The bottle I have with me today needs no introduction - it is Saint James Rhum from the French Caribbean island of Martinique, whose rectangular bottles are perhaps as iconic as those of Johnnie Walker. But for those unfamiliar with the distillery and its rhums, Saint James produces only Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) agricole rhums, or in plain English - rums distilled from fresh sugarcane juice that fulfil the criteria laid out by the French government to protect Martinique’s unique rhum heritage.

The origin of the name Saint James itself has been shrouded in mystery, as told by Rum Porter, with no clear definition or record of how its name came about, peculiar given that there were no localities, municipals, or even individuals in Martinique then who bore that name. What was recorded then was that Saint James was founded way back in 1765, owned primarily by a Hospitaller order selling rhums as a means to maintain its operations. Its ownership continued to switch hands for the better part of the next hundred years, before it was eventually sold in 1890 to one Francois-Paulin Lambert, who trademarked the name “Rhum des Plantations de Saint James”, and registered its rectangular bottle-design.

It was Lambert’s sons who were then responsible for distilling this wonderful rhum we have, bearing the numbers “35-1-9”, which I believe very likely point to the date of its distillation in 1935, and was further supported by those who have intimate knowledge of Saint James’ storied history and production, dating this rhum to be from between 1930-40.

On the nose, there is always something unique about agricole rhums from nearly a hundred years ago, almost akin to an aromatic melange of stewed fruits, left in the open for a considerable amount of time, thereby pairing the sweetness of before with a light fermented note of over ripe blue berries. It was a clean, round, and very warm dram, the only imperfection when punctuated by the occasional imbalances of the evaporating ethonals. Eventually, the deeper aromas of brown caramel, chinotto, and dark cacao too begin to emerge.

Soft and elegant, the palate of this rhum evokes a memory of a fine old spirit from an era long forgotten, when rhums were produced in a more artisanal manner, a stark contrast from today when distillations are guided by recipes and controls. Traces of mustiness were immediately apparent, before the grassiness and sweet stewed fruits took centre stage. What followed was a symphony of various elements of sweetness, muscat grapes, hazelnut praline, a bit Play-Doh even, and then an almost cognac-esque finish with a nice lift, introducing brighter notes of citrus, vanilla, an almost medicinal cherry cola, and finally the faintest touch of those overripe blueberries from before.

This rhum is something so unique, so incredibly beautiful, a masterpiece that can never be replicated again, just because everything in Saint James today would have been markedly different from before; the terroir, the sugarcane, the processes, the people, the stills, every individual element would’ve contributed to this magnificent rhum, and it is probably one that we would very likely never see the likes of again.

Your occasional rum addict!

@weixiang_liu