No, tonight we're not just drinking oldies, rest assured, because we'll be talking (also) about ambers and even vintages. Nothing very young you might say, but nothing too worn out either, and just rum (although). On the La Mauny side, we've already tasted the Cuvée Nouveau Monde , an ageless blend (welcome to the wonderful world of NAS / No Age Satement), as well as the Millésime 1979 , an old rum and therefore at least 3 years old.

Here we will focus on 3 ambers, a curiosity, the classic range (VO, VSOP, XO), an old 7 year old, and finally a 98 vintage. And since old is not the panacea, we will add two white rums from another time. Before that, we take out the glasses and the pipe for a little historical refresher.

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La Mauny | the story

The name La Mauny comes from a count, Joseph Ferdinand Poulain (Count of Mauny), born in Normandy and who landed in Martinique in…1749 (a year often mentioned on bottlings). Although the La Mauny estate was a sugar refinery for a very long time (where a little guildive/tafia was also made), it changed owners several times, notably in 1883 when the property was bought - it is said - at a high price by the Codé family. And it was only in 1890 that a modern distillery (for the time) was built and that rum production really began (as the main activity) with the Lapiquonne family. Then, in 1923, the business was sold to the brothers Théodore and Georges Bellonie who decided to modernize the distillery and the plantation (and replaced the old pot still with a first Creole column) and made La Mauny rum known on the Martinique market.

Production increased and the distillery remained in operation until 1970. The successors and members of the Bellonie family then decided to join forces with the Bourdillon house from Marseille: the company then became "les Anciens Établissements Bellonie, Bourdillonhéritiers, La Mauny" (a mention on the labels of the time which allows old bottlings to be dated). From this union, Jean Pierre Bourdillon undertook to modernize the distillery and the company took on a new impetus. It was also on his initiative that the long process began which would lead much later (1996) to the creation of the AOC Martinique.

Self-sufficient in cane until 1963, the plantations of the house were no longer enough and they then called on the planters of the neighborhood. The business even took on such a scale that in 1983 it was necessary to add a new, more efficient distillery. The rum then sold in Martinique was 62°, 55° and 50° for the white, and 45° when it was old (aged 3, 5 and 7 years). The latter, then little sold, was stored for 7 to 8 years in 1,500 American barrels, each with a capacity of 200 liters. At the beginning of the 80s, a new distillery was therefore installed with 3 distillation columns (including 2 columns from the old infrastructure).

The company's dynamism will also result in the takeover of Duquesne and Trois-Rivières rums (sold by Martini and Rossi in 1994). The Trois-Rivières distillery will close in 2003 and whose columns will be transferred to Rivière-Pilote. Purchased by Quartier Français in 2007, the BBS group was then bought in 2011 by La Martiniquaise, which in turn sold it, in 2012, to the Chevrillon group.

La Mauny | production side

Some key dates…
– In 1929, modernization and installation of a Creole column in place of a pot still (“Père Labat” type system)

– In 1984 construction of the new distillery with 3 columns, 2 of which came from the old infrastructure.

Today, fermentation (made from saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts selected in the distillery) takes place in 3 mother vats that are used to inseminate 24 vats of 45,000 liters and lasts 24 hours. The wine obtained is the same for the three brands (La Mauny, Duquesne, Trois Rivières) produced on site; it is the distillation (distinct according to the brand) that will make a difference: La Mauny is distilled in two Maresté columns, built in 1984 and 1996, and in a more modern Interunion column with 26 trays dating from 2004 and capable of producing 1000 liters/hour, i.e. double the Maresté columns. The distilled rum is 70° at 300g/hl of non-alcoholic elements. The rum is aged at La Mauny in French oak barrels (and in Bourbon barrels for Trois Rivières).

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La Mauny blanc Supérieur / 50°

A white probably from the 60s/70s, 50% alcohol, and therefore a white distilled in the old distillery before 1984? more than likely; from another column? also possible.

Clear and rather oily dress, crown of droplets drawing beautiful plump legs.
On the nose, it is very fresh and vegetal, on a swollen and aniseed cane, between sweet sweetness and trade wind freshness. The rum becomes floral and with rest takes on a little weight, heaviness on the vegetal, and spices (white pepper). The alcohol is well integrated and the nose pleasant even if somewhat closed.

The attack is honeyed and incisive, intense on a plant that is still fresh and now spicy, peppery and slightly spicy. The anise explodes in the mouth and responds everywhere in the mouth, reinforcing the impression of freshness, giving it mentholated impulses but always in a sweet atmosphere. The pepper and spices structure the mouth that seems endless (on the anise, the fresh liquorice), conquering.

