Clairin Sajous Rhum Blanc

On the nose I get banana taffy, over-ripe mango and papaya, orange zest, burnt sage, black tea and a hint of clove. The mouthfeel is heavy and hot. On the palate, I get notes of mango, watermelon, pineapple nectar, sage, grated ginger, black tea, burnt cinnamon stick, and white pepper. The palate is long and warming, led by the tropical fruit that leads to the peppery conclusion.

The nose starts with a mix of guava, sunscreen lotion, moderate hogo funk and rubber tire mulch then sweet florals, wet clay soil and freshly cut grass followed by overripe mango, banana purée and strawberry syrup that transitions to ginger root and fried yucca with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium and creamy mouthfeel starting with a mix of guava, sunscreen lotion, black pepper, moderate hogo funk and burnt rubber before a moderate bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to sweet florals, wet clay soil and freshly cut grass followed by passion fruit, green banana and strawberry yogurt that transitions to ginger root, anise and fried yucca with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with caramelized bananas, passion fruit, moderate hogo funk, burnt rubber, toasted coconut, anise and fried yucca. This is a wild ride of a spirit that is not for the faint of heart as the flavors are bold and intense that quickly varies between sweet, sour, salty, and bitter starting with a captivating nose where those flavors mingle together in a complex and perfect balance that carries over to the palate but the flavors are overwhelmed by a moderate spice bitter spice that throws off the balance before fading and finishing long with that strange mix of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter working harmoniously together. At a price of around $50, this is a spirit I’d recommend for anyone to try as it might not be enjoyed by everyone but is certainly a complex and interesting experience that no one will likely forget. Thanks @PBMichiganWolverine for the generous sample as I doubt I ever would have tried this otherwise.

Un sapore unico e ricco, profumo di erba, olive e retrogusto dì cuoio.

It’s funny how we as Americans are so only knowledgeable about predominantly western spirits. We know about wine, whiskey, beer…but there’s a whole other unexplored spirit range ( at least for us western culture folks). Take for example baiju ( which is consumed more than any other spirit ), sake, or this…clairin. No, it’s not rum. It’s as far from rum as Scottish whisky is from bourbon. This was gifted by my niece, who just completed a semester of surgical training in Haiti. This is the expensive, meant for westerners, version of their local spirit that’s distilled by small back alley distillers. The local version is about $1.50/ bottle. But this is close to 50x of that…more meant for US. Apparently, in Haiti , the local version is considered as working class, and used traditionally for voodoo ceremonies. It’s distilled from sugar cane , but that’s where any similarity to rum ends. This is more grassy, herbal, and earthy. I don’t get any sweetness at all actually. Have this with a cube of ice on a hot day, and you’re treated with flavors of minerals, grassy earth, and refreshing lemons. Truly unique. I totally get it that I got the westernized white-washed version as the intro one, but it now makes me wonder what a local only would taste like. I can’t help but wonder the local only one would be like that local only mezcal I had in Oaxaca—- just flavors and complexity that’s not available from on-shelf-main stream mezcal. ( @Richard-ModernDrinking , @pkingmartin , @ctbeck11 ——I included this for the June tasting…courtesy from a 25 yr old surgical resident’s rotation in Haiti)