Many of my travels around the world have included visits to special agricultural “production areas” that deeply rely on local soil and climate in order to shape the specific taste of the crops being grown. This is called “terroir” which is a French term describing how these elements control the sugar and acidity, along with a bit of science and a good amount of art and luck to produce some premium products – wine, olive oil, distilled liquors such as whiskey and bourbon as well as fermented alcoholic drinks like beer or toddy (a mildly alcoholic beverage made from the sap of palm trees that I discovered and imbibed in Southern India).
It appears the Seychelles has one high quality commercial rum distillery, with products that are sold globally across 4 continents – Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. It is called Takamaka Rum and it was founded in 2002 by the d’Offay family after very humble beginnings in the backyard of their home – their swimming pool was actually used as a makeshift cooling tower!
Today the distillery is run on the site of an 18th Century tropical spice plantation named Trois Fréres Distillery on Mahé. The brand is named after a Takamaka tree (an evergreen tree) and Takamaka Bay.
Takamaka produces 10 distinct types of rum. Their lineup ranges from unaged white rums and flavored liqueurs to premium aged blends. I am not a rum connoisseur – so here a list of the above from the internet:
Seychelles Series (Island Favorites)
- Rum Blanc: A light, unaged white rum.
- Rum Zenn: Unaged rum pressed with oak fines.
- Overproof Rum: A potent 69% ABV white rum.
- Dark Spiced Rum: A molasses-based rum blended with natural vanilla and local spices.
- Koko Coconut Rum Liqueur: White rum infused with pure coconut extract.
- Zannannan Pineapple Rum Liqueur: A rum-based pineapple liqueur.
St. Andre Series (Premium & Aged) – a more complex lineup
- Extra Noir: A blend of aged sugarcane juice and molasses distillates.
- Zepis Kreol: A spiced rum blending pot-distilled cane rum with local spices like cloves and nutmeg.
- Pti Lakaz: A blend of 3-year-old and 8-year-old rums aged in ex-bourbon and port casks.
- Grankaz: A premium, complex blend of pot-distilled molasses and cane rum aged in ex-bourbon and French oak barrels.
Yes, there was a tasting – there was a choice of 5 light rums or 3 more complex. Since my rum experience to this date included only rum used as a mixer, I decided to go with the latter 3 offering, but while they were setting up I whet my whistle on a pineapple rum concoction that was quite tasty:
Then I was ready. Our hostess first described each of the rums:
One at a time, she poured our selections:
The last rum from my choice of 3 was the Takamaka Overproof Rum, an unaged white rum bottled with a staggering 69% ABV (138 proof). I was told not to sip, but to take it as a shot all at once.
My entire mouth, including my tongue, went instantly numb as if I had just been given a novocaine shot in the dentist’s office. There is no photo of my face at this time.
I did however, recover quickly. It was a unique experience for sure.
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