Dzama "unique terroir" Cuvée Blanche Prestige

Thanks to JaRiMi, one of the very few honest and rum knowledgable experts about - and an advocate of a Trinidadian style. The rum to cause this category: Scarlet Ibis.
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Terrior or additives?

Terrior
0
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additives
3
100%
 
Total votes: 3

mamajuana
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Dzama "unique terroir" Cuvée Blanche Prestige

Post by mamajuana »

I thought I would crack open a rather expensive bottle of white rum tonight after a harrowing month at work.

Tonight I cracked open the Dzama Cuvée Blanche Prestige.

This bottle comes in a rather expensive french square glass bottle.

Terrior is the explanation to this rum:
A unique terroir exists in Nosy Be that imparts aromatics and depth to the sugar cane and in turn the rums. The roots of the Ylang-Ylang vine and other aromatic plants such as vanilla, clove, citrus, pepper, and others entangle with those of the sugar cane. Ground water also transports the essential oils of these plants to the cane fields. The stocks of the sugar cane, being in effect a long column, pull water out of the ground which contains the oils emanating from the surrounding aromatic plants. Molasses made from this sugar cane will impart those flavor characteristics to the resulting rums. The volcanic soil of Nosy Be contributes essential mineral elements which, combined with the above influences of terroir, make the rums of this island impossible to duplicate elsewhere. The flavor profile of these rums have such a special aromatic and spice-laden quality that it actually takes you back for a minute.


The white rum is aged for 6+ months under the hot sun in Madagascar in ex-chivas regal barrels, the barrels are of Spanish, American, and French Oak, all are blended and said to add extra complexity to the resulting rum.

The nosing on this rum is very fruity mainly of intense citrus, lime, lemon, floral, with spice, very faint subdued alcohol. Very unique on this one.

The tasting is akin to the nosing here. I was taken back for more than a minute rather several hours. Intense citrus with forward lemon, mango, mandarins, pineapple, lime, banana in the mouth some slight spice is there like a fresh green pepper. The incredible citrus flavor remains in the finish with banana, which lasts quite long for a white rum. You can taste the flavor in your mouth for quite some time. The smoothness for a 6 month rum is incredible no bite no bitterness at all. This can be sipped straight without any wish to mix. However, the citrus flavor is nearly overpowering in this.

I read that the rum distiller washes the ex-chivas barrels prior to aging the rum with citrus laden water. The question here remains, is this terrior or additives from washing natural or otherwise? Should a rum with barrels washed with citrus laden water be considered and labeled as a flavored rum? Or is this the terrior as the company claims playing this massive effect on the rum?

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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

A tough call?


Maybe not. Natch, I can't speak personally but many of us here are very well acquainted with rum, enough so that we know what is possible with a pure and unadulterated rum, and what is not. Just on the face of your description, I'd say altered - after distillation in the barrels (probably due to the prep, ie adding a citrus wash to the distillate).

Of course I checked our complete list of sugars in this section for guidance, but Dzama wasn't listed, but even Dave Russell (who has a pretty good palate) reviewed a Dzama (a young Ambre) that he strongly felt should really be in the spiced/flavored category (it was not):
http://www.rumgallery.com/dzama-rum-amb ... noire.html

The subject of terroir was long ago discussed here:
http://rumproject.com/rumforum//viewtop ... ht=terroir

The bottom line - the consensus of experts - was that terroir is either not a factor (molasses-based), or a minimal one at best (cane juice), perhaps adding VERY subtle tones.

My bottom line: the citrus notes of this rum have been described by you and others as intense and lasting. That's alteration, pure and simple (pun intended)...
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Post by AK9 »

essential minerals /essential oils...
To me this sounds like a hand cream advertisement.
I really hate marketing..
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Post by mamajuana »

I have had a chance to discuss this with the importer of this rum a gentleman indeed. Make your own conclusions here I am posting this as a response from the importer.

Question posed by myself

"I read that the rum distiller washes the ex-chivas barrels prior to aging the rum with citrus laden water. The question here remains, is this terrior or additives from washing natural or otherwise? "


Answer: (Just part of our conversation)


Truncated quote
None could compare in complexity, finesse, and (as you say) inability to burn the throat ( and here I paraphrase). I haven't bothered much since to compare with other rums. There is no other sugar cane growing environment to my knowledge that can mirror what is found in Madagascar.

Response to question:
Getting back to the Prestige Cuvee Blanche. I am told by Franck Fohine, owner and master blender educated at Montpelier - France in oenology first, distillation second, that it is the Classique Cuvee Blanche alone that undergoes a citrus wash of its Scotch barrels from Chivas Brothers distillery. Unless, I misunderstood him, the Prestige Cuvee Blanche does not.

So how do we explain the still fairly prominent citrus flavors in the Prestige Blanche? I have now to frankly demur. Because all I know about that version at the gradation of product is what Franck told me in Madagascar, and has told to people such as the staff of Astor Wines and Liquors of Manhattan in my presence:

Take a batch of molasses then distill it and treat it with his specifically designated yeast, from an a cane field that has received more influence from citrus plantations surrounding its field of origin, and reduce it by evaporation in order to emphasize that citrus influence, then blend it with other batches according to the balance desired. The other "batches" used in the blending process will have come from areas where other aromatic plant plantations will also have had an effect (like cloves, Ylang-Ylang, peppers, vanilla, anis, wild pepper, etc.). And, presto - you have Cuvee Blanche Prestige, with still lots of citrus but accompanied by much more finesse, subtle complexity and length on the palate, etc. A grade up.

And so it goes for the others.

Franck tells me that there are no artificial, chemically synthesized, products of any kind in his rums. All natural.



The product does seem to have what he states as the inability to burn the throat. A very interesting rum I suggest anyone in rum give a drink and decide for themselves. This is really a one of a kind product in my tasting experience. I can personally give no definitive answers on this. I do plan to travel to Madagascar later this year and hope to come my conclusion.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Mama, can you do a rough sugar test on this one? If you note sugar then that might explain the "smoothness".
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