(Image Source: Depaz)

Depaz is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a commemorative cuvee bottling of 10 selected barrels housed in the reserves of Depaz Castle. They feature a blend of rums aged 6 to 11 years old from the vintages 2011, 2013 and 2016. A total of 1,400 bottles of the limited tribute expression will be released.

Sitting on the Depaz Castle's backdrop is Mount Pelee. (Image Source: Otantik Trip)

Depaz Distillery sits on a sugar plantation in Martinique, established in 1651. At one point, Saint Pierre, where Depaz Distillery is located, was the world's largest rum port. However, in 1902, a massive volcanic eruption of Mount Pelee resulted in the destruction of much of Saint Pierre's sugar plantations. Only one member of the Depaz family survived - Victor Depaz, who was at the time studying in France. He eventually returned to rebuild his family's homestead as the Depaz Castle, in 1922, which commemorates its 100th anniversary in 2022.

(Image Source: Depaz)

Official Tasting Note

The nose plunges into a bed of light oak and supple leather. Full of relief, it develops into notes of fruit jelly, guava jelly and milk jam. Freshness takes over, carried by a zest of candied yuzu, and powdery notes of tonka beans and cinnamon.

On the palate, this rum is resolutely assertive: mature, the wood impregnates the taste buds with a fine film of melted tannins with notes of tropical fruits, such as Péyi apricot, star fruit, banana.

The finish is delicately floral, with notes of honey, beeswax and blond tobacco.

Separately, the Martinique distillery will also soon be releasing a 2010 vintage expression. This comes from a blend of 11 American Oak barrels, which were aged for more than 10 years and subsequently finished for 18 to 24 months in French Oak barrels.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot