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Rum Reviews

Clairin Casimir, 2016, Barradères Distillery, Barradères, Haiti, 48.3% ABV, La Maison & Velier

 

As you’ve probably begun to spot the trend, Clairin Casimir is produced by none other than Faubert Casimir, who took over the remote 50-hectare Barradères distillery not far from Port-au-Prince from his father Duncan in 1979.

Considered locally to be a real maestro of Clairin-making, he uses Hawaii White and Hawaii Red sugarcane which is crushed to produce sugarcane juice that is then, more peculiarly or perhaps surprisingly, mixed with lemongrass leaves, cinnamon, citronella and ginger to some batches for fermentation and subsequent distillation.

 

 (Image Source: The Whisky Exchange)

 

Color: Colorless.

 

The nose carries a richer, buttery texture of wild lavender, strawberry jam and something oddly specific of orange duck with plum sauce. (Image Source: Gardener's World, Recipe Critic, Spruce Eats) 

 

Nose: Ethanol, kerosene, but noticeably lighter this time. The nose is less pungent than the other Clairins with more base notes. It is grassy, freshly cut fields, but also more meadow-y, the aroma of wild flowers and honey.

There are jammy notes here, more specifically strawberry jam or cherry compote. There’s the funky hogo of overripen bananas often associated with Jamaican rums, as well as “orange duck with a side of plum sauce” as one writer I’ve seen put it. It is such a specific yet deja-vu note that there is no other way to put it. Generous spreads of herbed butter as well.

 

The nose and palate carry a very noticeable herbed butter quality. (Image Source: Cookido)

 

The nose on the Clairin Casimir is the most muted of the lot despite the somewhat complexity.

 

It's quiet, quiet... bam! Fruits! Super ripe bananas, sweet mikan oranges, sour plum reduction. All manners of ripe fruit. (Image Source: King Arthur Baking, Wikipedia)

 

Palate: Initially most closely resembling melted clarified butter in both taste and texture, seemingly quiet. And then as if it were woken up, a burst of bright, ripened fruit! The exclamation denotes the sheer excitement as the bass dropped as if a band finally hammered the opening rift to their hit song. Loads of ripened banana, strawberries, mikan oranges, sweet and sour plum reduction coming forth.

 

Thinner more synthetic notes, yet pungent diesel and spice notes come through. (Image Source: The Week India, Freepik)

 

This is accompanied by brighter, brinier kerosene notes; cardamom pods, star anise and clove.

   

An incredibly delightful finish that I can best describe as a lychee cream cake. (Image Source: Miss Tam Chiak)

 

Finish: The sweetness is turned up several notches here. It is incredibly creamy and buttery, it is best described as a lychee cream cake. Exceptionally confectionary and delightful. Mid-length.

 

My Rating

🌟🍰

The most delightful finish really takes the *cake* here. Don't be fooled by the more muted nose. It really takes its time to arrive, but arrive it does! And what a reward! I absolutely enjoyed it.

 

Kanpai!

 

@111hotpot

 

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