolate. A nose with a very very exotic profile, seductive, pleasant but which perhaps lacks more hold (and too honeyed) to make a real difference (and more degrees no doubt).

On the palate, it is quite lively at first, with a tangy woodiness, before becoming honeyed; on the broken and sweet exoticism, pleasant and easy, fresh and gently spicy, and tobacco. The tannins are quite present and lively, spicy, in a concentrated mouth, where the spices become peppery. The longer it stays in the mouth, the more the woodiness takes over. The finish is not very long, even if warm, and evokes in turn a spicy oak, exotic fruits and pepper. We would like more at this precise moment, but it will not come and we tell ourselves that a few more degrees would not necessarily be a good idea and would perhaps bring out this oak even more.
A seductive rum, but which clearly lacks balance, despite a nice concentration in the mouth (perhaps a bit too honeyed, and woody); as evidenced by a dull finish despite promises and a lot of exoticism. Note: 80

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Damoiseau 1972 / 42°

This version was released for the 60th anniversary of Damoiseau, in a very confidential and rather special way: it was indeed via the vente-privée website that it was possible to order this vintage. Distilled in 1972, the rum aged for 17 years in small oak barrels, before being 'enhanced' in 5000-litre tuns and bottled in 2002 on the occasion of the brand's 60th anniversary.

Amber and bright, oily color.
On the nose, we find a more agricultural profile, on a fresh vegetable, on a smoking straw, and fairly classic dried fruits (raisin, fig). We also find heavier notes, of olive, of hydrocarbons, reminding us of the independent bottlings stamped Guadeloupe, and which inevitably bring us back to 'Bellevue', and therefore Damoiseau (the famous vintage 98). It is quite simple and far from the more recent bottlings (and even the independent bottlings, 42° oblige), but this simplicity seems much more natural than the rest, without fuss, even if somewhat extinguished and on a much more classic profile, but still without great complexity. You can imagine that for a birthday, there is surely much better to do. Hence, perhaps, the 'confidential' release via private sale?

In the mouth, it is simple, soft, easy but still a bit concentrated (a minimum in any case), on olive, dried fruits, and then spices, on notes of hydrocarbons. It evolves gently in the mouth and it is still quite pleasant, but still not very complex and even disappointing. The finish is moderately long, and with always this impression of having missed something.

Good, pleasant, but simple and much too light. One comes to think how this rum could have been used to celebrate an anniversary of the distillery. Note: 78

Note: according to Mr Damoiseau it would be an old dormant stock - perhaps 2 or 3 boxes - shipped by the distillery to Paris several years ago (5, 6 years), and brought out for the occasion of the private sale.

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Damoiseau cuvée Subprime 2008 / 47.9°

The rum was aged in 220 litre oak (bourbon) barrels in 2008, and was bottled at the end of 2015 and is therefore 7 years old.

Amber/orange color, oily and shiny dress
On the nose, it is… chocolatey, with a captivating, opulent and excessive exoticism, with flambéed banana and chocolate coulis; a sort of dessert rum on which oak and a few pieces of candied citrus fruits (orange) have been sprinkled. The strength speaks for itself, but the rum is not very concentrated and complex. It seems quite heavy and not very inclined to evolve over time, but in a resolutely gourmet register.

On the palate, it is lively and this time quite concentrated, slightly oily; and even rather refreshing, with its dose of citrus fruits, and even mint, mixed with oak/wood, dried fruits and spices (peppery). Beautiful concentration, beautiful evolution, between sweet fruitiness and acidity, more and more spicy, peppery and even spicy. The degree has its effect, for a moderately long and pleasant finish, on caramelized fruits, and with a woodiness halfway between liquorice and old wood (humid and porous).

Again on a different profile, Damoiseau is one of those distilleries offering quite varied things; some will say that there is no real consistency, others will find there an argument against monotony. This rum has the good idea of ​​offering a more powerful version, but lacks balance and finish. Note: 81

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Now let's take a look at two vintages, one from 1989 and the other from 1991, which were released by both Velier and Damoiseau (at different times and strangely to the same degree, just like the 1980 vintage). Below we will taste the 91 OB and 89 Velier, no hard feelings.

Damoiseau 1991 / 54.4°

In January 2010, Maison Damoiseau released this 1991 vintage, previously aged in oak barrels on 07/24/1991.

