Seychelles Rum
The number one Seychelles rum, Takamaka Rum, has launched its St Andre series across Europe with several different expressions.
To be honest, I didn’t even know they made rum in the Seychelles, a place I’ve never visited, but it’s pretty obvious that they would do. In fact Takamaka has been making rum for two decades and has apparently in that time become the biggest name in Seychelles rum.
The company has now launched its St Andre series across Europe, represented by four premium rums which they hope showcase what Seychelles rum is all about. The rums have been made using a mix of cane and molasses rums, using both pot and column distilled rums, blending with world class Bajan rums, and using what Takamaka calls pressed rums.
What is Pressed Rum?
Takamaka’s pressed rums are made using a technology called Hydrodynamic Cavitation. And what, you might well ask, is that? According to one book, ‘Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) is a process in which high energy is released in a flowing liquid upon bubble implosion due to decrease and subsequent increase in local pressure.’
I’m no wiser, but Takamaka has invested in the technology by commissioning a purpose-built machine that is small enough to deal with rums, allowing them to experiment with different types of wood to create different flavour profiles.
The Takamaka Story
Hydrodynamic cavitation is certainly a long way from the company’s beginnings, back in the year 2000. That was the year when Bernard d’Offay and his father Robert bought a book on home distillation, inspired by the rum-making of Robert’s own father, Grandpappy René Michel d’Offay. They were later joined by Bernard’s elder brother, Richard, and after some experimentation – some of it questionable, as they freely admit – their rum-making business was born.
Tasting These Seychelles Rums
The St Andre series consists of four rums:
Extra Noir – ‘Our Extra Noir is a blend of pot and column distilled molasses rum, soaked with French oak then pressed with both French and ex-bourbon wood. Finally, we let the rum settle in ex French cane rum casks for 60 days.’ It’s 43% ABV.
Zepis Kreol – ‘Zepis Kreol draws its character from both oak and local Seychelles spices. A blend of pot and column distilled molasses rum, macerated with locally grown natural spices before being pressed with ex-merlot wood fines. We add an 8 year old Bajan Foursquare rum before finally letting it rest for 60 days inside very old ex-bourbon casks before bottling.’ ABV is 43%.
Pti Lakaz – ‘Traditional pot distilled Seychelles cane rum from four different barrels – including two port casks – is blended with pot and column distilled molasses rum that’s been aged for three years in ex-bourbon, as well as an 8 year old Bajan Foursquare molasses rum. Bottled at 45.1% ABV with no colour or sugar added, and non-chill filtered.’
Grankaz – ‘Traditional pot distilled Seychelles cane rum aged in medium toast new French oak is blended with our three year old ex-bourbon molasses rum and 8 year old Bajan Foursquare molasses rum. Bottled at 45.1%, no sugar or colouring and only very lightly filtered.’
We sampled the rums on two different nights, first with a Fever Tree Ginger Ale and fresh lime juice, and then neat with an ice cube. They were all remarkably good rums, ideal for sipping but also made for a classy cocktail, a Seychelles version of a Dark and Stormy.
Our favourite? Hard to choose but probably the Extra Noir, which had a complex blend of rum sweetness, with spice and vanilla from the use of both French oak and bourbon barrels, and finally an ex-French rum cask. Its flavor seemed a touch deeper, though this really was a case of first among equals. The Zepis Kreol uses lots of local spices and was indeed a touch spicier and another great sip.
Pti Lakaz adds port casks to the bourbon casks used in the aging, and this was a touch more fruity while retaining the spiciness and sweetness, while Grankaz added floral notes to the blend. In short, we now want to go to the Seychelles, if Takamaka is typical of their rum-making!
Visiting Takamaka
If you’re ever in the Seychelles you can visit the Takamaka distillery at La Plaine St. André. Here they have a museum, historical buildings, a tasting bar (of course), and two giant tortoises named Taka and Maka. The name Takamaka, by the way, is the name of a region in the Seychelles.
More Information
Visit the Takamaka Rum website. You can find the rums widely available across Europe, and you can also order online from Master of Malt.
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