Dillon is, strangely, a distillery very little present on this blog … however, the 12 year old Dillon is clearly one of the argicole rhum that will have made the biggest impression on me with its incredible value for money.
So, when I say distillery, it is rather necessary to understand brand in fact … Indeed, the Dillon distillery is no longer smoking since 2008 and the column were moved to Depaz, in the north of the island.
We could see last year a commercial replacement of the brand with a new visual identity, a new 2004 vintage, 2 single cask 2003 and a column brut.
Here is the discovery of cask 1004 from this 2003 vintage … As a reminder, 2003 was an excellent year in Martinique with sugar cane heavily loaded with sugar.
Put into barrels on December 29, 2003, this rum will have patiently aged for 16 long years in the hot and humid climate of Martinique.
Bottled at 43%, this single cask follows the opposite trend of recent times, namely to offer a reduced single cask.
Color
Very nice rum tending to gold. The legs flow slowly and suggest a fairly oily rum.
Nose
Very charming, fruity and sweet, we plunge directly into the wonderful world of agricultural rums with characteristic notes of liquorice, citrus, flowers and fine woody notes.
The 43% are really sweet, without making this nose unattractive. They knew how to keep the different flavors that make this rum while making the tasting pleasant.
Spices such as vanilla, nutmeg, licorice intermingle with beautiful orange, lemon and exotic notes and still a nice touch of sugar cane despite the years in the barrel. We even have a touch of apple which comes to say hello … We would almost think of a Calvados if it weren’t for these typically Martinican markers.
It is rather fresh and fragrant, really you would spend hours there because it is fine and pleasant.
Palate
The palate is livelier, marked by the fruit still and a wood more present at the end of the mouth with chocolate and tobacco notes among others.
The entry in the mouth is oily, warm and complex. We go from exotic fruits to more tertiary notes through sugar cane.
We have everything in this rum, citrus, exotic fruits, vanilla, a hint of liquorice, light tobacco, nutmeg, chocolate and a fine woodiness.
The 43% are remarkable for integration, the tasting is really easy and pleasant without losing a single note of this complex rum and succeeds.
The finish is rather long on nuts and woody notes.
Price
80€
Conclusion
This single cask is quite simply a great success! Like the excellent 12 year old from Dillon, we have here a single cask with a very good price / quality ratio.
A perfect rum for a good friend to discover the complexity of rhum agricole. It’s very accessible but incredibly accurate.
The work of reduction is truly breathtaking, having managed to keep as much complexity while keeping a profile as greedy and pleasant is a real masterpiece!
Proof once again that a well done reduction can bring a lot to a spirit.
Note
90/100
