Chauffe Coeur, Rum Martinique Agricole

Martayrol is a family-owned business with a tradition that goes back to the last century and specializes in the making of various fruit brandies from France.

They own vineyards in Maupas, Bas Armagnac, orchards and a distillery in Cambremer, Pays d’Auge, and work with small artisanal producers from Cognac, Alsace, Burgundy, Perigord and Martinique for their other eaux de vie. The family ages and blends all their eaux de vie themselves, scrupulously following the secret methods used for decades to achieve the  renowned high quality of the Chauffe Coeur line.

 

 

The making of Rums Martinique Agricole Chauffe Coeur :

 

Origin : the sugar cane comes from 2 small producers in Martinique and only the feshly extracted sugar cane juice is used for fermentation and distillation, therefore ensuring the label

of origin Martinique Agricole.

 

The distillation : single column still distillation.

 

Ageing : after the distillation, the Rums are brought back to the Martayrol cellars near Paris

for the ageing, blending and making of the Chauffe Coeur unique rums.

The Rum Blanc is aged at 54% vol. in stainless steel tanks for 3 years.

The Rum Brun is aged at 60 to 64% vol. in 12 hl oval oak barrel for 7 years ; the barrels are from 30 to 200 years old and are never topped off as the evaporation takes place.

 

Blending : this important step is done by the 2 brothers, owners of Martayrol, each secretly bringing their own touch, their know-how and their artistry.

Usually, the blending takes place about a year before the final product is meant to be bottled, when the various eaux de vie have aged well and for a long time. At that time also, if some strength reduction is needed, it will be done, slowly and little at a time over a few months.

There is no sugar, caramel or color added.

 

Tasting Notes :

Rum Blanc 54% vol. : layers of vanilla bean, unsweetened coconut milk, cocoa bean and raw cane. Oily and sweet finish.

Rum Brun 47% vol. : flavors of honey, marzipan and cinnamon mingle with notes of tobacco and cocoa and melted brown butter.

 

Reviews :

Ultimate Spirit Challenge 2011: Rum Brun: 94 Points / Finalist

Wine Enthusiast 01/07: Rum Brun : Top 50 Spirits 2006

Wine Enthusiast 11/06: Rum Blanc : Top 50 Best Buy Spirits 2006

Spirit Journal 09/05: both Rums received  5 stars / Highest Recommendation / Best Buy

Wine Enthusiast 02/06: both Rums received 5 stars / Highest Recommendation / Best Buy.