At the foot of Mont Pelée, where the volcanic soil still remembers the catastrophe of 1902, blue sugar cane is still pressed the old-fashioned way. This is where Depaz has its roots — a plantation so closely tied to the mountain that you can barely speak of one without the other.
The expert's description of Depaz Plantation Rhum Vieux Agricole Martinique
Depaz Plantation Rhum Vieux is the entry-level bottling in the Depaz range, but it carries the whole DNA of the house. It is a true rhum agricole AOC Martinique, distilled exclusively from freshly pressed sugar cane juice — not molasses, as used in most of the rum world. That fresh cane juice is exactly what gives the agricole style its characteristic, slightly vegetal and mineral edge.
This is a Vieux bottling, meaning at least three years of ageing in oak casks. The maturation takes place in large casks, and this is where the young, angular agricole spirit gains its golden colour, its roundness and its notes of vanilla and spice. The result is a young but honest rum, bottled at an uncompromising 45% — a strength that suits it beautifully, both neat and in a ti' punch.
The Depaz distillery sits on the heights above Saint-Pierre on the northern part of Martinique, in the shadow of the island's active volcano. It is still partly driven by an old steam engine, and much of the cane comes from the plantation's own fields on the mineral-rich volcanic soil. It is one of the island's most storied houses, and the tale of Victor Depaz — the only surviving family member after the 1902 eruption — is an inseparable part of the brand's identity.
Tasting notes
Nose
Warm and inviting with dried fruit, vanilla and toasted oak. Behind it hides dark chocolate, a dusting of nutmeg and cinnamon, and a faint green hint of fresh sugar cane.
Palate
Powerful and spicy with a core of freshly pressed sugar cane juice. Caramelised oak, candied orange and prune unfold alongside a touch of toasted, almost smoky notes.
Finish
Long, warm and smooth with a spicy, woody character and a dry, slightly bitter close that is typical of the style.
Specifications
Name: Depaz Plantation Rhum Vieux Agricole Martinique
Distillery: Distillerie Depaz
Region/Country: Saint-Pierre, Martinique
Type: Rhum Vieux Agricole, AOC Martinique
ABV: 45%
Size: 700 ML
Cask type: Oak, minimum 3 years of ageing
EAN no.: 3275130007985
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed neat at room temperature in a tulip-shaped glass, or in a classic ti' punch with a little cane sugar and a slice of lime.
Flavour profile
Spicy · Woody · Fruity · Vanilla · Slightly vegetal · Dry
Did you know?
Depaz uses blue sugar cane — a rarer variety than the more common red — and connoisseurs consider the blue the more elegant and refined of the two. The distillery also produces rum for the Dillon brand.
See our full range of
Depaz