The 50° serves the whole wonderfully, giving this white a conquering, aniseed and peppery presence of the most beautiful effect. Note: 83

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La Mauny Blanc Supérieur / 50°

The same but from the 70s/80s still at 50%, still with the same probabilities (if anyone educated is passing by, let them come forward).

Crystalline, oily dress and legs just as delicious as the previous white.
On the nose, we are on a much fruitier, rounder and more delicious white rum: we have banana and lychee which support an opulent and mature cane, filled with sugar.

The palate is concentrated, oily and very well balanced: notes of exotic fruits, anise and cane blend together in a melted whole enhanced by peppery spices that seem to highlight everything. A sweetness serves the whole, almost resinous in a white almost chewy. The finish is very long and tasty, balanced and even complex.

Superb white, very well balanced and expertly concentrated. A mouth-watering rum par excellence. Rating: 86

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Now let’s move on to amber rums…

And there are quite a few at La Mauny, starting with the 'La Mauny 1749': presented in the form of an old bottle, it is a classic amber (formerly called golden rum); then we find a 'Maison La Mauny Ambré', which is in some way the continuation of the 1749 but after a reworking of the brand (La Mauny becomes Maison La Mauny) and a new container; and finally, a 'Maison La Mauny 1749 Héritage' which is still an amber, which takes the date of the first product, but which is this time finished in a Port cask (and yes, we even do finishes on amber rums, this world is full of surprises...). Enough to get lost with these 1749s everywhere, but let's quickly move on to the tasting shall we.

La Mauny 1749 ambré / 40°

“1749” amber rum, not to be confused with the “1749 Héritage” which we will see below and released much later.

Golden and oily dress with wide legs, rather imposing for an amber rum.
On the nose, the rum appears soft and sweet, round and dominated by warm spices: ginger, cinnamon, followed by a fine and dry woodiness. Notes of sugar dominate, dried fruits (dried pineapple), and orange. It is simple, warm and sweet with a little freshness (zest). Rather pleasant for an amber rum, boring but not too much. We come out of the very interesting white before getting to the heart of the matter, an in-between without much apparent complexity but which does the job.

On the palate, the attack is soft, on a mixture of oak (wet wood), spices and sugar (caramel), vanilla and exotic dried fruits (citrus zest). It evolves on the wood and spices which now become peppery; the longer the rum stays in the mouth, the more it plays with spices, but always in harmony. The finish is average on the youth of the wood, frank, incisive, always between two and on the fruity. Dry at the very end of the mouth on notes of alcohol.

A rum that will quickly show its limits when tasted pure, but that is not its initial goal. Note: 76

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Maison La Mauny ambré / 40°

The 'same' as above but with a new name, and a new bottle. He loses the year 1749, but will find it again below when it comes to 'inheritance'.

The color is amber, bright and oily; the legs are still wide and the impression of fat more present than the previous rum.
On the nose, the rum appears clearly sweeter (cooked sugar), heavy and as if fat, with a lot of dried fruit (raisin, plum), quince paste, and nutmeg for spices. The atmosphere seems much heavier and loaded with sugar (fruit pastes) and sweetness for an amber 2.0 which seems to want to flatter above all, more gourmand and vanilla, caramelized.

The palate is also very different, fatter, honeyed and sweet. It is really very sweet, on caramelized and vanilla dried fruits, a fine wood drowned in sugar, spices that bring a light hold and become peppery (hint of chili). The finish is rather short, dry, mixing bitter and sweet notes.

A much rounder and more supple amber, which seems less authentic than the first (and blander), more overdone and less well worked (and complex). Note 73

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Maison La Mauny Héritage 1749 / 40°

Still an amber, but this time with a Porto finish (more precisely an amber "transferred for several months in oak barrels used for the aging of Ruby Port wine" ). Why talk about Heritage when the rum is no longer 'just' amber, mystery. Why do a finish on an 18-month-old rum? mystery again.

The color is a strong amber, with light coppery reflections. Fat, the legs stick to the walls.
On the nose, roundness and jam, fruit paste and crystallized sugar. We find black fruits, prune at the top, dried fruits and caramel; it is clearly less vanilla and woody than a simple amber, the finish erasing the rough aspects against more jammy and sticky notes, removing a lot of its kinship with rum. We already know the devastating effects of finishes on older rums, La Mauny (La Maison La Mauny sorry) shows us that it is even worse on an amber.

