Tasting

A Barbancourt Five Star first greets the nose with vanilla and orange peel, followed by dried fruit and a mild oak note. On the palate, it feels soft and rounded, the wood present but never pushy. For comparison, try the fifteen-year Estate Réserve, which turns even denser and calmer.

Clairin speaks a different language. According to descriptions from importer and trade press, Sajous smells of freshly cut sugarcane and grass, salt, and ripe fruit. Tasters describe Vaval in terms of sea air and beach sand. Casimir ranges from candied fruit all the way to truffle. That three distilleries sound so different comes down to cane, yeast, and terroir.

A nosing glass suits both styles well, a tulip-shaped glass that narrows toward the top and concentrates the aromas. In a wide tumbler, the alcohol in Clairin hits you immediately. Room temperature is fine; serving it cold closes off the aroma, and the glass should stand upright on the table while tasting.

Barbancourt at 43 percent needs no water, though a drop or two won't hurt if you prefer. Clairin at around 50 percent opens up with a few drops of water, revealing its layers more clearly. Neat or with water, both approaches are common, and tasting in small sips reveals more.

Order matters here: start with the Barbancourt, then move to the Clairin, never the reverse. The bold, unaged spirit would otherwise overpower the more delicate rum. Water and bread in between cleanse the palate before the Clairin arrives.