Bielle, the small distillery on Marie-Galante, has distilled this rum twice: first in a Creole column, then in a Charentais still.
Bielle still sources its sugar cane from ox-drawn ploughs. Its manufacturing processes are just like this, highly artisanal and authentic, using methods handed down from generation to generation.
Bielle Premium Ambré was first aged in oak barrels for a year, then for a few more months in small oak casks.
Nico's tasting notes
On the nose, this is a rather planty, delicate entry. Candied cane more than lives up to its age, and its wisdom invites serenity. Herbaceous notes are very round and mellow, with wood mingling discreetly, trying to mimic their naturalness. Like a kind of spiced nougat, the rum is both mellow and intense. Tonka, pepper and aromatic herbs form a highly original, green bouquet.
The attack on the palate is very gentle, before a wave of intense woodiness sweeps in and washes everything away. And it's far from unpleasant when intensity doesn't rhyme with aggressiveness. This is the case here, as the wood is polished and therefore velvety, still with that very green, delicate aspect. Candied cane thrives in this environment, spreading out into spices and even licorice or anise, like a concentrated vesou.
The finish returns to traditional agricultural values: fresh cane, lime bitterness, pepper and even a touch of bagasse.
"An agricultural rum with a singular profile, with wood, spices and botanicals forming a rather unique harmony..."
