Takamaka Review - Blogpost by Thomas Heie Nielsen & Allan Bjerreskov

Takamaka has finally arrived in Denmark! Recently, the importer revealed the exciting news that it has now landed.

Blogindlæg af Thomas Heie Nielsen & Allan Bjerreskov

Some of us rum enthusiasts have, for years, had to source this rum through alternative means to get it into the country. For me, the unaged version at 69% was particularly interesting – both as a sipping rum, in cocktails, and, of course, in a classic rum and cola with a wedge of lime and plenty of ice cubes.

The series consists of no fewer than four different rums and four spirits based on rum. Among these are a Takamaka Coconut at 25%, a Takamaka Pineapple at 25%, and what we previously referred to as a spiced rum – a rum flavored with various spices, at 38%. Due to its flavoring, it cannot be categorized as rum but rather as a spirit.

Takamaka Rum is produced at the Trois Frères Distillery, located in the southeastern part of the main island of Mahé. The distillery was established in 2002 by brothers Richard and Bernard d’Offay, who grew up in the Seychelles. Initially, they produced only for local consumption. Today, Takamaka is represented in 35 countries – and it continues to grow.

But before I dive into tasting Takamaka, you should read about Allan Bjerreskov's visit to the distillery in the Seychelles at the end of 2021.

Rum in Paradise
Is rum made in paradise? One might argue that the term wouldn't even be appropriate if it wasn’t the case. I’m far from religious, but the East African country of the Seychelles is one of the most paradisiacal places I’ve ever experienced. On the eastern side of the main island, Mahé, lies the Trois Frères distillery, which produces the rum brand Takamaka. Just a stone’s throw from the Indian Ocean. And not the kind of stone’s throw that requires an estate agent's exaggeration or the skills of Mikkel Hansen or Joachim B. Olsen. A gentle underhand toss is enough to reach the turquoise waves on the other side of the road. So, if there’s a version of paradise for rum lovers, this could very well be it. I had the pleasure of visiting the distillery in 2021, where I joined their guided tour and tasted their standard series. My fellow blogger, Thomas, will guide you through this series further down in the post. As for me, I’ll simply offer a quick recommendation: their white overproof rum is an excellent buy for the price and can give your cocktails an African kick in the... you know.

The distillery was founded by brothers Bernard and Richard d’Offay in 2002. Prior to that, they had spent a period experimenting with home distilling, using the swimming pool in their backyard to cool the vapors from their homemade condenser. According to the brothers, this resulted in a series of both successful and less successful experiments. I can assure you, however, that distillation at Trois Frères is now conducted under well-organized conditions with their three stills – one column still and two pot stills. The new stills were installed in 2021, replacing an older, gas-heated distillation setup.

Some of Takamaka’s rum is made from locally produced sugarcane. In fact, there’s a very small field – more like an enclosure – right by the distillery, where they grow their own sugarcane. The harvest from this is used for special bottlings. Additionally, they collaborate with local farmers on Mahé and the island of La Digue (the smallest of the country’s three inhabited islands) to produce local sugarcane. However, they are challenged by the fact that the Seychelles primarily consists of granite, meaning there are limited opportunities to establish new plantations. With the rollout of the collaboration with local farmers, Takamaka has been able to increase their annual production from 4,500 to 7,000 liters of rum made from sugarcane juice.

The limited sugarcane production on the islands has mainly been used to make ‘Baka’ – a type of beer brewed from sugarcane. As a result, there has never been a sugar industry on the islands, and no molasses is produced in the Seychelles. For this reason, Takamaka imports molasses from other countries in the Indian Ocean. They also collaborate with Foursquare in Barbados, incorporating 8-year-old rum from there into some of their blends. The water used in their production comes from a national park on Mahé, so Takamaka does everything they can to ensure their products are unique while also contributing to creating jobs in the local community. So you can enjoy their rum with a clear conscience.

