The invention of agricultural rum
It's impossible to talk about Martinique without mentioning its rum, considered one of the best in the world. Whether you're a fan of the simple ti-punch, a symbol of conviviality, or a connoisseur capable of appreciating the finest bottles of aged rum, here rum and rum tasting are part of the local culture. While most of the world's traditional rums are produced by heating cane juice to molasses, which is then distilled, Martinique's rhum agricole is made from the fermentation of pure, fresh cane juice. It benefits from an AOC label, which guarantees the quality and origin of the cane, as well as compliance with the main stages of production.
The invention of rum is linked to Père Labat. This Dominican monk was just 31 when he landed in Martinique, where he stayed for 12 years. A professor of mathematics and philosophy, his stay in the West Indies revealed other gifts in him: builder, engineer and travel writer. During his stay, he fell victim to a terrible fever, from which he was apparently saved by a decoction made from tafia, a little-known alcohol at the time. Fascinated by this discovery, and after a few unsuccessful attempts at distillation, Father Labat sent for a still from Cognac, and succeeded in obtaining a highly aromatic clear distillate: rhum agricole was born.
It was the arrival of the steam engine in the second half of the 19th century that increased cane crushing capacity and improved sugar extraction. The technique of obtaining sugar from beet meant that West Indian sugar mills, ruined by the loss of their outlets, converted to rum production and grouped together in centralized factories, where steam engines replaced the old crushing mills. Sugar cane is then transported from the fields to the factories via the rail network.
However, the island's topology made it impossible to connect the most isolated distilleries, which were effectively marginalized from the sugar circuit. Some of these distilleries decided to distill the cane juice (vesou) directly, giving rise to rhum agricole, then known as rhum z'habitants.
The only AOC rum in the world
In Martinique, the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée guarantees the exclusive use of cane juice from a delimited area with a regional tradition and a certain quality. From a technical point of view, every stage in the manufacture of the product follows a perfectly supervised process, from the rigorous selection of authorized cane varieties to the delicate art of ageing. Above all, however, it's the taste that makes the difference, as rhum agricole has fruitier aromas and a richer bouquet than industrial rum.
The making of rhum agricole. The cane is washed, harvested and crushed by a series of mills. It produces a juice called vesou (and a residue called bagasse, which is used as fuel). The vesou, carefully filtered, is placed in fermentation tanks for 36 to 48 hours. Fermentation then begins, a crucial stage that determines the final flavors of the rum: under the action of various yeasts, the sugar is transformed into alcohol. The result is a cane wine with an alcohol content of 5-6°. Next comes the distillation stage: introduced into the top of the column, the wine descends from tray to tray, heating up as it comes into contact with the steam introduced through the bottom of the column, thus separating the water from the alcohol and the aromatic components it contains. At the exit of the distillation column, the cooled vapors produce a white rum at around 70°! This is then stirred, aerated and left to rest for three months, before being cut with distilled or spring water to return it to around 50-55°. Ideal for ti-punches, white rum keeps the aromas of freshly cut cane intact.
Amber rum. Part of the distilled vesou goes through an aging phase to produce amber and aged rums. This rum, known as 'paille' or 'ambré', is aged in oak barrels for 12 to 18 months, during which time it takes on a slight coloring, marked by aromas reminiscent of old rum
Old rum, on the other hand, only becomes "old" after 3 years, but further aging can be achieved by keeping it even longer: it is then called "hors d'âge". "Very Old" (VO) for rums aged under wood for 3 years, "Very Special Old Pale" (VSOP) for those aged for a minimum of 4 years, "Extra Old" (XO) for 6 years or more. In addition, there are vintage rums, made from a single harvest, which bear witness to an exceptional year. These extraordinary aged rums rival the finest spirits and are enjoyed in the same way as old cognacs or armagnacs.
THE AOC. In terms of international recognition, the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée label gives Martinique's rums a reputation and originality that enable them to conquer new markets such as Japan, Europe and the United States. Every year, Martinique's rums win numerous medals in international spirits competitions.