On the palate, it is creamy, fatty and sweet. Woody, caramelized and sweet, with a lot of dried fruits, honey, jam, spices, fruit paste; it is soft, smooth and very easy, but it lacks pep, rum, for an average finish, always sweet and drying, spicy, but with an interesting hint of freshness.

An amber of the third type, which with this passage in Porto lightning is inevitably marked with notes of cooked fruits; far from being unpleasant in the end, and surely an intermediary with sweet rums, but no longer very rum or amber in the end. Already the rum only lasts 18 months, so with a finish… If you like finishes, you might as well take a rum that will have had time to become one (that is to say with more than 18 months of aging). Note: 75

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Maison La Mauny Signature / 40°

An old rum (so at least 3 years old) straight out of the cellar master's head. We simply know (you're going to tell me that's already something, even if we would like to know more) that it is a blend of rums aged in 4 different types of barrels: finishes in Port and Moscatel barrels and aging in Bourbon and Cognac barrels. Yet another experiment that pushes the boundaries of rum.

Amber color, rather oily, like the amber Héritage 1749 (are you following?).
On the nose, it's a bit of a repeat, in the sense that we move away from rum for a slightly crazy nose, which surely takes up the different 'refinings' but which will tend to confuse the informed amateur. An experiment? surely; a success? maybe not. We are in a mix of notes of grapes, red and black fruits, sometimes sweet sometimes caramelized, and always vanilla. Nothing that blends harmoniously, but it is an experience, possibly. There are quite a few fruits, and from different families, from the orchard and the sun, disconcerting. The Cellar Master surely had fun, but as a rum lover I would prefer rum. I am definitely not the right target. The official note (yes, I was being curious) speaks of "complexity" on the nose.

On the palate, it is rich, rather fat, and to echo the official note "unique" and "original" with fruits in all their stages of development: from the small dried fruit to the large compote, including the one with brandy and the one macerated for too long. In short, we are moving away from rum even more, but why do it in the end? drown a deficient basic product or really look for the difference? It makes you wonder. We sometimes have the impression of having white wine in the mouth, maybe even port and I don't know what else. At least the mouth is concentrated, rich and rather pleasant. The finish is long and just as "unique" and "original".

A little cautious about this tasting. As a rum lover, and not used to other alcohols, I honestly don't know where to place this product. It completely detaches itself from the standards, getting lost in too many things, without focusing on a "solid" base and a certain identity. It remains pleasant, but far too complicated. Note: no idea, I'm used to rating rums, not anything else (sorry).

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La Mauny VO / 40°

A 3 year old rum, bottled at a classic 40°, and still in the form of an old bottling.

A beautiful bright amber color with golden highlights, oily and delicious.
On the nose, we get light notes of amber for more hold, woody and peppery notes, but all while keeping a warm atmosphere of cooked sugar. A few exotic notes make their way through, but the dominant is and will remain woody and spicy.

On the palate, the attack is soft and warm, with spicy and vanilla wood, cooked fruit and some caramel notes; the vegetal side of the rum is still very present (grass) and brings a nice structure to the whole. The cooked fruits and spices blend harmoniously, towards a fairly long finish, with vanilla wood and slightly peppery spices that persist.

After the 1749 amber rum (same style of bottle as this VO), we note a nice evolution with aging, more complexity and structure; good news for the future and for the VSOP. Note: 82

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La Mauny VSOP / 40°

We get to the heart of the matter, a blend of rums aged 4 to 10 years, already more evolved, and without a finish.

Oily amber/copper color with -very- thick legs.
On the nose, it is very exotic and rather fresh, on sliced ​​pineapple, cinnamon and an advanced caramel; very expressive (especially compared to ambers). We are always in this round and even slightly creamy atmosphere, pastry. A metallic note cuts through, but the sweet exotic fruit dominates, in a fresh and pleasant atmosphere, and even dark with rest. Simple and pretty, very well executed.

On the palate, the attack is soft, warm and concentrated; it very skillfully mixes sweet/caramelized exoticism, spices and phenolic notes in a full and rich and melted mouth, at the same time fruity, spicy and refreshing. A very beautiful VSOP which evolves with complexity on the palate. It would lack more degrees to appreciate its subtleties even more, but for 40° it already does extremely well! The finish is average, too short even in view of what it has given so far, and that is perhaps the most unfortunate thing.

A very seductive, ample and rich VSOP with which one does not get bored; and which would shine even more with a few more degrees, especially to support a finish that is far too short. Note: 84

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La Mauny XO / 40°

A “very old” rum of 6 years and more, this is the old XO, and therefore (an) old bottle.

