Back on two new products from Velier, , with these indian ocean stills and their new destinations …. finally, not so new that because a passage through Savanna and Chamarel had already been proposed in the past with « Habitation velier ».
Luca wanted to highlight distilleries located in the Indian Ocean, he decided to select two rums relatively young in these two distilleries. Two rums distilled only with pure sugar cane juice.
To celebrate this new collection, nothing like a new bottle mold. This one is directly inspired by the flasks used by Nikka … except that, according to Luca, he did not anticipate the worry that a full bottle could have with this very wide neck …
So, there is a nice spout delivered with, just not to spit everywhere 🙂
Savanna 2012 (61%)
This Indian Ocean Stills from Savanna is a pure cane juice, distilled in single column on November 15, 2012, aged for 6 years in l’île de la Reunion under tropical climate and bottled in barrel proof at 61%.
Total production 1117 bottles.
Color: light gold, straw
Nez: fairly fresh and pastry with a buttered side, brioche, camphor and caramelized.
After this moment, the fruits with grapes, peach and apricot appear.
A rather bright nose where you can smell the young spirit, still marked by sugar cane.
Fine nose, I like it…
Palate: Softer than I expected, the 61 watts are not really present.
After, we find a vegetal side, floral, woody, saline and an unelegant finish on bitter chocolate, it’s astringent.
Price: 89€
Conclusion: not the most sexy in fact, I don’t know what to think ..and that’s rarely good sign I think.
Far from being bad of course, but it will not be a great memory…
Score: 75/100
Chamarel 2014 (58%)
This rum from the distillery Chamarel is made from pure cane juice too, distilled in September 2014 in a single column.
Aged 4 years in Mauritius and bottled in raw cask to 58%, what can we tell this young rum?
Color: light gold, straw
Nose: quite vegetal, herbaceous and a liquorice touch.
The wood is already present and a caramelized aspect is felt quickly enough … The alcohol is rather present, it takes a little time before disappearing
After that, an earthy side is emerging, it is not very « sexy » in fact
Bouche: the mouth is pretty lively too … even too much.
Chocolate, vegetable, vanilla and sweet scents are offered followed by a slightly astringent oak.
The fruitiness is present with peppery mango, but soon obscured by the woody already quite tenacious.
Price: 69€
Conclusion: what to say … at first glance it will be a ‘bof’ in fact. I find the juice slightly too young, too fiery, and ultimately very unkind.
Score: 73/100
Conclusion
Disappointment … no other words on my side. Velier had not been used to such a disappointment in fact.
Of course, it’s far from bad, but it’s clearly not two great rums … The Savanna does better, with a better integrated alcohol and a more perfumed profile.