Spirit Tourism
Given the worldwide popularity of Martinique rum, Martinique is increasingly opening up to "spiritourisme", or spirits tourism. Following in the footsteps of Scotland's whisky and France's wine tourism, this type of spirits-themed tourism includes the discovery of production processes as part of the traditional tourist experience, for visitors who are curious and eager to learn more. It's a new way of discovering a destination through the prism of the secrets behind the production of its local spirits, and of immersing oneself in Martinique's culture.
Today, there are twelve distilleries on the island, seven of which are "fumantes", i.e. in operation and producing rum. The 'non-fumantes' no longer distill: they have entrusted the distillation of their rum to another active factory.
Smoking distilleries include Neisson au Carbet, Maison La Mauny (which also distills Trois-Rivières rums), Habitation du Simon (where A1710, Clément and HSE rums are produced), Saint-James (which also distills Hardy rums), Depaz, JM distillery and La Favorite. Former sugar production is limited to the Galion factory in La Trinité, the island's last remaining sugar refinery.
Working distilleries can be visited all year round, and most offer guided tours for a fee. The approach to Martinique rum is fairly general, with technical but educational explanations that will appeal to connoisseurs and not discourage neophytes!
Visits can be enjoyed by the whole family, especially at sites with small trains. They're a great way to spend a pleasant day, combining a visit to the winery and sometimes a garden, a tasting session, a visit to the boutique, and perhaps lunch on site before a refreshing dip on the beach.
What's so special about these spirit tours? They can be adapted to your expectations, and can be more specialized for a more discerning public. Tailor-made tours for small groups, tastings of exceptional vintages such as extra vieux rums, food and rum pairing workshops, meetings with cellar masters, craftsmen or chefs. In short, rum is the key to a whole host of different aspects of Martinique's heritage. And why not spend a night in one of Martinique's many sugarcane plantations? Don't hesitate to contact the distilleries directly. This distillery tour is a different way of discovering Martinique, covering both the island's history and its rum-making expertise. For, from one distillery to the next, the history, terroir and practices are different. We therefore invite you to visit each of them: you'll find some interesting specificities.
The distilleries of Martinique
Saint-James distillery. In 1860, the Saint-James distillery was established on the banks of the Sainte-Marie River in northeastern Martinique. Following an edict signed by Louis XIV prohibiting the sale of rum in France, Father Lefebvre, founder of the distillery, decided to give his rum a name that would be easy for the English to pronounce, in order to facilitate the sale of his production to the colonists of New England. And that's how Saint-James rums were born. A visit to the winery sheds light on the astonishing history of Saint James rum, and the techniques involved in its production. Saint James is the only distillery still producing a few thousand liters of coeur de chauffe distilled from Charentais stills. The extensive range includes 50° rhum impérial des plantations, 50° rhum paille and 45° rhum royal ambré, aged for at least 12 months in oak casks. There are also several categories of aged rum: rhum vieux at 42° (aged for at least 4 years), hors-d'âge at 43° (aged for at least 7 years) and a range of millésimés, produced in years of exceptional harvests.
A museum on the site traces the history of Martinique's rhum agricole. Visits are free and open to the public. Housed in the former Creole dwelling of the previous owners, the museum uses old engravings, bottles, advertising posters and farming equipment to show how sugarcane was grown, how rum-making processes evolved, and how techniques and equipment have improved since sugarcane was first introduced to Martinique in 1654, and by Saint-James since 1765. Outside the museum, past the garden featuring old mills, boilers and steam engines, is the Maison de la Distillation, retracing the history and art of distillation through the different apparatus used at different times. The collection of stills and distillation columns is impressive! The site also offers a 3 km ride (at extra cost) on the old plantation train, once used to transport sugar cane to the factory through fields of sugar cane and banana plantations. Between February and June, you'll pass right by the bustling factory.
