Saint James AOC anniversary collection

of Luca Gargano 27 luglio 2022

Luca Gargano presents a carefully curated vertical collection of ten Saint James millésimes celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Martiniquan AOC.

As many may already know, my love for rum started during from my first visit to the Caribbean back in 1975, when I travelled to Martinique as a very young product manager responsible for Saint James rum. In my heart, Saint James and Martinique are the original seed that gave rise to everything that followed.
It was in those years in Martinique that I met Jean-Claude Benoit, who would eventually become the head of the Saint James distillery. With his vast, all-around knowledge he was one of my first mentors and inspirations.
He is also the one who, after years of commitment and hard work, in 1996 succeeded in creating the Martinique AOC, the only AOC outside Europe.

Martinique AOC is the production specifications that establish strict rules for the production of the best rum on the island.
Since 1996, only rum that can be demonstrated to have been produced according to the specifications is granted the "Martinique AOC" mark and logo on the label, as a guarantee of unique quality resulting from the care and attention put into each production stage.
As a result, the specifications ensure Martinique's agricultural rum preserves its authenticity and original production method, bringing out its true identity.

Saint James

The idea of this selection came to me when I learned that Jean-Claude Benoit had decided to retire after many years of work during which we shared like-minded visions and ideas, both bent on preserving rum's authenticity, quality and identity.
Then, in 2021 two coincidences came together in my head: on the one hand, I came up with the idea of paying homage to Jean-Claude Benoit's career and philosophy, and on the other hand, I realized that 2021 marked the 25th anniversary of the AOC.

Over the last few years, I gradually started producing co-bottlings with nearly all of the largest rum distilleries – all except one, namely Saint James, of which no one had ever produced an independent bottling. In fact, Saint James has always been true – save for a few special editions in jugs - to its iconic square bottle, which it has been using from its 1885 release to the present day.
And so I threw the idea out there – an edition of the ten most representative vintages from the 25-year history of the AOC, selected by Jean-Claude Benoit and Marc Sassier and presented as a co-bottling with a package that we would design together, just as I had with all other distillers.

The result was this amazing Saint James series. I tried to come up with a graphic design that would visually echo the original editions, including the shape of the label. The series was scheduled for release in 2021, but due to the global shipping crisis it only came out now, in 2022.
I am both proud and honored to have created this unique, never-to-be-repeated co-bottling, which is also the first in the entire history of the distillery 257 years after its foundation. My heartfelt thanks go to the Cayard family, owners of La Martiniquaise, for allowing me to pay a historic tribute to Saint James rum.

LABEL AND TASTING NOTES

Verticale Velier
Rhum Vieux A.O.C. Martinique
Millésimes Saint-James (47 % vol.)

This vertical tasting presents a unique series of millésime selected for their aromas and flavors from the Saint James barrel stock, a firm which has been making rum since 1884, choosing its 47% alcohol rums.

This journey through time to 1998, the year our oenologist made his Martinique debut, is also a chance to travel as far as the beginnings of AOC, which celebrated its 25th year in 2022, to the 250th anniversary of Saint James’s historic Trouvaillant plantations in 2015.

Concentrations bound up with ageing are expressed in the highly diverse colors of these rums, with young rums generally being lighter colored.

Millésime 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.

Tasting:
Its 47% alcohol notwithstanding, it remains sweet on the nose with a woody, spicy backdrop (forest undergrowth, moorland, cinnamon) from which pronounced fruit aromas emerge (dried figs, prunes) as well as sweet roasting aromas (mocha, chocolate). Wood is more noticeable in the mouth and offers great length with mocha and dried fruit and nuts then coming to the fore, shored up by nutmeg which then melds into prune nuances...

Millésime production conditions:
A much less dry year than 1998 but this year's sugar cane grew optimally all the same and ripened well.

Tasting:
With its 47% alcohol, what stands out is its cigar box and walnut kernel aromas followed by roasting notes (dark chocolate) mixed up with forest undergrowth and cinnamon, with macerated fruit (plums) being the last to emerge. Its liveliness in the mouth brings out cigar box and (sandal) wood aromas once again, as well as chocolate and roasting coffee, with a long fruit-macerated-in-eau de vie finish.

Millésime 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.

Tasting:
What stands out from this very lively-on-the-nose rum is its intense woodiness, with spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg on delicate fruit (passion fruit and pineapple) followed by tobacco leaves and a potpourri of dried flowers (lilac, peonies, etc.). In the mouth the wood binds to the walnut kernels before releasing nutmeg and then roasted coffee mixed with blond tobacco and candied fruit.

Millésime 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.

Tasting:
Very sweet on the nose as compared to the mouth, the dominant notes are lively spices and roasting aromas (roast hazelnuts) together with wood followed by walnut kernels, licorice and dried fruit (banana). At this alcohol level wood is very pronounced with powerful tannins and grilling flavors (hazelnut, coffee and walnut) and a very brief walnut kernel finish.

Millésime 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.

Tasting:
Fairly sweet on the nose for a 47% ABV with forest undergrowth (box, ferns) interwoven with mocha, fruit paste, almond paste and cinnamon. A wide-open mouth despite a very dry finish, in optimal equilibrium with its nose.

Millésime production conditions:
A classic harvest season for this distillery, which is remembered primarily for the subsequent hurricane Dean and its effects on farming.

Tasting:
Understated, subtle nose with candied fruit (quince) and jam (spondias mombin, banana) and milk chocolate against a backdrop of tobacco and dried flowers (lilac, rose). In a mouth which is better balanced than the nose in aroma sequence terms, with a finish dominated by wood and sweet roasting (spiced biscuits).

Millésime production conditions:
A very rainy year which produced a freshly distilled rum rich in fresh sugar cane and lemon zest aromas. That year's hurricane Thomas was worthy of note.

Tasting:
A very intense, fine nose with nuances of candied citrus (bergamot), plums and sweet coffee against a cinnamon backdrop. A wide mouth with candied citrus (bergamot), spondias mombin and prunes with light coffee and wood interweaving in the finish.

Millésime 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.

Tasting:
A very intense nose with woody notes, cinnamon and nutmeg followed by mocha, ripe fruit jam (plums, banana) and dried fruit (dates). In the mouth mocha notes combine with wood for good length and more pronounced fruit aromas, with candied citrus zest and tobacco nuances.

Millésime production conditions:
A classic harvest in both growth (despite November water shortages) and cane ripeness terms.

Tasting:
An extremely closed nose on candied fruit (fig, date) mixed with mocha and nutmeg and a woody finish (box, French oak). A smooth, wide open mouth whose length is shored up by a rather dry woodiness and mocha nuances giving it gentle candied fruit and jam (fig, plum) nuances.

Millésime production conditions:
An initially rather difficult harvest followed by a favorable climate producing great yields.

Tasting:
A very intense nose whose woodiness harmonizes with its cinnamon, cocoa and very gentle fruit (fig, date) aromas. A wide open, smooth mouth starting with mocha and chocolate followed by fig, baked fruit and candied fruit zest against a cinnamon and fern backdrop leading to a very long, gentle finish.