Background
Had enough hazmagricole reviews yet? Given my loves for Bielle and still strength agricoles, it was inevitable that I would review Bielle’s brut de colonne eventually. This rum was column distilled from fresh cane juice in 2019 and bottled without dilution or barrel aging at 71.2%.
Tasting
The nose offers an array of aromas both dirty and clean. I get mixed flowers, laundry detergent, fresh rainfall, sea breeze, limestone, Play-Doh, soil, lemon cookie, and Sichuan peppercorn.
Strangely, one of the most prominent features on the palate is a fried wonton flavor which I didn’t pick up on the nose. I get more flowers, limestone, Sichuan peppercorn, and lemon cookie, but also prominent raw vegetable notes like carrot, celery, and black olive.
Verdict
No surprises here, this is great. It demonstrates all of the qualities I love about Bielle with high intensity and precision, plus it features some flavors I haven’t found in Bielle previously.
Though I’m reviewing this on its own, I can’t help but measure any Bielle product against their standard 59% blanc. Considering the costs of these two bottles, the 59% simply can’t be beat. But, judging purely by the spirit itself, I do think the brut de colonne edges it out. (8/10)