Takamaka Extra Noir (St Andre Series) Rum

Product of: Seychelles

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Made by distilling fermented molasses in a column still to 94% alc./vol. blended with some high ester pot still rum with an element infused a 1,000-litre tank with chunks of wood chip sourced from Tonnelerie Bossuet.

In-depth production info from producer
"CMR - so it starts with a high strength distillation of molasses. Our molasses come from across the Indian Ocean - we are not trying to be obscure - but you wouldn't believe how hard it is to get consistent amazing molasses! As a result - we chase quality as opposed to consistent source. This is because once we start to distill up to 94% ABV - technique and process drive the end result more than source of fermentable sugars. We aim to produce a rum at this stage that is very light in flavour and a great base to work from.

PDMH - so we don't produce this funk ourselves - this contract produced element is made to our own very specific flavour profile and is full of crazy flavours. This high ester rum is the first addition. We add only 0.5% and 1% PDMH at 65% ABV CMR rum.

Extra Noir is a blend of two "pressed" rums at a ratio of 1/3 and 2/3.

For the component entering at 1/3 of the blend, we take relatively large chunks of wood chip sourced from Tonnelerie Bossuet and in a 1,000L tank add 60 g/L to 65% ABV rum with 1% PDMH. This soaking takes places over 2 hours and is the source of the majority of the colour. This rum is then very roughly filtered through 10 microns to just remove the wood. Then we cavitate this rum during 6 hours to smoothen and integrate its components.

For the second component entering at 2/3 of the blend, we add the ex-bourbon white american oak fines, from River Drive Cooperage & Millwork, at a ratio of 16.5g/L in a 1,000L tank at 65% ABV rum with 0.5% PDMH and let everything soak for 7 days. Once its soaking time is finished, we filter it at 10 microns to get the wood fines out and finally run the cavitation for 6 hours.

From there, we create the blend with these two components and allow it to rest at 65% ABV for a period of 60 days in 2nd fill French oak casks that had cane rum for about 10 years.

Once rested, we take the rum out, bring its ABV to bottling strength of 43% and adjust its color using a touch of distillers caramel at 0.7ml/L. This is just enough to keep a consistent colour from batch to batch without compromising its natural mouthfeel. None of our rums are chill-filtered and we add no sugar to Extra Noir."

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 26/05/2022

Appearance:

Clear, deep coppery golden amber.

Aroma:

Toasty and freshly sawn oak with whisps of smoke, delicate vanilla and faint funkiness.

Taste:

Full-bodied and woody - very woody.

Aftertaste:

Long and chewy.

Overall:

A run to appeal to those who enjoy young but oak whisk(e)y.