10 Cane
 Category:
Cane, White
Country: Trinidad & Tobago
Aged: 6 months
Alcohol: 40% (80 proof)
Availability: Almost Everywhere
Price: $30-$38 (750 mL)
Rating:
The Review:
10 Cane lauds itself as "rum's redemption," as its
creators at Moet Hennessey have taken a brave step and crafted
this luxury rum from the first pressing of virgin Trinidadian
sugar cane, not molasses.
Most rums use molasses, a by-product of sugar manufacturing. 10
Cane's distillation process is overseen by Jean Pineau, the
Master Distiller of Moët Hennessy. Pineau employs what has been
described as an "artisanal" approach to rum making, particularly
through small batch production process and high ingredient
quality standards.
10 Cane rum is slowly fermented for five days at a low
temperature, double-distilled in small batches in French pot
stills, and finally aged in French oak barrels for ten months.
This aging process gives 10 Cane its light golden color. 10 Cane
Rum is one of the few rums focused on ingredients and primary
production stages rather than maturation. To top itoff,
they ship the finished product on a bottle that is both a classy
combination of vintage and modern styling.
A slim square body
with a long, gripped neck is designed for premium shelf
placement and suited for bar handling. Its plastic-topped cork
assures us that this is a high-end spirit. The color is an
interesting light straw yellow (though it's still really a white
rum), and from the open bottle, the aroma is of alcohol and
sugar cane with a hint of vanilla. Poured into a glass, the
color becomes much clearer and the smell of alcohol becomes
particularly pungent.
Allowed to breathe, the aroma is
reminiscent of whiskey. Flavor is fairly clean and smoky-sweet
with a medium burn on the tongue and young rum harshness on the
throat. The heat is too much to enjoy neat and carries with it a
faint bitter aftertaste. On the rocks, the cooled liquid
releases subtle tastes of earthy wood with a honey and mild
fruit aftertaste. A little lime and some club soda (or ginger
ale, or coke), and 10 Cane will slowly start to grow on you.
It's great in simple mixed drinks like classic Daiquiris, but
it's best not to dilute it with a multitude of spirits and other
ingredients. Makes incredible Mojitos and Caipirinhas.
In all,
the highlight of 10 Cane might be the bottle, but what's inside
is still pretty good. Though for over $30, most might find it a
bit steep for a mixing rum. |
