Clairin Ansyen 49 Months Vaval Single Cask #VA16CR-1 Ex-Caroni Rum (700ml)

Australian Exclusive.

Rum chasers on the hunt for hard-to-find libations will be excited to get their hands on Haitian “Clairin” (artisanal rhum). Like village Mezcal, these heirloom spirits have been produced by farmers, catering for their local communities before other markets. Almost unknown outside of Haiti where they're generally dismissed by the upper class as a peasant's drink, Clairins deliver the distinctive aromas and flavours of Agricole rum or Brazillian Cachaca – and more. Once you taste them, you'll realise other white rums aren't worth worrying about. 

Small craft distilleries known as 'guildives' are scattered throughout the country, often in the middle of the sugar cane fields. Villages like Cavaillon, Saint Michel De L'Attalaye and Barraderes each have their own version of Clairin emphasising their own 'terroir'. “The person with the most money in the neighborhood [often owns] the guildive, producing clairin with a donkey pressing the cane juice” explains Garcelle Menos, account manager for Boukman Clairin. “Most of the time, they’re a combination of column and pot stills, very small columns and very small pots.”

Un-hybridised sugar cane varieties with names like “Cristalline”, “Hawaii” and “Madam Meuze” are grown for their amazing intensity of flavour, despite being low yielding and so ignored by large-scale rum producers. Spontaneous fermentations are long, creating complex spirits, with every batch different from the last. Clairins are unaged, and unlike most rums which have no regulations regarding ‘flavour enhancements’, they have absolutely nothing added.

This rare, barrel-aged expression from the Vaval farm distillery is a landmark having been exclusively bottled for Australia (to our knowledge, the first of its kind). Distilled in 2016 by Fritz Vaval in Cavailon, 49 months in an ex-Caroni rum barrel has imbued a sublime secondary smokiness that sings alongside the natural intense, grassy and fruity flavours of the Clairin. Barreled on the 28th of May 2018 and bottled in June 2022, more than one taster has stated "It's hard to believe that's agricole!" 47.1% Alc./Vol.

Notes from the producers... Upon tasting, the vibrant aroma likely greets you first, where fresh, grassy notes of sugar cane blend seamlessly with the richer, deeper scents of oak and tropical fruits. The palate is likely to offer a delightful complexity, featuring a balance of earthy sweetness from the cane, intertwined with smoky whispers and spicy, oaky nuances. The finish is expected to be long and satisfying, leaving a warm impression that invites further sipping and contemplation.