Clairin Sajous Haitian Rum

Michel Sajous makes his Clairin from the Cristalline sugarcane variety. In the same way that Pinot Noir produces a different kind of wine than Merlot, a specific sugarcane changes the nature of a rum. When pressed, Cristalline releases just a small amount of juice compared to the commercial varieties favored by most large-scale rum production--but that juice arguably carries more character. Clairin is a spirit still largely produced in isolation, coming from hard to reach villages where it is distilled on simple machinery without electricity. Tasting it, you perceive the raw qualities right away--this is strong stuff--but if you spend a little time with it you might also understand the underlying elegance. Sajous' sugarcane grows next to mango trees, and I swear you can taste the rich yellow-fleshed fruit when you sip this spirit.