Reunion Rum

Réunion is a French overseas department east of Madagascar, a young volcanic island built on sugar. Unlike the Caribbean French islands, most of its rum is rhum traditionnel distilled from molasses, the by-product of its sugar factories, though agricole and blends exist too. The volcanic soil, tropical fermentation and Indian Ocean climate give the rum a character you will not find anywhere in the Atlantic.

The style that put Réunion on the collector map is Grand Arôme: rum fermented for a long time to build huge amounts of esters, the compounds behind that intense fruity, funky, almost overripe punch. It is Réunion's answer to Jamaican high-ester rum, and at full intensity it is one of the most aromatic spirits on earth. If you love Hampden or Long Pond, this is the island to try next.

The island runs on three houses. Savanna is the one collectors chase, the home of Grand Arôme and the most adventurous bottlings. Rivière du Mât is the big volume producer, and Isautier, founded in 1845, is the island's oldest family distillery. Between them they cover everything from supermarket staples to single casks worth real money.

On RumX, Réunion punches far above its size, and almost every top score carries the Savanna name. The community's favorite is the RumX x Savanna Grand Arôme co-bottling, a cask we chose together with the distillery, sitting right at the top of the island alongside Savanna's HERR and Grand Arôme single casks. Start with a young Savanna to meet the style, then climb into the aged Grand Arôme.