2015: We begin the discovery of this Saint-James verticale by tasting the youngest rhum of this collection: The 2015 vintage which was aged for 6 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47° (The historic ABV for Saint James.) Vintage production conditions: An initially rather difficult harvest followed by a favorable climate producing great yields.
The copper color is the clearest of the series.
Nose: Very Martinique-like, with a fruity (citrus and dates) and floral profile. A fresh, clean and precise agricole style with lift. Very elegant.
Palate: The mouth opens on almond and lime then evolves on floral notes (orange blossom and rose water), cinnamon and vanilla. The alcohol is perfectly integrated.
Finish: Long, fruity (peach) and roasted (hazelnut and tobacco) notes that remind of cognac.
2014: The 2014 vintage which was aged for 7 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47°(The historic ABV for Saint James). Vintage production conditions: A classic harvest in both growth (despite November water shortages) and cane ripeness terms.
Nose: At first very Martinique-like (the freshness of lime in a ti punch) then an Armagnac tendency with woody notes (chestnut), which then lead to caramel and hazelnut notes.
Mouth: Surprising! At first quite oily on vanilla and sweet spices, then saline notes (sea breeze, salty) and well integrated woody notes with herbal accents, caramel, ginger, ground pepper and pine sap.
Finish: On a very evolved woody, old library then becomes more gourmand even pastry on cashew, butterscotch and mocha.
2012: The 2012 vintage was aged for 9 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47°(The historic ABV for Saint James).
Vintage production conditions: With a very dry season (together with 1998 one of the four hottest years in the 1953-2016 period), this « millésime’s » harvest was a good one. After distilling, the rum began taking on gentler fruit aromas.
Nose: Very Saint James and more woody than the previous two. Complex with a very Martinique tonicity, very rich with spicy, citrus and nutty notes with a hint of smoke.
Palate: Powerful, with herbal notes and also candied coconut, caramel and tobacco.
Finish: A sweet rancio reminding of Armagnac, with notes of golden brioche, coffee and pepper.
2010: The 2010 vintage was aged for 11 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47°(The historic ABV for Saint James).
Vintage production conditions: A very rainy year which produced a freshly distilled rhum rich in fresh sugar cane and lemon zest aromas. That year’s hurricane Thomas was worthy of note.
Nose: At first sight very spicy and herbaceous in the purest Martinique style. Very rich, fresh and intense with notes of lemon verbena, herbal accents, vetiver and cane juice.
Palate: Round, gourmand and pastry-like (wood-fired bread and butter) and also fruity notes (strawberry and banana extra preserve jam). Then come notes of dark chocolate, cinnamon and brown sugar.
The mouth is well rounded.
Finish: Very long, with roasted notes, between woody and crème brûlée.
2008: The 2008 vintage was aged for 13 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47°(The historic ABV for Saint James).
« Millésime » production conditions: A classic harvest season for the distillery, which is remembered primarily for the subsequent hurricane Dean and its effects on farming.
Nose: Tonic, oscillating on woody notes evoking both armagnac and old bourbon, followed by fresh notes of root, citrus and spondees momin jam then cinnamon, coconut and shoe polish.
Palate: Oily on a very herbaceous and grassy profile: on pepper and gentian which brings a light structuring bitterness.
Finish: Very long on notes of tobacco leaves, pineapple and finally old leather.
2006: The 2006 vintage which was aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47° (The historic ABV for Saint James.)
Vintage production conditions: This year’s conditions were ideal (prior to June and hurricane Ernesto), featuring a sugar cane harvest which generated one of Saint James’s best yields.
Nose: Fresh and fruity with juicy orange, balanced by cocoa and leather with more vegetal accents of boxwood and fern.
Palate: Oily, dominated by tangerine and gourmand notes of Christmas cake, vanilla marzipan, brown sugar and also nutmeg (mace) with a slight salinity.
Finish: The structure of this vintage is definitely marked by citrus fruits, with a bitter orange tendency here, with notes of dried apricot and turpentine.
2004: The 2004 vintage which was aged for 17 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47° (The historic ABV for Saint James.)
Vintage production conditions: This millésime’s sugar cane was harvested outside certain of this year’s rainy periods. Harvest came to an abrupt end as a result of heavy May rain, leading to one of the lowest yields of recent years.
Nose: Smoky, with notes of spices and roots. A woody profile worthy of a very old agricole, with notes of nuts and cinnamon.
Palate: Notes of leather and papaya, reminiscent in sequence of a raw cider, then notes of agave syrup, coffee, liquorice and dried banana.
Finish: Very long, carried by notes of brine and clementine.
2002: The 2002 vintage which was aged for 19 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47° (The historic ABV for Saint James.)
Vintage production conditions: Very classic: the sugar cane in this millésime was harvested in a fairly rainy climate which brought out the fresh sugar from the newly distilled rum.
Dark Mahogany robe
Nose: The most powerful profile of the series, with a high content of esters and higher alcohols. Notes of mango, citrus, dried grapes and plum appear first, followed by oolong tea.
Palate: A medicinal profile this time with notes of varnish tending towards pineapple, clove and more gourmet notes of passion fruit and banana bread.
Finish: Long and gourmand on leather, tobacco, oak and cinnamon.
To say that this is the funkiest of this vertical would be an understatement as it reminds us of some Jamaican high esters. The analysis report, provided by La Martiniquaise, confirms this. Although the presence of ethyl acetate (measured in g/HL of pure alcohol, thus giving the rate of esters) is higher than average (477 g/HL) – the AOC stipulates a minimum content of volatile elements other than methyl and ethyl alcohol of 325 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol, at the time of release to the consumer – it is also the presence of numerous higher alcohols bringing the sum of volatile substances to 2194 g/HLAP, which makes it extra-ordinary. We are definitely in the presence of a UFO from Martinique.
2000: The 2000 vintage which was aged for 21 years in ex-bourbon barrels. As for the rest of this collection, it was bottled in October 2021 at 47° (The historic ABV for Saint James.)
Vintage production conditions: A much less dry year than 1998 but this year’s sugar cane grew optimally all the same and ripened well.
This vintage has the darkest colour of all.
Nose: Very woody with notes of fruit and varnish reminiscent of aged calvados, followed by rosewood.
Palate: Notes of black coffee, cigar box and smoke, followed by fresher notes of fern, dried apricot and pine bud. Finally, gourmand and pastry notes such as butter and almond.
Finish: Very long on cocoa nibs and pepper on a background of sesame oil.
1998: The 1998 vintage which was aged for 20 years in ex-bourbon barrels, then it spent 2 years in stainless steel before bottling in October 2021 at 47° (The historic ABV for Saint James.). That’s why it is “only” 20 years old.
Vintage production conditions: With a very dry season – one of the four hottest years in the 1953-2016 period – the 1998 millésime harvest was an optimal one in both sugar cane quality and quantity terms. After distilling, the rum began taking on more mature and sweeter fruit aromas.
Nose: For this last tasting of the Saint-James x Velier vertical, the nose opens with the freshness and gourmandise of orange marmalade and quince. This is followed by notes of sugar cane juice and mature fruit, then dark chocolate, prunes and cinnamon.
Palate: Notes of pipe tobacco, nutmeg and ground pepper, followed by notes of heather honey.
Finish: Notes of fig and black tea intermingle with a certain freshness whose woodiness is reminiscent of very old Armagnacs and Bourbons.