After the XO triple vintage selected with and for Alain Ducasse, HSE rums come back with another blend « à la Française » this time … The opportunity was too good, let’s go for an article in top chef mode!
Just a buzz or are we facing two selections ready to highlight the reputation of elegance and excellence of French cuisine?
So, they didn’t called these ones « Selection Tricatel« , so I imagine that we go to the hypothesis of excellence!
Let’s see what Philippe Etchebest would thinks about it 😉
A la Française 
Alain Ducasse
« A la française »
Resulting from the 2007, 2008 and 2011 harvests, this triple vintage was selected from barrels of different heaters and sizes.
With 47% ABV and limited to 500 magnums, this bottling was only available in Martinique unfortunately.
Thanks to a friend who comes back from there, I could enjoy this juice … « à la Française »
Color: mahogany
Nose: wood, tobacco, stewed fruit such as banana and orange, spices, frangipane are the main markers of this generous nose.
A HSE rather hot and generous where we can note a beautiful work on the wood … indeed, HSE makes aging since some time in barrels 100% new, that feels!
Palate: the tertiary notes take over with dark chocolate, spices, vanilla, butternut and tobacco.
Then follow the fruit as always compote with a return of milk chocolate and vanilla for a very nice finish.
Price: 165€ (1.5 liters)
Conclusion: very nice version of this triple vintage, very generous and warm where the nose and the mouth are rather in agreement..
The typical HSE woody is present, combined with a very nice treat, a dessert rum.
Score: 87/100
Ducasse
Selected by Alain Ducasse, Mr. Margeon (head sommelier of the Ducasse establishments) and the HSE teams, the making of this triple vintage will have required two years of work.
Pinning in the 2008–2009 and 2010 vintages, this blend seems to be a nice trip through the different HSE profiles.
The whole title 45% for a capacity of 70 cl.
Couleur: mahogany, seems oily.
Nez: Generous one again, on vanilla, wood, ripe banana, orange, milk chocolate, caramel, toast.
Really sweet and pleasant with a beautiful fruity English marmalade.
Bouche: very sweet too, chocolate, vanilla, tobacco and wood are more prominent than the nose and leaves us on more tertiary notes. The fruits are still present but more hidden than on the nose.
The finish is nice on the spices and the « noble » wood … Slight bitterness at the end of the mouth but that doesn’t spoil the pleasure of tasting.
Alcohol is really well integrated.
Prix: entered / dish / dessert + the billing (please) and it will arrive (maybe) offered by the boss (or not)
Conclusion: very nice selection of Alain Ducasse and the HSE team for a triple vintage with two facets, on the one hand the fruitiness on the nose and the woody return on the palate.
Very elegant, it should also end wonderfully a good meal.
Note: 88/100
Conclusion
Nice shot from the HSE rums with two beautiful cuvées rather different but very nice.
The limited and inaccessible aspect of these two bottlings make us talk a lot about them, but the juices don’t demerit.
So, in terms of pure tasting, there is other more accessible references of the brand that will do as well, if you do not want to run after these two 🙂
