I had a very interesting tasting with the Austin Rum Society where Ben Jones of Rhum Clément and Spiribam gave us some history and education on the brand and rhum agricole. While doing so, we were fortunate enough to get to taste several of their expressions. I figured I'd drop some of my tasting notes. For each of these we received about a half ounce or so of each, so I really only had enough to test each of them once. But I still think it is interesting to check out the differences between the different expressions.
Clément Blanc
- Nose: Unsurprisingly it is clean and grassy. Nothing jumps out immediately, but I would love to have this a detergent or soap.
- Palate: Mild grassy notes and clean. Almost hard to taste as it's so soft. There is a touch of umami that keeps it from being to bland.
- Finish: Not much to speak of. Just a whisper of spring water.
- Final Thoughts: A classic, but probably not one I would pick up when compared to other unaged agricoles.
Clément Canne Bleue
- Nose: Very similar to the Blanc, but with all the notes turned up. Much more full in a way I really appreciate.
- Palate: Floral with a light mineral taste. It has a pleasant umami note that dissolves into that mineral note along with a souring fruit.
- Finish: Very clean and leaves a waxy note in the mouth.
- Final Thoughts: I would pick this up for my home bar agricole, but it would have to be in a similar price point as Neisson Rhum. Not sure on the price point, but definitely worth picking up if it's not crazy.
Clément Select Barrel
- Nose: Full of spices, barrel notes, and a lot of spearmint.
- Palate: Lighter than the nose, but still full of flavor. Getting the spice note and barrel for sure, though it is a lot more mellow than something like a bourbon. There is the umami note here as well, which I am a fan of.
- Finish: Very similar to the previous two, just with a light touch of the barrel on the back of the tongue.
- Final Thoughts: This one makes me feel more confident in saying I am not a big fan of aged agricole. It's not that it's bad, it's just not as interesting as the unaged offerings.
Clément VSOP
- Nose: Sharpest nose so far. Definitely getting the spices and barrel, but lighter than the Select Barrel.
- Palate: Gentle sweetness with a barrel note that isn't super tannin-y, but more like a fresh wood.
- Finish: Dusty baking spice notes with just the hint of barrel.
- Final Thoughts: As I said, I'm not a big fan of aged agricole, but this one is pushing me to enjoy the category. Not enough for me to consider grabbing a bottle, but worth a pour at a bar.
Clément XO
- Nose: Goes back to full of baking spices, but this time with a little orange oil. There is also a touch of sour fruit.
- Palate: More of that fresh wood oak, but somehow even more mellow in a way I love. More reserved than the other aged offerings, but with more to unravel. I'm getting something kind of like a soursop, which is fantastic.
- Finish: Also waxy with just a touch of the umami that's been in everything else. I'm still getting the soursop, but more gently. Lasts the longest so far.
- Final Thoughts: Probably my favorite of the batch if I was looking for a bottle to pick up. This convinced me that aging agricole can be worth it. I'm not sure if it would be worth the price tag (about 65 near me), but I would at least consider it.
Clément Single Batch Sherry Finish, the Austin Shaker pick
- Nose: Most different by far. Maybe it's just the suggestion of sherry, but it is very nutty and waxy. Kind of like the taste of a walnut with the dust from cracking it open all mingling together.
- Palate: Starts very similar to the other aged offerings... for a single second. Then it shoots off into a completely different taste. It's tart and fruity, almost like a black cherry coated in citric acid. As a fan of sour, I really do enjoy it. Does seem to drink much easier than it's abv, but that could just be palate fatigue.
- Finish: Lingering sherry notes and still very waxy. Not getting as much umami, but it is there under everything.
- Final Thoughts: Probably my favorite as far as a tasting goes; I would not purchase a full bottle. But for exploring, this one is great. I think the flavors might not mesh well for everyone, but I enjoyed them for the most part.
Overall, I really enjoyed the tasting and the history about Rhum Clément. They might stil not be my favorite agricole brand, but I'll certainly not think twice about pouring a dram for a friend nor would I turn down a Ti' punch made from any of their offerings. Rhum Clément continues to bring solid agricole options to a wide enough distribution that I would never write them off.