Clément Première Canne Rhum Blanc Agricole

Rating: 13/23 N: Lots of funk. That usual squash smell is right up front. There's also an odd bit of tar leading into some bitter herbal notes. A slightly vegetal sweetness comes out, but not with a rotting smell to it. Perhaps more like squash blossom than actual squash. Mainly that squash and tar. Not the most complex nose, but it's pretty solid. Hints of carrots P: Sweet, sugary water with a tarry funk and peppery spice. It isn't harsh, but I also don't really get any particular pepper flavor. Maybe one that's just a tad savory. A little bit of light caramel that I'd swear has a touch of corn to it. The squash takes until my second sip to come out, but then it replaces the corn and is much bolder. A bit of paper deep in the back and maybe a faint vanilla note. The palate is perhaps a bit viscous for 40% ABV, but it sure doesn't taste high proof. Still, it does burn quite a bit despite being otherwise quite mellow. The flavors don't really stand out a ton. F: Lingering peppery burn with a bit more vegetal side of the squash. Hints of tar. - Conclusion - This is a totally solid rhum agricole. It kind of hits all of the notes, but there's nothing exciting here and it's a little muddled. Plantation 3 Stars (11/23) is sweeter and richer with not really less complexity than this has. The Plantation tastes less natural, whereas this has all of that squash and such, but I wouldn't say that the Plantation is worse. It's fairly close, but of the two, I'd likely take the Plantation. Probitas (11/23) is likewise much richer and bolder than this. The Probitas isn't as sweet as the Plantation though and it has more spice and bitter funk. This, in contrast, is more nuanced and balanced. I would take this. As a bit of a sanity check, I pulled out Sierra Norte Red Corn (15/23). My palate seems a little off, but not much. This certainly isn't on the same level as the Sierra Norte. Looping back around to the Plantation, it's apparent to me that the Plantation is better than the Probitas, but I'm starting to favor this over the Plantation. I'm now thinking that this will be a 12 or 13. This has the makings of a good rhum agricole, but it's too low proof with too much burn. Buffalo Trace White Dog Mash #1 (11/23) goes too high proof though and despite being fuller of flavor is brasher and less balanced. This is clearly the superior dram. My opinion is reinforced that this is either a high 12 or a low 13. I'm going with a low 13. Thank you for the sample, @ctbeck11 .

Nose - apple juice, decaying grass, apricot, orange blossom, bile, vegetal and floral notes, mild ethanol burn. Taste - sour apple, acidic minerality, lemon pith, wet grass, apricot, mint, moderate alcohol bite, finishing short with sour apple, bitter citrus, and wet grass flavors. Another day, another regrettable rum purchase. Or in this case, rhum agricole. In my haste to stock a variety of rums to unlock various cocktails, I ended up with this loser. The nose has an unsweetened apple juice quality, along with some funky grass and fruit in the bouquet. The palate is quite surprising compared to the relatively demure nose. It’s strongly acidic, sour, vegetal, bitter, and minerally, almost metallic. Some of the fruits from the nose are present, but they’re overwhelmed by these other unpleasant flavors. I wonder if this tastes anything like biting into a mouthful of apple seeds? I bet it’s not far off. This is not good. Granted, it’s not intended to be a sipper. It would likely be more at home as a component in something like a Ti’ Punch, a classic rhum agricole cocktail I’ve yet to try. You live and learn, I suppose. Something like this will go firmly in my ‘try before I buy’ category moving forward.

Neat. Aroma is sweet, apple, citrus, floral, vegetal, a little funk, earthy softness. Taste is sugar cane sweetness, green grass and herbs, floral, a little black pepper and apple cider. Finish is sweet, but dry with some herbs and that interesting funk Overall pretty smooth, very interesting flavor profile that's totally unlike other rums. I can see how this could be a love it or hate it style for a sipper. It's more comparable to some of the more herbal tequilas than a more common style of rum. I see why this is popular with tiki drink as it adds a lot of complexity.