Damoiseau
ManufacturerDamoiseau
Country of origin Guadeloupe
Introduced1942
VariantsRhum blanc, rhum ambré et rhum vieux
WebsiteDamoiseau Rum
Windmill at the Damoiseau rum distillery, Le Moule, Guadeloupe.

Damoiseau is a rhum agricole distillery located in Le Moule, Guadeloupe. It is one of five distilleries in the Guadeloupe archipelago, and the only one in the Grande-Terre region.[1] It has roots back to the 19th century and was originally founded as an agricultural estate. Damoiseau is the leading rum producer in Guadeloupe, producing more than 8 million litres per year and exported to more than 40 countries worldwide.[2]

History

The Bellevue estate, upon which the Damoiseau distillery is built, was originally founded as a sugar plantation by the Rimbaud family of Martinique at the end of the 19th century, after the emancipation of slaves in the French colonies. The estate was purchased by Roger Damoiseau in 1942 and transformed into a rhum agricole distillery,[3] and is currently run by Roger's grandson, Hervé Damoiseau.[4]

Production

Damoiseau rhums are produced from sugar cane that is harvested and crushed on the same day before fermenting for 24–36 hours. It is distilled in a continuous column still to between 86% and 88% alcohol,[5] and then aged in charred oak barrels previously used for aging bourbon.[6] After aging for six months or more than six years, the rum is diluted with local spring water to a consistent commercial proof and bottled.

In 2011, Damoiseau opened a bottling and storage facility near Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport in Les Abymes, Pointe-à-Pitre that is capable of storing up to 5 million bottles.[7]

Products

  • Damoiseau Virgin Cane Rhum Agricole Blanc: (40% ABV) aged for six months in oak vats.
  • Damoiseau Pure Cane Rhum 110: (55% ABV) aged for six months in oak vats.
  • Damoiseau VSOP Rhum Vieux: (42% ABV) aged for a minimum of four years in ex-bourbon barrels.
  • Damoiseau XO Rhum Vieux: (42% ABV) aged for a minimum of six years in ex-bourbon barrels.

Recognition

In 2017, Damoiseau Virgin Cane won the gold medal for Rums Pure Juice & Blanc Agricole <50% ABV.[8] Damoiseau XO Rhum Agricole received the Chairman's Trophy in the 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Caribbean. Dorling Kindersley Limited. 2014. ISBN 9781465432674. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "Agricole Without the AOC – Guadeloupe's Rhum Damoiseau". Cocktail Wonk. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  3. ↑ "Rum Journal: Guadeloupe's Damoiseau". Caribbean Journal. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  4. ↑ Boons, Isabel; Neijens, Tom (July 2018). Rum: A Complete Guide. Lannoo Publishers. p. 186. ISBN 978-9401450072.
  5. ↑ "When is Rhum No Longer Rhum? Hervé Damoiseau". Rumporter. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  6. ↑ Grossman, Eric (2016). Craft Spirits. Penguin. ISBN 9781465454980. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Meet Hervé Damoiseau of Damoiseau Rums". Rumporter. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  8. ↑ "Rhum Fest Awards 2017". Rumporter.com. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge". Retrieved 3 December 2019.


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