Many would remember Neisson’s XO Full Proof to be a rather exquisite tasting rhum, and relative rarity back when most Neisson rhums were bottled with a slight dilution. Yet a number of years have passed since the third edition was released, and for those of us who still reminisce of the series, you can be heartened to know that a successor of sorts, L’Empyreumatique, had been released in 2025 along with La Maison du Whisky’s Itineraries Collection.

With a name inspired by the Greek word empyreuma, which conjures images of warmth and glowing coal embers, L’Empyreumatique stands as a Martinican rhum agricole, an AOC-certified spirit crafted from sugarcane juice. This rhum has been aged for a period of eight years, resting in both ex-bourbon and ex-cognac casks. It is then meticulously blended and bottled at a robust cask strength of 50.8% abv, with a limited production of 2,000 bottles. For the discerning collectors, Neisson offers several bottles of L’Empyreumatique in a 3L jeroboam format, painted entirely by hand by Martinican artist Carole Aurore, though these are likely to be available solely through direct purchase from the distillery.

On the nose, the rhum exuded a sweet, almost hibiscus-like aroma, accompanied by bright, zesty grapefruits. Despite its eight years of tropical maturation, the rhum retained a youthful vibrancy, carrying subtle notes of eucalyptus, before its intensity gradually emerged, introducing elements of nuttiness and savoury undertones, even a delicate hint of iodine, and concluding on a relatively sweet note that intriguingly evoked freshly made crepes drizzled in caramel, rich with vanilla and browned toffee nuances.

The palate presented itself as a delightful surprise, portraying a gentle nature with a soft and flowing sweetness reminiscent of cane juice, qualities that do not immediately align with the connotations of its name. It was deliciously nutty, with hints of praline and caramel, and further enlivened by the more vibrant notes of citrus oranges. This was succeeded by the sweetness of dried hawthorn flakes, before transitioning into a complex and prolonged finish, interweaving notes of fresh eucalyptus, milk chocolates, and sarsaparilla.

The L’Empyreumatique stands as a commendable successor to the Full Proof XO, reflecting its richness and complexity, while encapsulating some of Neisson’s finest attributes at a relatively modest price. Thank you to The Rum Cartel for providing us with an early glimpse of this rhum prior to its official debut!

Your occasional rum addict!

@weixiang_liu