Reader's Rum Review: Depaz Blue cane juice rum

The third standard reference style: rum, er rhum, made directly from sugar cane juice or honey, rather than from molasses. To the Haitians and French... toast!
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How do you rate Depaz Blue cane juice rum (five is best)?

5
0
No votes
4
1
100%
3
0
No votes
2
0
No votes
1
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 1

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Uisge
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Reader's Rum Review: Depaz Blue cane juice rum

Post by Uisge »

Image

Handsome bottle and label that appears to be similar to a post card from Martinique. Pale gold color, similar to a Knappogue Castle Irish Single Malt, 1992 in particular, with just a shade more color.

The label lists at the bottom right "Amber rum/ALC 45% by vol/90 proof"; label on the back notes "Estate distilled by Depaz Distillery, St. Pierre, Martinique" and "Product of Martinique, F.W.I."

Initial nosing of the just opened bottle cork, and of the rhum in a whisky nosing glass I got at The Whisky Expo in SF many moons ago (it's not a Glencairn glass, but is taller and a bit larger bulb) finds that it is very similar to a joven tequila, an Agave-like note but without any smokiness, some ginger, sugar icing. No harshness from the alcohol, however.

After letting the rhum breathe in the glass for a half hour I tasted it, and did not notice a distinct lessening of the scents initially found. While there is a similarity to a young tequila, there is not the oiliness one associates with one.

Tasting notes (neat): following the nose, grassy, citrusy agave-like flavor, a hint of sugar and menthol, leading to a comfortable burn of pepper, and then a clean astringency, a whisper of salt after a few seconds.

With a splash of distilled water: not much of a change, although it is smoothed out a little more. Pepper explosion diminished, astringency lessened, too, a little hint of wood noted...popsicle stick or tongue depressor, glue.

That's my inexperienced experience, and I'm sticking to it!

If one knows and appreciates good tequila, one will "get" this rhum. Not one for those with a sweet-tooth, but good to have during the summer or warmer months with a Carolina style bbq.

Listed on the Shopper's Vineyard site is Paul Pacult's review, as follows:
''The compellingly complex and multi-layered bouquet includes fragrances of nutmeg, oak, wet grass, rubber pencil eraser, white pepper and carnations. The palate entry has flavors of herbs, caney sweetness and flower garden; the midpalate features elements of smoke, tobacco leaf, black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla bean, nut paste and honey. Stupendous.'' - Paul Pacult

:? How did I miss all THAT?

Now I didn't notice any smoke, and when I compared the nose off the cork of the rhum to a cork from a bottle of El Tesoro de Don Filipe Reposado tequila that I have (and have had for over a decade, it being half full), the difference was VERY apparent as I DID catch the scent of smoke with the tequila, but not the rhum.

So that's my subjective review.

And Cap'n, if you and yours cares for a sample, just let me know, I've got a cleaned and empty 375ml Drambuie bottle waiting to be re-used :wink:


*******
Capn's Log: thanks for your review, much appreciated as this interesting cane juice rum's attraction has not yet reached critical mass for us.
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Uisge
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Post by Uisge »

I forgot to mention that I received a 1 liter bottle....sweet! 8)
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Post by NCyankee »

I'm glad to see I am not the only one that thinks this rum is very Tequila-like.
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Capn Jimbo
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FWIW

Post by Capn Jimbo »

FWIW...

Pacult is a very meticulous taster, follows the same tasting process and timing every time. Same conditions, same glass, same time of day and ostensibly, same underwear. Here's my notes from his book...
Pacult summarized:


Sight: first, but not the most important, under bright lamp for 10-30 seconds, judging color, clarity, overall cleanliness (sediment?),
appealing? About 1 minute.

Nosing: about 50-60% of the score, accounts for 90% of taste, will not proceed if allergies or a cold, in three stages:
1. series of gentle sniffs direct after pour, mouth open, lip of glass just beneath nose, then sit for 3 minutes.
2. 5 min mark - deeper, longer inhalations
3. 10 min mark - final whiff for confirmation, 5 to 15 minutes total.
Return to nosing after tasting to double check or erase doubts.

Tasting: immediately following nosing
Small sip, let rest on tip of tongue (palate entry), should remind me of aroma, usually but not always in harmony.
1 min - larger sip, rest on tongue for 15 to 30 seconds (whole of tongue, the midpalate). This makes or breaks the taste.
Continued whole tongue tasting for perhaps 10 minutes (several tastings) to firm up rating.
Cask strength: add mineral water for another round of tasting.

Touch: mouthfeel, worth up to one star: oily, thin, syrupy, raw, biting, silky smooth?

Savor: did I enjoy it or not? Three questions: did I like it? If so, to what degree? If I don't like it, to what degree?

Total time: 20-30 minutes, and my method is purposefully rigid - this trains the tastebuds to work together.
Thirty minutes of airing might be pushing it, though I assume you nosed and tasted it along the way. Adding water is a funny thing - we start with literal drops, maybe three and proceed from there to find the sweet spot. Keep in mind the objective of adding water is not to dilute the spirit, but to release aromas and tastes via a process of combination.

The only cane juice listed at the website - and commonly available - is the "Depaz Blue" you've posted. The use of "blue cane" is not new to Depaz, but the marketing and storytelling of it is. Depaz also makes a blance and vieux, the latter reviewed by Dave Broom:
Dave Broom:

Color/Nose: light amber, lots of apple and dry grass and a hint of cane. Complex. Some black pepper, paprika and oak.

Palate: Fine, delicate and crisp.
Finish: This is where the soft sugar still lurks.
Conclusion: Very good balance.
Score: 3-1/2 stars.
You've pointed out two techniques worth noting: first, to avoid reading other reviews until after you've tasted a spirit, and second, to do a comparision tasting, in your case with a tequila. We recommend using a reference standard for each style of rum, in this case Barbancourt Five Star (Three star would do nearly as well). The Five Star shows what can be done with cane juice, the Three Star is more vegetal in the same way as tequila.

The ultimate goal, we think, is to develop your own reference standards, althouth the ones we chose represent broad consensus and are very, very hard to beat. Still it is personal taste.
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Uisge
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Post by Uisge »

Excellent information RE: F. Paul Pacult's regimen for tasting, Cap'n.

Was there a particular book by Pacult in which he mentions this?

I put the mark for the rhum at a 4, but admit that I have not tasted the Barbancourt 5 star as a reference, yet.
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