Spirit Type: Rhum

Country: Haiti

ABV: 48.3%

Bottle size: 70cl

Description:

The third Haitian Clairin, "Casimir," is a white rum that can be frustrating and weird if you are not in sync with it, yet entrancing if you are. It's difficult to love, as I mentioned in a comment on the Vaval, and the same is true here, only more so. After ten minutes, if you haven't thrown the item away in disgust, it's highly likely that you will never fully be able to remove it from your tasting memory bank.

Does it mean it's a quality rum now? Not necessarily for everyone, everywhere... even though it does make it unique and made of entirely distinct material.

We must be prepared for strange detours, waves of difference, and bizarre experiences that have no obvious analogs in our thinking, with the possible exception of other Clairins, as with anything of the sort. I tried the Sajous for the first time in Paris in April 2015 and fell in love right away. I continued to be in love with the Vaval, so I thought it only fair to finish the review of the Casimir so the full set would be available for anyone who doesn't mind venturing completely off the beaten road.

I recall thinking, "Man, this is wonderful," as it hit my palate. It began with sweet sugar water and cucumber slices in dilute vinegar, and it took a strong left turn from the nose with the smooth, hot body of an energizing, buxom porn queen. It had an alternating mouthfeel of silk and steel. On the tongue, flavors of mint, marzipan, more floor polish, and light olive oil overtones resounded. It had dill, coriander, lemon pepper, fennel, fish sauce, and some strange mineral or vegetable that, for some reason, reminded me of peat. It also contained less fusel oil than the Sajous. I'm not sure how it pulled that off, but it managed to tread carefully between titillating in jest and overt sleaze.

The finest of the trio, it has a really nice taste to it. I had no big issues about the finish either; it was lengthy, sweet, and oily, with only a faint hint of kerosene to spoil what was otherwise a fantastic sipping experience. I must admit, I really like this one (different though it was).