Turtles in the Backyard and Gold in the Cellar
When you step into the distillery, the first thing you notice is the charming main building, which dates back to 1792. Fortunately, it has been modernized since and now houses a bar, a small museum, and a shop where you can buy not only rum but also slippers, caps, and other tropical-friendly gear with the Takamaka logo – if that’s your thing. Most importantly, the cellar, where the various single casks are left to mature, is located right beneath the house. We’ll get back to that.

The distillery grounds also feature a small food truck and a garden with medicinal herbs, which tourists are allowed to visit as part of the guided tour. One of the main attractions, aside from the rum, is the two old Aldabra tortoises, Taka and Maka. They belong to one of the world’s largest and longest-living tortoise species, capable of living well over 100 years. In other words, there’s a good chance they’ll still be slowly roaming around the backyard if you visit someday. But you’re probably not here to learn about medicinal herbs and tortoises. So, back to the rum.

While pleasure-seekers can grab a cocktail at the bar to the right of the main house and enjoy it with a view of the blue sky accompanied by the sound of waves lapping against the ocean, I recommend rum enthusiasts head to the left. That’s where you’ll find the building housing the three distillation stills. Here, your nostrils are treated to the scent of freshly pressed sugarcane. Next to it is a small, open building where shelves are lined with samples from the various single casks maturing in the cellar. This is where master blender Steven Rioux, in the company of his collaborators, tastes the exclusive drops and decides when they should be bottled – and which components, if any, should be blended together.

It was none other than Steven Rioux whom I managed to get in touch with before visiting the distillery. I was fortunate enough to receive a private tour of the cellar, which is normally off-limits to tourists. It’s a fairly small cellar, and Steven guided me around with great hospitality and enthusiasm. He drew samples directly from various barrels. Among other things, I tasted what eventually ended up on the shelves as part of the Habitation Velier series, but one particular rum from a Czech oak barrel was absolutely phenomenal. I was quite disappointed that my then-pregnant fiancée didn’t feel up to driving the rental car we had hired to get around the island. Nonetheless, it was a great pleasure to visit both the distillery and Steven, who, by the way, won the title of Blender of the Year in 2024.

So, if you ever find yourself on the Seychelles, do yourself a favor and visit the Trois Frères Distillery. Enjoy some Takamaka rum in the stunning surroundings that help give it its unique flavor. And say hello to Taka and Maka if they’re still there. Until then, you can bring a little African island vibe into your home now that Takamaka is becoming more widely available in Denmark. As for which bottles to buy, I’ll leave that to my fellow blogger Thomas to recommend.

Review
Now it’s time to taste the rums. I’ve chosen to group the rums a bit, starting with the two infused rums – the coconut rum and the regular “spiced” rum. Then I’ll taste the Creole edition and the Extra Noir. Finally, I’ll move on to the two white/unaged rums, Blanc and Overproof.

Takamaka Coconut 25% It’s a white rum liqueur infused with coconut and sugar. A lovely, full-bodied scent of fresh coconut. It doesn’t smell as sweet and possibly artificial as I had expected. That kind of coconut rum can sometimes have a tendency to come off as somewhat artificial in the nose. This one doesn’t. On the contrary, it feels more genuine, natural, and, importantly, well-balanced. The same applies to the taste. It tastes very much of coconut. But not too much. And definitely not unnaturally oversweet. It is, of course, sweet and has a lovely coconut flavor. Anything else would have been disappointing. But this coconut drink does not disappoint here in the middle of a dim, cold, and damp January. The Danish summer feels a bit far off now. But Takamaka Coconut 25% will, for a moment, transport you to sunshine, warmth, and a palm-lined beach with azure waters. A great example for the category.

Takamaka Dark Spiced 38% The white rum is infused with a special blend of vanilla, papaya, and tropical spices, making it one of the most popular choices in the Seychelles. On the nose, there are strong notes of buttered caramel, papaya, fudge, and vanilla. It smells sweet, caramel-like, and cozily spiced. The aroma and taste balance quite well, with the same notes. Spiced, sweet, cozy, and mild. This is not an overly spiced product. You can still sense the rum's subtle character beneath all the spices. I believe this spiced rum-based spirit would work wonderfully in a tropical-inspired tiki cocktail.

