Greetings from tropical cleveland

[jnorris123]

I have enjoyed the Ministry of Rum for years and Ed's name always comes up when I visit my friends at Hi Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa. It seems you are there right before my visit each time.

I have over 150 rums in my collection but my main passion is for Rhum Agricole which constitutes over 2/3rds of my collection with about 110 types.

I look forward to discussing rum or rhum with members in the future in my pursuit of enjoying the fine spirit that is very misunderstood by the majority of people.

JN

[neatdrinker]

Hi JNORRIS,
I would love to see your list.
I also have about 150 Rums, but in the opposite proportion.
I only started to really appreciate the Agricoles over the past year, and most of my new aquisitions are Ag's. Love em', but the hunt for odd product
is even harder.
HiTime is where I ordered my fav so far- Chauffe Couer.

[jnorris123]

Neatdrinker,
Thanks for the reply. I'll need to get a list together as I have been lazy in that regard (too much rhum?) as soon as I can I'll forward it to you.

Hi Times is great as is Binny's in Chicago for internet purchases in the US. I also use The Whisky Exchange and Royal Mile Whisky in the UK as you can ship up to 6 bottles into the US. I also travel a lot globally and always bring some back. There is little agricole in the states but that is changing.

Rumworld in the Netherlands has an amazing assortment and will ship up to 3 bottles into the Us but they are very expensive; sometimes 40% more than the UK shops.

i enjoy Chauffe Couer as well and it is a great value, both the blanc and aged versions. I believe it is actually made by St. Etienne as the holding company is not a distiller.

I also enjoy molasses based rums and have some from all around the Caribbean basin so I am not simply an agricole snob but the differences are pronounced.

I'll soon send the list.

JN

[Edward Hamilton]

i enjoy Chauffe Couer as well and it is a great value, both the blanc and aged versions. I believe it is actually made by St. Etienne as the holding company is not a distiller.

The best I can determine Chauffe Couer in the US is blended by a company in France. The label doesn't say it is AOC rhum agricole so the best I can determine it isn't actually from Martinique, or it would say rhum agricole Martinique on the label.

St Etienne (http://www.ministryofrum.com/rumdetails.php?r=244) closed in about 1989 and that rhum is now made at Distillerie Simon as are a number of other rhums.

[neatdrinker]

Ed,
I went to the bottle to re-read the label.
I guess there are are some semantic issues here that are easy to gloss over.
Under the title is "Appellation Rhum Controlee"
then, "Martinique Agricole"
The tricky part is here-
"Dark Rhum aged seven years in oak casks"
with a SPACE between that and the next sentence which says-
"Produced in Martinique".
At first glance (without you prompting me to another look) it appears that the Rhum, not the just casks are from martinique.
However directly below is it clearly stated that it is Produced and bottled in France.
The back reads "Product of Martinique,France".
Kind of makes your head spin.
Bottom line- This a Fantastic Rhum

[Edward Hamilton]

According to the Martinique AOC president that rhum can not be sold in Martinique or France for a couple of reasons. The name Martinique can be used in a label name and if it is rhum agricole from Martinique it must have the AOC marque and Appellation Rhum Conrtollee is not the correct marque.

Believe it or not I have not tried this rhum. I have seen it. I have also not been able to find anyone on Martinique that will admit to having distilled it, nor has the bottler in France been willing to give me any information about it.

[jnorris123]

Ed and Neat Drinker,
It can be confusing and when I did my research on it 4 years or so ago I did find that it was produced in Martinuque but bottled by a holding company in southern France. I go to France a lot and have never seen it there.

Part of the local confusion might be that Martinique is a province of France so technically "Martinique, France" is accurate.

I'll go back to my notes to see who was determined to distill it as I guess my memory failed with St. Etienne. I do realize St. etienne is no longer distilling and perhaps the rhum we speak of is actually from Simon. I'll see what I find in my notes.

It is a good valued rhum, pretty full flavored; both the blanc and vieux.

BTW, you can get it in the states at Hi times or Binny's.

Finally, I failed to let Neatdrinker know that Rum Runners online in the UK also ships into the states and is a source for St. Etienne (love their Blanc), Damoiseau, Clement, Bielle, La Mauny. They have free shipping to the US right now and ship safely and immediately. Try the Bielle Hors D'Age, it is delicious as is the Damoiseau 15YO.

JN