Deep amber color tending towards bronze, bright and classy.
The nose is just as classy, ​​with a vegetal and warm atmosphere, quite complex, on dried fruits (raisins), walnut, and humid notes of undergrowth, warm earth. The rest brings its share of grilled notes (walnuts again), liquorice, with a burnt woodiness. It is not the most complex but it is pleasant, and even fresh on occasion (eucalyptus). The alcohol is very well integrated.

On the palate, it is very round, syrupy (viscous), and we immediately find a smoky woodiness, tobacco that permeates the palate and mixes with fruits that become candied (and shelled: walnuts), liquorice, coffee and warm spices. Very pleasant and sweet, powerful but balanced, with once again a well-integrated alcohol, and a mouthfeel that is quite syrupy, not to say thick. On classy notes of wood and spices, brown tobacco and molasses, burnt caramel. The finish is moderately long and operates in perfect continuity, without denoting and lasts a long time.

Far from the rest of the range, more serious but still quite syrupy. It is not the most complex rum, nor the longest in the mouth (and that's a shame), but it is very well balanced (and the alcohol very well integrated) and provides pleasure, and that is the main thing. Note: 86

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Damoiseau 1989 Velier / 58°

A version of the 1989 vintage released by Velier in 2006. The rum was distilled on April 13, 89, aged until 2002 where it was put in a cask before being bottled in March 2006 at 58°.

Amber color, less sustained than the rum above but just as bright.
The nose is much simpler, let's say less concentrated and powerful despite the 4° more. A dry and woody nose, on dried herbs, caramelized dried fruits (pineapple) and spices (cinnamon). It lacks character and life and it does not evolve much despite the wait. An additional 30 minutes will not really make it much more talkative, if not a bit more empyreumatic.

On the palate, the attack is powerful and wakes us up at the first drop; syrupy on an opulent and stewed exoticism (yellow fruit, pineapple, banana, apricot, mango, orange), on warm spices (ginger especially) and candied, and this vanilla always present, and an invigorating oak which comes to support everything. A very fruity and exotic mouth, gourmet, sweet and tangy (citrus), where the high degree serves the rum very well and concentrates the aromas. The finish is rather long, but it would take even more. Dry finish, on tobacco leaf and a spicy oak, and on orange.

A rather dull nose, and a mouth to wake the dead. The contrast is striking, interesting, but once again lacks a finish worthy of the name, to make a clear difference. The 91 appears more balanced overall, but the mouth of this 89 has its effect. Note: 85

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Damoiseau 1953

A legendary and mysterious rum... When asked about it, the distillery director doesn't know for sure what's in this carafe: 100% agricultural rum, a mixture of agricultural and sugar rum (molasses), the mystery remains; not to mention that there is also a 1953 in a bottle, perhaps even different... not easy.

Chocolate color, bright, between bronze and greenish; the rum is fat and its legs thick.
On the nose, we are between earth and sky, with a mixture of notes of undergrowth, earth, and dried fruits almost candied; we have in this glass tobacco, caramel, and our vanilla faithful to the post. It is quite complex and versatile, it does not make very old, between green aromas (banana) and immature, and more candied and gourmand scents, and even a little vegetable freshness, and chocolate. Sometimes gourmand, fresh, fruity, woody, it oscillates without really choosing its camp. A changing rum, an interesting rum, which tends to disorient, not knowing at this moment where the rum is going to take us in the mouth.

On the palate, the rum appears oily, flattering on aromas of oak and tobacco, liquorice and caramel, joyful and chocolatey spices. Gourmet, but not too much. A dessert rum, chocolatey and caramelized, in a classy and balanced register. The finish is not very long, but will be persistent.
A less interesting rum than some vintages: we expect more, perhaps the magic of the carafe and the year, no doubt; it remains very pleasant, but less interesting than other rums from the distillery. Note: 83

To help you (and me) find your way around, regarding the notes:

90 and + : exceptional and unique rum, it is the best of the best
between 85 and 89 : highly recommended rum, with that little something that makes the difference
between 80 and 84 : recommendable rum
75-79 POINTS : above average
70-74 POINTS : in the low average
less than 70 : not very good

Review courtesy of DuRhum.com.

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