The color of this XO is a deep amber tending towards bronze, oily and always with those greedy legs.

On the nose, we go up another notch compared to the VSOP: concentrated and more complex, still seductive, elegant. We are on candied, caramelized and pastry fruits, with a smoky atmosphere (brown tobacco) which brings seriousness and gravity to the moment. The oak is fine and we are well above the glass and we could stay there for a very long time. Everything is well balanced, precisely dosed, with even a seductive floral touch.

On the palate, the attack is full of richness but always with class and elegance, seriousness; always on the candied fruit, accompanied by a very well-controlled oak, spices (nutmeg) drawn to the cord. It is stewed and very rightly woody and subtle. The finish is long and in perfect harmony with the rest, uniform, consistent and in a melted, spicy and peppery whole.

A very pleasant XO, which may suffer from competition but which beautifully combines the candied and classy notes of a fine woody note. The VSOP was already successful, this XO is in continuity, with a very beautiful aromatic complexity. And once again we can only regret the degree. Note: 86

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La Mauny 7 ans d’âge / 45°

Almost an XO, but from the 80s and displaying a proud “7 years old”, and at 45° (well, hurray)!

Change of scenery, the 7-year-old dress is mahogany tending towards Ruby, fat with thick legs and much less pressed than the present (but much stickier).
On the nose, it is concentrated jammy and caramelized to the power of 10, with an almost sticky nose. We are also on caramelized dried fruits: raisins, prunes; toasted notes, oak, and an opulent steamed vegetal side. Far from being unpleasant, it is just very different, and much more focused on dark notes full of liquorice.

On the palate, after this little old taste (tending towards cardboard oak), it is caramelized on the dried fruits, and quite liquorice in general. We are far from today's agricultural rum, and more vegetal, we are here on a rather classy liquorice, grilled spices and a dark but imposing caramel (and not sickening in the end, just 'imposing'). The finish is moderately long, dark, on the prune and a smoked liquorice which will remain there for a long time, lined and almost impregnated.

Measured at 35% instead of the 45 displayed, we do not know if this comes from a possible sweetening (caramel? molasses?) or from a conservation which would have more or less disemboweled the rum. The color leaves less room for doubt, but will not invalidate anything more than suppositions. In any case, it is a completely different side of La Mauny which is revealed here, less agricultural and more molasses. Note: 83

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La Mauny 1998 / 42°

A vintage rum but without any mention of age. There is an older version of the same vintage (in a different container). But is it the same rum? (Laurent gives us the beginning of an answer on his blog )

The color of this 1998 is a deep amber tending towards bronze, bright and oily. The tears are thick, nonchalant and classy.
On the nose, the rum appears fruity, on a fragrant apple compote lightly sprinkled with cinnamon, coupled with a vegetal and almost mentholated freshness. Mainly orchard fruits, delicately spiced and bathed in a mixture of herbs (hay, cane).
With rest, the rum gains in complexity, with notes of liquorice, blond tobacco, cocoa and an intoxicating floral touch (flower in bloom, fragrant) and more exotic (ripe banana). We oscillate between old and serious rum and perfumed rum with a floral allure, always with an exquisite freshness and an opulent youth.

On the palate, the attack is concentrated and even intense but very smooth: on a mixture of tangy and fresh notes (citrus, resin), spicy (pepper), and once again fruity, with the orchard in the spotlight: apricot, peach, pear. The rum is also mineral and we travel between intensity and suavity. Very fresh on the palate, always minty, deliciously fruity. The finish is not the most complex, but will prove persistent over time, mixing freshness and spicy, woody and fruity notes. It will stay for a long time and in a very beautiful way.

A vintage that appears quite young but very interesting and versatile, more fruity and airy than the xo which appears much darker and simpler (and sweeter). A very beautiful vintage, certainly, pleasant from start to finish, and very well made. Note: 88

The few rums tasted above range from passable to excellent, with especially a very good VSOP and XO (old bottling), not to mention the very attractive 1998 vintage. For the rest, it will be more a matter of experience and 'play': some will appreciate the playful side of tasting, with experiences that go far beyond the realm of rum, including in amber rums.

Why not, even if it doesn't bode well for the rum and authenticity lover, especially when you know that even Trois Rivières, although more serious, is also launching into the finish adventure with a, hold on tight, "Trois Rivière ambré finish whisky fût single malt". So, shortage of old? Real experiment? Or jam for pigs? The bets are on... We will nevertheless comfort ourselves with a La Mauny 2005 released jointly with the Confrérie du Rhum, which looks full of promise following these tastings.

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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