Batiste Rhum Reserve

45% ABV

Batiste is a Rhum project that starts on the island of Marie-Galante, the smallest of the French protectorates included in the Rhum Agricole denomination of origin. It finishes right here on the Marin coast of the Bay Area where it is proofed, aged, and bottled. 

Hubert Damoiseau produces the cane juice Rhum at his family's namesake distillery, the only carbon negative distillery in the Caribbean. Every step of the process is done with an eye towards minimizing the ecological impact, from regenerative cane farming, to solar power and low smoke boilers, to the use of recycled glass/cartons/labels. The spirit is shipped to Marin County where Tristan Mermin ages, blends, proofs, and bottles the finished product in the cooler climate of the coastal Bay Area. Because it is handled and bottled off of the island, it cannot be considered Rhum Agricole but it meets the standard in every other way.

Their Reserve bottling spends 24 months in ex-Rye Whiskey barrels and is bottled at 45% ABV. It has toasty oak and vanilla notes that complement the mild cane juice funk. The finish is long and spicy. This is an affordable option if you're looking for a rhum vieux agricole to mix with, even though it's not technically Agricole. It's also a wonderful sipper.