Distillerie J.M. Since the 19th century, the Fonds Préville distillery in Macouba, on the northern tip of the island, has been located at the bottom of the Rivière-Roche valley, in the heart of a tropical forest. From a simple waterwheel driving a mill in a field of sugarcane was born one of the world's most famous rums. The sugarcane distilled comes exclusively from the Habitation Bellevue, located on a plateau above the distillery between Mount Pelée and the Atlantic Ocean. It is used entirely for the production of agricultural rum. The rum produced is of the highest quality, deserving of long ageing in oak barrels. The distillery also houses Martinique's only cooperage (from September to December). The visit, with its elegant and seductive scenography, is fun and interactive. It tells the story of the distillery. It all began in 1790 with Antoine Leroux-Préville. Six vats, arranged in ascending order of size, collect the cane juice. After crystallization, the syrup (molasses) is harvested, from which rum or tafia is made. From a simple sugar refinery, the company became a distillery in 1845 under Jean-Marie Martin (hence the initials JM). Gustave Crassous de Médeuil, who already owned the Bellevue house, acquired it from his brother Ernest in 1914. In 1971, the société civile agricole Héritiers Crassous de Médeuil was formed. The tour of the distillery continues with a visit to the rum gardens, a bucolic stroll that begins with the cane garden, where you can discover the three varieties of hybrid cane selected by the company from among those authorized by the AOC for their quality and greater resistance to mechanical cutting: straw cane, blue cane and red cane. The garden features the typical layout of separate squares that once prevailed on cane plantations. The walk takes you past rich vegetation, born of exceptionally fertile soil and a mix of species: flowers, ornamental plants, shrubs, lianas or tall trees, the spice garden (basil, lemongrass, ginger, pepper, chili pepper, nutmeg, clove, Indian wood, cinnamon, vanilla...), before ending in the boutique to sample the divine nectars produced on site. Here you'll discover the exceptional olfactory flavors of these "grands crus" and characterful nectars, served in sumptuous surroundings. The best is yet to come, with a stop at the boutique, home to some of the nuggets such as 15-year-old hors-d'âge, singular single casks and exceptional aged rums that have made and continue to make J.M.'s reputation.
Habitation Clément. Habitation Clément, famous for its AOC rums, and its contemporary art foundation are located south of Le François, in the heart of a splendid botanical park designated a Jardin Remarquable. Habitation Clément includes the former distillery, now a Rhums Clément Interpretation Center, ageing cellars where the famous Clément old rums rest peacefully, a Creole house listed as a French historic monument, and a botanical park in the heart of a sugarcane-growing estate. The Habitation, bought by Bernard and Yves Hayot in 1986, is a major part of Martinique's architectural and industrial heritage. Visits are not free, but there is a charge. Stroll through the large wooded park. Visit the 18th-century Creole house, with its period furniture and old photos. In the tasting room, you can taste and buy the famous nectar. To support its policy of promoting artists from the Caribbean, and Martinique in particular, Habitation Clément has also set up a Foundation that organizes exhibitions by local artists. Highly creative, Clément was the first distillery to offer monovarietal white rums, i.e. made from a single variety of cane, in this case blue cane.
Habitation Saint-Etienne. Habitation Saint-Etienne is one of Martinique's most avant-garde rum distilleries. In 1994, Florette and José Hayot bought this sleepy Gros Morne estate, abandoned since 1970, and breathed new life into it. They perpetuate the ancestral know-how of AOC Martinique rums within their production, thanks to their very special techniques of slow reduction for white rums and meticulous barrel selection for aged rums. Relax in the 5-hectare botanical park, with its exuberant and admirable flora of over 180 plant species. You'll also discover the former distillery, listed in the Inventaire Supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques, which houses industrial relics such as a 1925 steam engine, boilers and a hydraulic turbine... HSE rums are produced at the Simon distillery in Le François, then aged in the 9 cellars of the Habitation Saint-Etienne. A wide range of aged rums is produced here, well known to connoisseurs and regularly winning awards. Bottling also takes place on site, and is visible before 3pm on weekdays. The HSE range is divided into three main categories: traditional products such as blanc and élevé sous-bois, VSOP, XO, Expert Casks and the innovative Finitions du monde. Enhanced by temporary exhibitions honoring local and international visual artists, the Habitation boutique offers visitors a wide choice of products, including several arranged rums, as well as free tastings
Distillerie Dillon. Just outside Fort-de-France, the Dillon distillery produces several varieties of old and white rums. The distillery's adventure began with Arthur, Comte de Dillon, an Irishman who arrived in Martinique in the 1770s and fell in love with the heiress of a planter family. The tour reminds us that the brand has stood the test of time. Today, the distillery is non-smoking: the cane grows in the north of Martinique, the rum is distilled somewhere on the island. Adjacent to the boutique are the cellars, where the aged rums are matured and bottled on site. During the tour, which illustrates the different phases of production, an old steam engine dating from 1922 is sure to surprise you: it still works to activate the cane crushing system.
