Tonight I cracked open the Dzama Cuvée Blanche Prestige.
This bottle comes in a rather expensive french square glass bottle.
Terrior is the explanation to this rum:
A unique terroir exists in Nosy Be that imparts aromatics and depth to the sugar cane and in turn the rums. The roots of the Ylang-Ylang vine and other aromatic plants such as vanilla, clove, citrus, pepper, and others entangle with those of the sugar cane. Ground water also transports the essential oils of these plants to the cane fields. The stocks of the sugar cane, being in effect a long column, pull water out of the ground which contains the oils emanating from the surrounding aromatic plants. Molasses made from this sugar cane will impart those flavor characteristics to the resulting rums. The volcanic soil of Nosy Be contributes essential mineral elements which, combined with the above influences of terroir, make the rums of this island impossible to duplicate elsewhere. The flavor profile of these rums have such a special aromatic and spice-laden quality that it actually takes you back for a minute.
The white rum is aged for 6+ months under the hot sun in Madagascar in ex-chivas regal barrels, the barrels are of Spanish, American, and French Oak, all are blended and said to add extra complexity to the resulting rum.
The nosing on this rum is very fruity mainly of intense citrus, lime, lemon, floral, with spice, very faint subdued alcohol. Very unique on this one.
The tasting is akin to the nosing here. I was taken back for more than a minute rather several hours. Intense citrus with forward lemon, mango, mandarins, pineapple, lime, banana in the mouth some slight spice is there like a fresh green pepper. The incredible citrus flavor remains in the finish with banana, which lasts quite long for a white rum. You can taste the flavor in your mouth for quite some time. The smoothness for a 6 month rum is incredible no bite no bitterness at all. This can be sipped straight without any wish to mix. However, the citrus flavor is nearly overpowering in this.
I read that the rum distiller washes the ex-chivas barrels prior to aging the rum with citrus laden water. The question here remains, is this terrior or additives from washing natural or otherwise? Should a rum with barrels washed with citrus laden water be considered and labeled as a flavored rum? Or is this the terrior as the company claims playing this massive effect on the rum?
