No, it's not the name of a new food coloring or even a new secret agent in the service of the Queen of England (and even less a new Cognac from Otard ) but a new brand of rum. And even more precisely a new distillery located within the Habitation du Simon. Launched via a well-polished advertising campaign on social networks a few months ago, it plays on a luxurious (and therefore very expensive) production, by offering "extraordinary rums" (and therefore very expensive), resulting from "excellent know-how" (and which, normally, is acquired), even though it has not yet produced anything. Presumptuous? Yes, and even pompous if you ask me; Or how to sell know-how without having proven itself. But if the result is there, we will probably forget the cavalier manners and arrogance of the bait.

The upcoming whites will undoubtedly be very interesting to follow (and the old ones that will follow), since the new brand is already talking about slow fermentation, the use of "unique" yeasts (and which we imagine were specially designed for them) and distillation in a Charentais still coupled with a 7-plate copper column; initially sold as "unique in the Antilles", it should be remembered that this type of repasse still already exists, whether in the Lesser or Greater Antilles (notably at Saint-James or Rhum Rhum in Marie-Galante).

While waiting to discover possible "extraordinary rums", A1710 has chosen to go back in time and already offers blends of old rums, which of course come from other colleagues from whom the owner has selected "certain great molasses vintages from the best agricultural productions of Martinique and Guadeloupe" . These rums are then put back into aging at the Habitation du Simon in 300-liter French oak barrels (ex Cognac barrels) for an "indefinite period" before being blended in oak tuns (ex Cognac here too) and refined for 6 months. There are currently 3, here are the notes.

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A1710 Soleil de Minuit / 46,4°

This is a blend of 6 rums aged between 8 and 11 years, "selected for the finesse and sweetness of their aromatic profile" . 1300 bottles.

The color is amber tending towards bronze; very bright and oily, it offers a reassuring disc on the surface, and a ballet of tears that flow gracefully towards a reassuring abyss.

On the nose, we are clearly in Guadeloupe and on a molasses rum (Montebello? Damoiseau?), with a profile between candied and empyreumatic notes that is more reminiscent of Montebello: heavy notes of licorice, tar, olive (green), but also stewed fruit (grape, fig, prune) with a dash of molasses (burnt sugar) that gives it a deliciousness. We also find herbs with a more refreshing profile and even a certain assumed minerality (earth, oil). The rest makes the rum a little heavier but all the while giving it a gourmet and chocolatey structure. A versatile and multi-directional nose, on which we can easily stay for a long time.

On the palate, the attack is rich and enveloping, oriented towards woody notes of licorice, phenolic and spicy (cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper), rounded off by fruitier and sweeter notes (raisins, dried banana). All in concentration and richness, the sweet/salty/tangy trio gives a nice hold and makes you salivate despite an insistent alcohol, and corresponds in every way to the impressions already given by the nose. The finish is long, warm on licorice (spicy), a slightly burnt woodiness and some herbs, tobacco.

This is probably a candy rum that surely draws its sources from Guadeloupe, with similarities with Montebello (after cross-comparison) but therefore no surprise in the end; Everything is well balanced but a rum like Montebello 6 years will not have to blush in front of this one (especially in the mouth). Unfortunately the price is much too high considering the quality and the similarities with other rums that are 4 to 5 times cheaper. The second phase of aging has surely brought more roundness, more shapes, but not enough to justify the prohibitive price. Note: 83

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A1710 Tricentenaire / 43,9°

A blend of 5 rums aged 6 to 17 years that will produce 1000 bottles. We'll spare you the fact that it's bottled "by hand in its precious bottle, at the Domaine, before being numbered by the Cellar Master, Anne-Claire Gluard" , that won't change the taste a priori. In terms of density, it's the only one of the three to be measured below the displayed degree: at 42.67 (i.e. a possible addition of 5.6g/L, of sugar?).

The color is amber with copper highlights, oily with an even more imposing disk than the first rum, and with even wider and heavier legs.

On the nose, we are on a lighter and more seductive profile, more perfumed but not dazzling for all that, harmoniously mixing exotic fruits (mango, dried apricot) and sweet and warm spices (cinnamon in force, ginger), and a very fine (and dry) woodiness, pulling on tobacco. Seductive, with a nose that evolves towards more concentration, on chocolate (à la Reimonenq) between pure juice rum and molasses rum but without revealing much more, as if stagnant. The rest will not bring anything more, except perhaps some (black) liquorice and will confirm our idea. A gourmet rum but as if sauced (Reimonenq?).

On the palate, the attack is slightly oily, concentrated on the woody (black liquorice) and a bit astringent, slightly acidic. We find the fruits (in the form of fruit paste), spices and wood, and even tobacco; Well balanced and concentrated, we remain faithful to the nose but we will not get more for our money. A rum that does not dare but does the job, not really clearly better than another but pleasant in the end. The finish is not very long, with dry notes of tobacco and liquorice that will persist; could it be a pure molasses juice blend? the impression of being between the two worlds, but more on the Guadeloupe side all the same. Always simple and without that little something that would make the difference.

A much more classic, simpler rum, which does its job but without impressing. We would like more pep, more of everything, and especially a length worthy of the name. Note: 80

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A1710 Nuée Ardente / 44,7°

For this 3rd vintage, A1710 has assembled 7 rums aged from 9 to 17 years. The most limited with 700 copies and also the most expensive (count €269 for a Nuée Ardente).

Deep amber color, tending towards a pretty bronze, oily, with very wide legs quickly absorbed by the bottom.

On the nose, the rum appears concentrated, once again on candied and dried fruits: apricot, but also darker fruits: prunes, cherry; it is thick and captivating, on vinous and mentholated notes, very pleasant and interesting. There is still this liquorice that seems not to leave A1710, and a rather dry and incisive woodiness. Another pure juice and molasses blend? Concentrated on these notes, but not very evolving in the long term, it nevertheless knows how to remain concentrated and rich. We take pleasure in it and that is the main thing… The official tasting note speaks of a balsamic nose, which I do not find (or at least not with my personal notion of balsamic); I find more deep notes of black fruits (prunes) thick and as if vinous, but without going towards a sticky nose reminding me of balsamic.

On the palate, the rum is very concentrated, melted, mixing wood and spices, in a well-balanced and above all lively and even invigorating whole. A rum with relief, complex and very pleasant. Reminiscent of candied and melted fruits (black), apricot, exoticism and warm spices; a little blond tobacco which brings bitterness, and always these vinous notes which catch the palate and which give an additional dimension to the mouth. It evolves in a complexity which makes the interpretation of the aromas more difficult, and once we arrive there, we can decently speak of complexity and rum which is out of the ordinary. The finish offers a beautiful length in which the delicacy of the notes of candied fruits is fully expressed, melted in an effectively spicy woodiness. Beautiful mastery.

A beautiful and good rum, very well mastered but for the price we are still very far from the extraordinary rum. The best of the 3. Note: 86

These selections from A1710 actually show what others are already doing, but for a much higher price; from there, we can ask ourselves the question of the very interest of putting so much money into a rum that we could qualify as a "substitution". Not to mention that we are being sold a know-how that has not yet proven itself, and which still has a lot to do precisely (and which we will follow with interest).

We will therefore be waiting with great impatience for the first creations of A1710, to be able to judge "on the spot", because for the moment it is like rereading an old book re-edited with yet another cover: the content does not change, just the form.

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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