know-how
Appellation d'origine contrôlée
Signature of Rhums Clément
Martinique’s agricultural rum is distilled from pure sugarcane juice and produced under strict AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) rules. This demanding process preserves natural flavours and guarantees the quality of the product. and sign the authenticity of our products.
TASTING COMMITTEE
A group of experts
The Tasting Committee is an in-house team of experts responsible for regularly evaluating and tasting samples of rums from the various stages of the production process. In collaboration with the cellar master, its role is essential in maintaining the qualitative consistency of the rum by testing its sensory characteristics: aromas, texture, flavours… Constantly striving for excellence, the members of the Tasting Committee are also involved in blending decisions and the validation of new products.
CELLAR MASTER
Heritage and modernity
Since 2021, Julien Thimon embodies the new face of Rhums Clément. After accompanying Robert Peronet in ageing and blending at Habitation Clément for eighteen years, he in turn became cellar master. In this capacity, he oversees all stages of the production process, from the selection of sugarcane varieties to the bottling of the rum. While guaranteeing its age-old quality, he innovates, renews and perfects Clément rums with bold new blends.
BLUE CANE" VINTAGES
The iconic
In 2000, Clément created a rum all the more unique unique in that it is monovarietal. Named Canne Bleue, this is the first agricultural rum distilled from the juice of the cane variety from which it takes its name. The fruit of a passionate and demanding creative process, this is a white rum with blue-violet reflections, and particularly fruity aromatic potential. Unique, Canne Bleue is renewed every year in a new vintage that reveals a singular aromatic profile and original fruity notes.
A NEW PRODUCTION UNIT
A modern plant
With a floor area of 3,500 m², the new ultra-modern production building enables Rhums Clément to be packaged on site. Two bottling lines, a storage area and a shipping area ensure quality and traceability at every stage. This is also where the Clément tasting panel and experts bring out the full intensity of the flavors of current and future Clément rums.
Harvest
A sugar season
There are 4,000 varieties of sugar cane, of which only 29 are AOC-approved (since 2020). At maturity, the cane stalk can reach 4 m in height, at which point harvesting can begin. It takes place once a year, generally from January to July, using harvesters.
Weighing
Quality control
Weighing sugar cane is an essential step in controlling cane quality and sugar concentration, in strict compliance with appellation d’origine contrôlée regulations (sugar content over 14 Brix).
Grinding
End of harvest
The crushing that extracts the juice from the sugar cane is carried out a few hours after harvesting, to preserve the freshness of the cane and the aromas of the distilled cane juice. After three successive grindings, the sugar cane has yielded all its juice. The dry fiber that remains, known as “bagasse”, is used to fuel the fireplaces of steam boilers.
FERMENTATION
Jus de canne à sucre
Le « vesou » est le nom donné au jus de canne à sucre. Il fermente pendant 24 à 36 heures avant l’ajout des levures qui transforment le sucre en alcool. Le vin de canne ainsi obtenu se caractérise par une teneur en alcool de 3,5 % et un pH compris entre 3 et 4, conformément aux normes de l’AOC.
La DISTILLATION
Un processus continu
La distillation consiste à extraire l’alcool contenu dans le vin de canne grâce à l’action de la chaleur de la vapeur d’eau. La bagasse alimente les chaudières à eau et, dans la colonne à distiller, la vapeur d’eau confrontée au jus fermenté se charge d’alcool. Conduite dans un condenseur, elle revient à l’état liquide en un distillat qui titre à 71 degrés d’alcool.
Ageing
Know-how
The white rum obtained from distillation is placed in stainless steel vats for six to eight months, where a delicate process of gradual reduction allows it to lose its heat and gain in roundness and flavor. As for aged rum, it is placed in oak barrels for at least three years, gaining in aroma and flavour. in subtlebefore being elaborated by the cellar master.