Takamaka Extra Noir Charred Cask Rum 43% It’s a natural rum. That is, a rum that isn’t flavored or sweetened. A beautiful light chestnut brown color in the glass. It looks natural and not artificially colored. On the nose, there are notes of melon, papaya, pineapple, honey, citrus fruits, and a tantalizing tannic oak character from the French casks the rum has aged in. The rum is fermented from molasses and consists of several rum components, some of which are distilled in a column still and others in a pot still. I don’t know the exact blend ratio, but I immediately sense a tantalizing freshness in the nose. You can instantly feel the rum’s character and dryness on the palate. Quite delightful. This is a solid, dry, and wonderful rum with great character. I especially enjoy the piquant fruity notes and the dry finish from the French casks.

Takamaka Zepis Kreol 43%

This is quite a special product. The way it’s made is entirely its own. Takamaka Zepis Kreol, like Takamaka Extra Noir Charred Cask Rum, is a blend of pot still and column still distilled rum made from molasses. But that’s where the similarity ends. The rum is then macerated with local natural spices, after which it’s pressed with former French Merlot wood. This is a unique method used only by Takamaka. Then, they add an 8-year-old Foursquare rum, and it rests for an additional 60 days in very old former bourbon casks. The process gives the rum a distinctive character. On the nose, I get notes of juniper and oak. Yes, correct. It actually smells like a mild, spiced, aromatic, barrel-aged gin. I’m a fan of barrel-aged gin, so I’m excited to taste this. I find that some of the recognizable gin notes come through in the taste. Mild, fine, piquant, lightly spiced notes. A subtle oakiness. Freshness and a slight acidity. A discreet sweetness. It’s an intriguing and very different product. It tastes really good. You might try it with tonic or perhaps as a substitute for a schnapps with a cold dish of warm courses, if you’re not into the classic spiced caraway schnapps.
The last two, I’ve been especially excited for. I’m quite fond of white and especially unaged rum.

Takamaka Blanc Rum 40,2%. The rum is molasses-based and column distilled to 94%, and you would think it would almost taste like a sugarcane-based vodka. Essentially, almost like pure ethanol. But this is far from the case. On the contrary, there are some cheeky high ester notes. Hubbabubba and a hint of agricole with some herbal and green notes. But also plenty of tropical fruit and sweetness. A delightful nose. Exciting and intriguing. The taste is also incredibly lovely. Sweet, fruity, and fresh notes. Again, some hubbabubba. If you've tasted a Savanna HERR, you know what I’m talking about. It’s not quite at the Savanna level, but it’s still there. It tastes really good. A flavorful and characterful rum that would do wonderfully in a cocktail or just as a rum and cola. But it can also be enjoyed neat with great pleasure.

Takamaka Overproof 69%.

Now it gets serious. This particular rum was one I sought after years ago, outside Denmark, and was lucky enough to bring home. It is now possible to buy and taste this rum here in Denmark. And you really get a lot of rum for your money here. It actually smells more agricole than I remember. There are notes of green salty olives, green bananas, grass, and fresh herbs. The taste. Wow... a flavor bomb. Some of the same fruity and lightly sweet notes from the white rum are there again. Just with more punch. A delicious, oily richness and some spiciness, even though this rum is unaged. Definitely a favorite. Don’t be afraid to try an unaged rum at 69%. I know it sounds crazy to some. But try – maybe with a couple of friends – to taste it. Take very small sips at first. Let your tongue, throat, and mouth get used to the intense flavor. Gradually take a bit more. But still, small sips at a time. Then make your favorite cocktail. I always recommend a daiquiri. But you can also use the rum for a solid rum and cola. And don’t be ashamed to use a good rum for rum and cola. Because if you use a good rum for rum and cola, you get a good rum and cola.

Enjoy Takamaka.

- Thomas og Allan.

Relaterede produkter