Distillerie La Favorite. Founded in 1842, the La Favorite distillery is one of the last two family-run distilleries on the island. It is also the last rum production unit in Martinique to be entirely steam-powered. Set amidst 60 hectares of sugar cane in the Fort-de-France region, it produces around 500,000 liters of rum from pure cane juice every year between February and June, in a traditional, artisanal way, thanks to its 1905 steam engine, making it the only distillery on the island to run entirely on steam. Regularly awarded prizes in national and international tasting competitions, La Favorite's white, aged and hors-d'âge rums delight the palates of connoisseurs the world over. Visitors to the distillery are free to wander at will, discovering step-by-step the production of agricultural rum right up to bottling, as well as the history of the premises, meeting the farm workers on site, before finishing in the boutique for a tasting session. Lovers of authenticity will appreciate. Never short of ideas, La Favorite distillery offers guided tours and tastings for small groups, as well as themed workshops..
Distillerie Hardy. You have to go to the heart of the Caravelle peninsula to find the home of Hardy rum. Habitation Sucrerie Tartane began sugar production in 1830. In addition to sugar cane fields, the estate included industrial buildings, a windmill and a dwelling house. Fifty years later, the windmill was replaced by a steam engine. In response to the sugar crisis, the estate abandoned sugar production in favor of distilling. Over the years, Hardy rum quickly won several gold medals. Since 1994, the Hardy distillery has been smoke-free, but the production of this legendary rum has not been interrupted. It continues at the Saint James distillery in Sainte-Marie, with white rums, rhums paille and rhums vieux. These days, Jean-Pascal Hardy has decided to breathe new life into the old Hardy distillery, by thinking up a rehabilitation project that would involve restoring and showcasing the machinery, creating a museum and an ageing cellar. From generation to generation, the Hardy family has preserved this distillery as part of its family heritage.
Distillerie Depaz. North of Saint-Pierre, at the foot of the impressive Mount Pelée, lies the Depaz distillery. Of the many distilleries in Saint-Pierre in the early 20th century, only Depaz survived the eruption of the Mount Pelée volcano in 1902. The plantation was rebuilt seven years later by Victor Depaz, the family's sole survivor, who was in Bordeaux at the time of the disaster. The special climate of the north of the island and the unique volcanic terroir give Depaz rum an esteemed quality, reinforced by a know-how whose secret has been passed down from generation to generation to create a fine range of white and aged rums, as well as exceptional cuvées. An audio tour explains how agricultural rum is made, from the crushing of the cane to the ageing cellars, as you make your way through this place steeped in history, punctuated by explanatory panels. A visit (free of charge) to the main house, now transformed into a museum, completes the tour, which ends with a tasting session in the boutique. In the magnificent 5-hectare park, with its majestic, century-old trees, visitors can also tour Château Depaz, and the various rooms in the house: the entrance hall, the dining room, the smoking room and games room, the archive room and Mr. Depaz's study.
Distillerie Neisson. The Neisson family distillery is located in Carbet, just south of Saint-Pierre. Founded in 1932, it is one of the last family distilleries in Martinique to grow its own sugar cane. Fans of white rum claim that the island's "zepol karé", a famous rectangular bottle with a distinctive aroma that is more intense and fruitier than other rums, is the best on the island. This particular flavor is linked to the fact that Neisson's sugar canes, which stretch all around the distillery, grow on very fertile volcanic soil.
The Neisson distillery recently began producing an organic A.O.C. rhum agricole, the only one of its kind in the world, as well as the astonishing Esprit at 70°. The distillery is open to the public, with explanatory panels showing the different stages of production. The boutique sells the distillery's premium beverages. In 2018, Neisson was awarded the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" label, a first for a rum distillery in Martinique.
