Pure Cane Juice, Haiti

Founded in 2004 by Michel Sajous, the Chelo distillery perpetuates a fifty-year-old family tradition. Located in northern Haiti, in Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye, it is surrounded by a 30-hectare plantation where the non-hybridized Cristalline sugarcane variety is cultivated. The clairin produced there is fermented using indigenous yeasts for five to eight days and distilled in a still heated over an open flame, fueled by bagasse (the fibrous residue of sugarcane). With its complete freedom of expression, this expression explores surprisingly original aromatic territories, ranging from medicinal accents and pharmaceutical notes to bursts of spice.

Nose : ample, refined. Medicinal (mustard seed), fruity (pineapple, kaffir lime), oily (rosemary, sage), camphoraceous, spicy (clove, nutmeg), and heady (geranium blossom, carnation), the aromatic profile is remarkably complex. With aeration, scents of fruit macerated in fresh sugarcane juice beautifully permeate the olfactory space.

Appearance : deep old gold.

Palate : Lively, invigorating. At once powdery (rice) and spicy (fresh ginger, clove), the flavor profile is gradually enveloped by delightful medicinal notes. Once this interlude has passed, it invites us to savor the tropical fruits revealed by the nose.

Finish : rich and silky. Heady (iris concrete), earthy (gentian), and vanilla (pod), it is enlivened by the presence of citrus (lemon, kaffir lime). Noblely spiced (cardamom, clove), the retro-olfaction lingers with notes of very pure licorice. Milky (almond, agave), the empty glass is filled with aromas of freshly distilled sugarcane juice.