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Explore the Rum Trail
07/17/2024From small-scale production to global renown, the history of Martinique’s rum, the only ones in the world to hold an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée), is a true success story. Journey from one distillery to another, from one estate to the next, and the island offers you a fabulous journey through time.
Each hour has its rum and its unique designation! Ready for “dékolaj”? That’s the first rum of the day. “Lave gorge” serves as the aperitif rum. Then there’s “pété pié,” the nightcap, essentially the rum that tips you over. There’s also one affectionately known as “l’heure du Christ,” the 3 PM rum. But from 4 PM onward, it’s “domino,” perfect for the countryside cafes where domino games are played, with players aiming to outwit their opponents. “Partante,” of course, is the last sip before hitting the dance floor…
In Martinique, rum doesn’t just color everyday language; it paints images, sounds, and scents—a whole universe. Even though sugarcane cultivation, with its 3,825 hectares, has taken a backseat to bananas, the giant grass remains a picturesque sight. In December, during sugarcane flowering season, gaze upon fields like checkered patterns, their silky white plumes dancing in the warm trade winds.
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UNIQUE! Martinique’s agricultural rum is the only one in the world with an AOC, a guarantee of quality and adherence to strict cultivation and production standards.
The Ritual of Ti-Punch
No one else should prepare your ti-punch (“feu” in Creole). You’ll need 1/8th of a lime, a teaspoon of sugar or cane syrup, and “touiller” (stir) with a “bwa lélé” (wooden stick) before adding 5cl of agricultural rum. No ice cubes; for purists, that’s a sin! Savor it slowly.
Against an intensely blue sky, the sight of these “arrows of sugarcane” is breathtaking. From mid-January to July, this vegetative sea is harvested by machetes or massive harvesters, cutting the stalks to dump them into bins. The air fills with a “vegetal, herbaceous, floral, slightly powdery, and honeyed” scent. Off-season, you can experience this aromatic journey at the J.M. distillery in Macouba, in the island’s north.
The Ancestor of Rum
Speaking of Macouba… In 1694, Dominican missionary Father Jean-Baptiste Labat (1663-1738) arrived here. By then, the French had already taken control of the island in 1635, sparking a sugar rush. But rum? Not yet. According to Father Labat*, there was an “eau de vie” made from sugarcane […] called guildive. The natives and Negroes called it tafia; it was very strong, with an unpleasant smell and a bitterness […] hard to remove.” In short, this rum ancestor was a real throat-burner, possibly derived from “kill devil,” reflecting its strength.
At his Fonds-Saint-Jacques sugar plantation in Sainte-Marie, Father Labat, a jack-of-all-trades, spent much time refining this tafia. Ironically, “to treat fevers,” he imported copper equipment from France and adapted it, as recounted by Alain Huetz de Lemps in his history of rum. Father Labat’s stills became wildly popular throughout the French West Indies.
Sugarcane for sugar and more!
The history of Martinique practically began with sugarcane,” reminds us Michel Fayad, a passionate historian who eventually delved into rum at the Sainte-Marie rum museum and coordinated the restoration of Château Depaz in Saint-Pierre. Sugarcane was initially for sugar, then for rum. The island saw triumphs and setbacks as sugar prices plummeted and export quotas restricted rum. By the late 19th century, Martinique was the world’s leading rum producer, exporting 190,210 hectoliters of 55° alcohol in 1892. By 1945, there were still 145 distilleries.
Today, Martinique boasts only 7 operational “fuming” distilleries: J.M. in Macouba, Depaz in Saint-Pierre (also producing Dillon rum), Neisson in Carbet, La Favorite in Lamentin, La Mauny in Rivière-Pilote, Le Simon in François, and Saint-James in Sainte-Marie. Together in 2016, they produced just over 89,000 hectoliters (100% pure alcohol) of agricultural rum.
Vesou vs. molasses
Behind these numbers lies a profound evolution, one that has transformed Martinique rum in the minds of consumers. Initially, let’s be frank: it was the drink of “Negroes” wanting to forget their slave conditions and Caribbean pirates who often ended up at the end of a rope. “It remained a drink of distress until the 1980s. One for heartbreaks, one for wake vigils,” notes Michel Fayad.
For Nathalie Guillier-Tual, president of Bellonieet Bourdillon Succcesseurs (Maison La Mauny, Trois-Rivières), rum now symbolizes something else entirely: “An alcohol synonymous with celebration and sharing, evoking exoticism and relaxation…” Today, Martinique reaps the rewards of an ambitious policy, favoring agricultural rum—pure rum made from sugarcane juice (the famous vesou)—fermented and distilled, to the detriment of “sugar refinery rum,” derived from sugar refining residues (molasses). It is also the only country worldwide to have obtained an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) for its rum in 1996. In this success, Michel Fayad sees “the French touch,” marked by audacity and refinement.
Rum for France and the EU
Martinique produces over 13 million bottles of rum annually. Half is consumed in mainland France. A quarter remains on the island, and the remaining quarter is exported to the European Union.
Nowadays, there are various types of rum, each with its own unique qualities:
White Rums: Clear in color. Aged a few months in stainless steel tanks to stabilize flavors. Often used for Ti-punch with sugar and lime, it is also favored for cocktails and liqueurs.
Amber Rums: Golden in color. Aged between 6 weeks to 3 years in oak barrels, previously used for bourbon or whiskey. More complex than white rum, with notes of vanilla, caramel, spices, and sometimes dried fruits. Ideal for sophisticated cocktails or enjoyed neat or on the rocks to savor its developed aromas.
Dark Rums: Brown in color. Aged from 3 years to decades in oak barrels, previously used for bourbon or whiskey. Very rich and complex, with notes of wood, vanilla, dried fruits, spices, cocoa, and sometimes tobacco and leather. Often savored neat to reveal its aromatic nuances, perfect for connoisseurs of quality spirits.
“Spiritourism”? Rums in the spotlight
The island also embraced what is now known as spirit tourism early on, opening its estates, former plantations (like Habitation Clément, Château Depaz), and distilleries. Visitors can dream of the great estate owners—Békés, French, or Creole—who owned slaves as mere possessions. Slightly bewildered, they discover before them carefully maintained distillation columns, realizing that no rum in Martinique resembles another. “A host of factors come into play: terroir, cane varieties, temperature variations… Each has its own expertise,” explains the enthusiastic Michel Fayad. As for the angels, they take their share: between 7 and 10% evaporates into the atmosphere for these eager drinkers!
*New Voyage to the Islands of America (1722).
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Book your excursions in Martinique now, taste rums, and live unforgettable adventures on our paradise island. Contact us for more information and plan your stay with us!
Book your activities in Martinique now and experience unforgettable adventures on our paradise island. Contact us for more information and plan your stay with us!