Barrel & Climate

How old is a Depaz Rhum XO? At least six years. The designation XO—as well as "Grande Réserve," which one Depaz rhum carries—is tied under the AOC Martinique to six years of uninterrupted aging in oak barrels.

The tiers below it are VO, at three years, and VSOP, at four. All three fall under the designation "vieux," which requires barrels smaller than 650 liters and bottling on Martinique. A rum labeled "élevé sous bois" has spent at least twelve months in oak, but carries no specific age statement. At this tier, barrel size isn't restricted, which is why many houses use large wooden vessels called foudres, offering less wood contact per liter.

Within the EU, any age statement refers to the youngest component in a blend. An XO therefore contains nothing younger than the stated age, even if older barrels are blended in. Color, on the other hand, reveals nothing: amber hues can come from six years in oak, or from a touch of caramel coloring.

The tropical climate works faster than Scotland's. In warm warehouses, evaporation losses run many times higher than in Scotland—often around eight percent a year—and the rum matures correspondingly faster. The oft-cited formula "one tropical year equals three years in Europe" is a marketing claim, not a calculation.

Neisson showcases the range: a 21-year-old rhum, bottled at 49.8% ABV, and a "Straight from the Barrel" expression at full cask strength, 56.5% ABV. A vintage year may only appear on the label if the rhum has aged at least six years in the barrel.