We don't give rum a fair shake as we do with whisk(e)y. Wade a little further into the world of rum and you'll be surprised—and entranced—by a multitude of flavour profiles. One of the shining stars of this industry is Neisson, overseen by master distiller Grégory Vervant. The man was in town for Whisky Live to reveal a limited edition rum that is destined to redefine the idea of indulgence.
Dating back to 1932, the storied Martinique distillery has been a hotbed of innovation transcending across three generations. Neisson's output of the organic Martinique rum in 2016 was a pivotal milestone. The distillery was also instrumental in popularising brut de colonne rums by pioneering experimental ageing techniques.
Before WhiskyLive, Vervant held a dinner at Restaurant JAG for a first look at the company's latest endeavour: Zetwal (Creole for "star"). Inspired by t h e celestial bodies charted by seafarers of yore; it pays homage to the Neisson family's maritime heritage. Imagine the Neisson merchant vessel, traversing the oceans—this imagery is found as the company's logo.
Using a blend of agricole rhum (2000, 2005, 2012 and 2013 vintages), it's distilled in a Savalle Creole still that was installed in 1952. It has an aromatic depth with notes of exotic fruits and chocolate. On the palate, you get a wonderful citrus welcome. That lays the path for a caramel middle before that long finish of honey.
The liquid is contained within a crystal flask made by artisans at Vista Allegre. The box that it comes in teases other future releases. Etched on the lid is Polaris, the pole star, which guides the way for forthcoming expressions.
Zetwal debuts at EUR1,990 in Europe. At the time of writing, a Singapore pricing wasn't provided by La Maison du Whisky, the local distributor of Neisson. But interested parties can reach out to customersupport@whisky.sg for further details.
