Habitation Velier Monymusk 2015 MMW Pure Single Rum

Habitation Velier Monymusk 2015 MMW Pure Single Rum is part of the highly anticipated release from VELIER. In 2016 VELIER launched the Habitation Velier range, being the world’s only range of Pure Single Rums acting as a reference point to the type of rum produced by each distillery’s unique pot still.

The term ‘Pure Single Rum’ defines a rum from a single distillery, distilled exclusively in pot stills. Pot still rums are more complex and typically more suitable to long ageing. The vintage Pure Single Rums are entirely aged in the tropics, ensuring a natural, accelerated aging compared to European ageing, at the expense of higher angels share.

The Monymusk-Clarendon distillery is equipped with a first Vendôme pot still with a capacity of 20,000 litres and a second pot still made in India with a capacity of 25,000 litres. With an ester content of 200-300 g per hectolitres of pure alcohol, this version is in the MMW category, bottled for the first time in the Habitation Velier range. At first tumultuous, medicinal and hot, its palette of flavours and aromas gradually becomes increasingly juicy, crisp, softly spiced and chocolatey.

Tasting Notes

Colour : Deep golden yellow.

Nose : Rich, deep. The medicinal (tiger balm, mustard poultice), vanilla, floral (vetiver, tuberose, iris) and camphoric first nose is impudent, lively and fresh. Allowed to breathe, fragrances of peppermint, chilli (Cayenne pepper) and candied lemon confirm the aroma palette’s heady character. Little by little, fragrances of walnut and white fruit (pear, Mirabelle plum) attempt to soften the fiery temperament of the first act in the tasting.

Palate : Clean, lively. In turn dynamic, the attack begins first by handing over to pressed citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit), aromatic plants (tarragon, savoury, oregano) and white fruits (pear, peach). At times evoking an absinthe, the mid-palate is herbaceous (lucerne, flax) and hot. The expressive end of the palate takes us into the heart of a sun-warmed field of canes.

Finish : Long, powerful. At the start of the finish, notes of crisp and juicy pear are placed at the peak of the flavour palette. In unison, the end of the finish places a basketful of pears onto a bed of sugar cane. The delicately spicy (cinnamon) and chocolate retro-nasal olfaction shows a remarkable sweet and savoury balance. The empty glass shows liquorice, herbaceous notes (green tea), vanilla and lemon.