Maison La Mauny. Located in Rivière-Pilote, in the south of the island, Maison La Mauny is one of Martinique's emblematic estates. To visit Maison La Mauny is to enter the heart of AOC rum production in Martinique. In fact, it's one of the island's largest rum producers, producing nearly three million liters of rum a year! It all began with a marriage: that of the Comte de la Mauny, a King's Councillor newly arrived in Martinique, and the daughter of a planter who owned a vast estate in the south of the island, which he inherited in 1749. Initially dedicated to sugar production, the estate, nestled in a verdant valley surrounded by fields of sugarcane, began producing rum in 1820. At the beginning of the 20th century, two brothers bought the estate from the heirs of the Comte de La Mauny and gave it a decisive boost: Théodore and Georges Bellonie. Equipment was modernized and the first rums exported. Today owned by BBS, created by the Bellonnie family in association with the Bourdillon family, who have greatly contributed to the promotion of Martinique's agricultural rum, Maison La Mauny is part of the same group as Trois-Rivières. A guided tour of the site (at an additional cost) lasts 45 minutes. Aboard a small train, a guide explains the various stages in the production of agricultural rums, from sugarcane harvesting (February to end May) to distillation, crushing and fermentation of the resulting juice, then blending and ageing. The didactic tour takes you into the cellars, where you'll learn all about the art of blending and ageing old rums. From the train, you can also discover the old manor house, orchards and cane fields. The Cabane à Rhum is the venue for the free, guided tasting session. Here you'll discover the estate's latest creations, from classic white rums, gourmet and generous, to more original rums such as 'Ter Rouj', aged in acacia barrels, sumptuous rums hors d'âge, flavored shrubbs, and of course liqueurs, one of the estate's flagship products, with passion fruit, honey or 'groseille pays'. The estate also organizes theme-based tours. Some will even give you the chance to meet Daniel Baudin, the estate's cellar master, crowned 'World's Best Cellar Master' by the International Rum Conference in 2019. At Maison La Mauny, families can spend an enjoyable day, taking time to visit, learn, taste and even eat on site, at Kay Mimi, the restaurant, located at the foot of the distillery. If you have a choice, it's best to visit the estate when the plant is in operation, from February to the end of May. Here, amidst the trucks transporting the cane (cut exclusively by hand here), you'll be up close and personal with the rum-making process. Maison la Mauny also offers workshops on food and rum pairing, led by chef and food blogger Prisca Morjon, subject to advance registration.At the IWSC (International Wine and Spirit Competition) in London in November 2020, considered one of the most recognized competitions in the spirits world, the Trois-Rivières distillery and Maison La Mauny won the following awards: "Best Rum Producer 2020" and "Best Spirits Producer 2020"
Trois-Rivières. The Trois-Rivières distillery is located in Sainte-Luce, with its magnificent mill once used to crush cane. It takes its name from the three rivers that border it: Oman, Bois d'Inde and Rivière Saint-Pierre. With a magnificent view of the Diamant rock in the background, the estate, cradled by the trade winds, looks like something out of a film set. The Trois Rivières distillery produces one of Martinique's most popular white rums and one of its most award-winning aged rums! Here, it is said that the canes grow with their heads in the sun (hence the strength of the rum, which is linked to the strong sunlight) and their feet in the water, due to their proximity to the sea, a salinity and a minerality that are found on the palate. Founded around 1660 by Nicolas Fouquet, King Louis XIV's superintendent of finances, Plantation Trois-Rivières is one of Martinique's first distilleries. A guided tour (fee payable) takes in the remains of the old factory. The guides explain the ancestral methods used to produce Trois-Rivières agricultural rums, from cutting the cane to ageing. From the terrace overlooking the plantation, you can then taste Trois-Rivières' prestigious vintages and cuvées. The talent of the daring cellar master, Daniel Baudin, is no stranger to this.
On your way out, stop off at the foot of the majestic cheese tree, inhabited by thousands of Touloulous, the little red Martinique crabs that swarm all around!
