Velier Clairin 2020 Vieux Sajous 5-Year-Old Rum

Velier Clairin 2020 Vieux Sajous 5-year-old rum comes from the Chelo distillery in Saint-Michel-de-l’Attalaye, where Michel Sajous produces Clairin from Cristalline sugarcane. Vieux Sajous highlights the strength of a Clairin, aged for 5 years in 19 barrels that previously contained single malt whisky or rum. The interaction between the distillate and the cask has made this rum extremely complex, while retaining the aromatic freshness of the raw material.

Haiti is considered the last frontier of rum, and the country's signature rum, "Clairin", embodies this. When Velier's CEO, Luca Gargano, first visited Haiti in 2012, he was surprised to find as many as 532 functioning distilleries on the island. In comparison, there are only 42 operating distilleries in the entire Caribbean.

Haiti is full of primitive distilleries. These small productions are spread across the island and have not yet been affected by Western modernization. From that perspective, Haiti still seems 'pure'. The biodiversity is overwhelming, and each region on the island has its own unique production method, its own variety of sugarcane, and its own specific Clairin with distinctive aromas. Velier has selected and bottled Clairin that truly showcases this diversity, both in fermentation and distillation techniques and in the sugarcane varieties used.

Clairin, or "Kleren" as it's called in Creole, is the rum of the poor. It stands as a living memory of the Caribbean production method from the late 1700s, a time when rum was an essential trade commodity.

Velier's Clairin is an example of the extraordinary diversity of Haitian products. To qualify for Velier's range, however, Clairin must meet some strict requirements. The sugarcane varieties must be local and not hybrid. Cultivation must be organic, without the use of chemicals. Sugarcane must be harvested by hand and transported using traditional methods. Fermentation must occur naturally, without the addition of industrial yeast, and last at least 120 hours. Distillation must take place in specific apparatuses, and the final product must be bottled and packaged in Haiti.

59.52% – 70 cl.