(Photo: Holmes Cay)

Holmes Cay Rum is releasing two new distinct styles of unaged rum never-before-seen in North America, a Rhum Agricole and Grand Arôme as part of its Single Origin collection. These unique rums were produced at the Distillerie de Savanna on Réunion Island.

Réunion is a French department tropical island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Madagascar, is a French overseas department. The island is known for its volcanic landscape, rainforested interior, coral reefs and beaches. Sugarcane has been growing in fertile volcanic soil for centuries. Distillerie de Savanna produces both cane juice and molasses rums from the local sugarcane. 

Holmes Cay Rum curates and selects its bottlings from the quality small-batch, limited-edition rums, distilled without additives from distilleries all over the world. The brand is known for its Single Origin and Single Cask rums.

The Holmes Cay Rum founder, Eric Kaye stated, “These unaged expressions from Reunion have never been sold in North America before. Both are special, small-batch rums distilled from native sugarcane. The Rhum Agricole and the Grand Arôme very much fit the profile of the Holmes Cay Single Origin line, offering exciting and accessible younger expressions to broaden serving opportunities.”

The first new edition, Réunion Island Agricole Rum, is made from fresh pressed cane juice distilled in a Savalle copper column still. It was bottled unaged with a 50% ABV. The brand describes the nose as green pepper and olive with new grass and brine on the tongue. This finish has a sweet fresh sugarcane flavor. 

The other Single Origin, Réunion Island Grand Arôme Rum, is a molasses high ester expression. This rum was also distilled on the Savalle copper column still and bottled unaged but at a higher ABV of 57.5%. Holmes Cay characterizes the aromas as pickled green tomato with black olive followed by subtle flowers. The taste contains notes of overripe tropical fruit, menthol and salted citrus with sun-dried tomato and candied fruit carried through on a long finish. 

Kaye added, “These two expressions cannot be mistaken for one another, nor could they be mistaken for light-flavored white rums made in other distilling styles. The Réunion Island Agricole and Grand Arôme expressions are delicious and distinctive expressions of the terroir of Reunion, ready to be sipped or used in cocktails that highlight their special qualities.”

The rums are available now for wholesale. Find Holmes Cay throughout the US via online retailers or wherever the brand is sold. To find where to buy Holmes Cay near you visit the brand’s website. The suggested retail price (SRP) for the Réunion Island Agricole is $39.99, while the Réunion Island Grand Arôme is $49.99 SRP.

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