Habitation du Simon. Situated between Le François and Le Vauclin, Habitation du Simon is a magnificent 18th-century building that still lives to the rhythm of the harvests and rum production. This former sugar mill was taken over in 2010 by Yves Assier de Pompignan. The businessman, who is passionate about rum, embarked on a crazy gamble: to create a new rum distillery that would embody the richness of this unique terroir. He launched the A1710 brand: A for artisanal (because everything here is done by hand), 1710 corresponding to the arrival of his grandfather Jean Assier in Martinique, with the idea of producing rums of excellence. Wishing to produce rums from different varieties of cane, with longer fermentations to retain all the aromatic potential of fresh cane (the brand's spearhead), distillation is carried out in an all-copper Charentais alembic, complete with a seven-plate column. A second still was commissioned in 2023. With a strong focus on spirit tourism, A1710 also offers themed tours. The former main house has been converted into a guest house for rum-themed stays. Guests are invited to take part in all stages of rum production, from cane cutting and crushing to fermentation and bottle dressing (all bearing the famous trigonocephalus, the snake responsible for the deaths of thousands of cane cutters on the plantations). Six months later, the apprentice technicians receive their own crate of rum! A particularly enriching introduction to the very heart of rum-making.
Rhumerie La Baie des Trésors. This rum distillery is named after a bay on the magnificent Caravelle peninsula. Legend has it that a treasure was lost there when a Spanish vessel sank. Today, that treasure has reappeared in the form of a new rum distillery on the Galion farm. Since 1849, when the factory was acquired by a certain Eugène Eustache, it has supplied sugar cane to the Galion factory, the only sugar factory still operating on the island. With its 750 hectares of planted land, it is Martinique's leading sugarcane producer. The idea of creating an agricultural rum therefore emerged naturally. Its terroir stretches across the entire Caravelle peninsula. And that's exactly what makes this new rum distillery so special: Baie des Trésors produces 100% parcel-by-parcel rhum de terroir, using only cane from the Galion estate. Each plot of cane is clearly identified. Cuvées are made from cane that has grown on the same plots, benefiting from the same exposure to sun, wind and humidity. Baie des Trésors rums are defined as the purest expression of Martinique's terroir: no sugar, caramel or other inputs are added to allow the terroir to express itself fully. The aim is to produce great vintage rums on lands of excellence. Only 45,000 bottles were produced this year, a small but promising output. Real treasures!
Rhumerie Braud & Quennesson. Located in Le Marin, this is one of the island's southernmost estates. The arrival of this new rum distillery marks the rebirth of an emblematic site: the old Le Marin factory, founded in 1866 by the Braud & Quennesson forefathers, and firmly anchored in Martinique's memory. It has been closed since the 1970s.
The Habitation Grands Fonds is an exceptional site, planted with sugarcane and nestled between the mornes. It benefits from a unique terroir and a particularly warm, humid microclimate, giving the rum exceptional qualities of aroma, freshness and smoothness. According to cellar master Stéphanie Dufour, the cane has one of the highest sugar contents on the island. This year, only 100,000 liters of this white rum elixir were produced, in 3 limited editions: 59, 55 and 50 proof. In three years' time, the range will be extended to include aged rums. In the meantime, this site steeped in history promises to become a mecca for the spirits industry, with a beautiful boutique and a botanical garden planted with coffee, calabash, cheese and mango trees, a delightful place to stroll around. The ruins of the old sugar factory are still clearly visible. Cane is currently distilled at the Simon dwelling, but the De Gentile family, who are at the head of the project, hope to launch their own distillery in a few years' time.
HBS distillery. Located in Grand Rivière, this is the island's most northerly distillery, dating back to the 17th century. The distillery produces small quantities of artisanal agricultural rum, distilled in copper stills, which enhance the aromas of HBS rum, whose canes benefit from the very rich volcanic soil, due to their proximity to Mount Pelée. The work is done by hand: the canes are cut and harvested by hand to preserve their quality, all year round, resulting in the marketing of small confidential cuvées (500 to 1,500 bottles per cuvée) several times a year in white and aged rums.
