Takamaka Dark Spiced Rum 70cl (Packaging artwork may vary)

Product Information

Completing the collection is Grankaz, the epitome of Seychelles rum, which takes its name from the main house at the distillery. This liquid showcases the true craft that goes into ageing and blending Takamaka rum. While there has always been a small amount of cane gown, it was almost exclusively used to make "Baka", a cane juice beer of sorts. The team have spent over a decade supporting a collective of local farmers enabling them to add to their income by planting sugar cane. The team support sustainable farming practices by anchoring the growers to a no-pesticides program, returning the bagasse for use as animal feed and providing large tanks for rainwater collection. Takamaka also act as non-official consultants suggesting cane variants and harvesting schedules for free.

Rum was first introduced to the Seychelles in the mid 16th century by the British Navy. Sugar cane cultivation on the islands began in the late 1800s and early 1900s, primarily to supplement the supply of sugar from infrequent visits from ships. As the delivery of sugar to the islands became more frequent, the use of sugar cane began to evolve - initially to making fermented cane juice known as 'Baka'. [ citation needed] First in the series is Extra Noir, a blend of pot- and column-distilled molasses rums, soaked with ex-Bourbon oak wood fines, then pressed with both French and ex-Bourbon cask wood. The rum is rested in second-fill ex-cane rum French oak casks for 60 days before bottling. At 43% ABV, expect a rum that is full-bodied and punchy, with high-ester funk, spice, vanilla and sweet undertones – perfect for a seriously sippable Highball. Twenty years ago, brothers Bernard and Richard d’Offay pursued a personal passion project to create their own rum. Their vision was clear, to create a liquid that would capture their remote, tropical island home in the Indian ocean: the Seychelles. Residents also have a history of making their own rhum arrangé, a mixture of local rum and a blend of herbs and spices (usually a family recipe). This is traditionally served as a digestif (post-meal drink). [ citation needed] We see a lot of tourists and visitors coming to see the distillery on a daily basis, compared with three or four years ago – now we’re seeing 10 times more than what we had. It’s almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy; the more people that know about Takamaka, that see it available in a local shop, it all starts to snowball, like a flywheel effect. We seem to be on that trajectory now and it’s great,” Bernard adds.

The beginning of Rum distillation in Seychelles

I can see why. I truly love what the Takamaka team has made. This is a singular project, born out of a true love for both the island and the spirit, one that has only lasted because of tremendous resilience and resourcefulness. They could have done it so differently. They could have just bottled someone else’s rum. They could have just bought in cane. They could have just sold up when it started going well and retired to the beach. Instead, they brought spirit to The Seychelles, and better they made one that embodies this incredible island. So what is Hydrodynamic Cavitation? In short, it’s a mechanical process that brings about chemical reactions and molecular changes in liquid that would otherwise happen over time. These include the development of deep, natural flavors as well as mellowing of the rum. Takamaka Rum is a brand of rum that is distilled, aged and blended in the Seychelles, at the Trois Frères Distillery, on the main island of Mahé. [ citation needed] The distillery has been operating since 2002, and was founded by the d’Offay brothers, Richard and Bernard d’Offay. It is the first and only commercial rum producer and exporter in Seychelles. [ citation needed] History [ edit ] Takamaka Cask #31 blended at 40% = 230L (350L cask – circa 70L lost to spillage – remaining through samples and angel share)

While there are a couple of local bottlers, Takamaka is the only distillery on the island. The brand produces a mix of pot and column still rums, molasses- and sugarcane-based bottlings, and also boasts a unique ageing programme, numerous barrel cellars with variable climates – plus, the distillery works with 25 farmers to source its raw materials. Takamaka 2018 has all come from a unique batch produced in 2018 and aged for three years in Radoux French oak barrels in the tropical climate of the Seychelles. The rum is rich and flavourful, full bodied with notes of grapefruit, vine peach, hyacinth and beeswax on the palate. The nose is refined and complex at the same time, with highlights of freshly cut hay, nutmeg and guava. The Seychelles might not be the first region that springs to mind when you think of rum, but brothers Bernard and Richard d’Offay are on a mission to put this tropical island on the map with their award-winning Takamaka. The new St André Series from Takamaka rum White Overproof 69 Rum – Much higher than the standard 40% ABV, Takamaka 69 has an ABV of 69% and is best used in mixed drinks. 70CL/69% Habitation Velier – the House of Pure Single Rums have announced two new releases from Takamaka, the rum from the Seychelles.Takamaka has two main core ranges, the Seychelles Series is made up of five molasses-based rums: Rum Blanc , Dark Spiced , Zannannan (Pineapple), Koko (Coconut), and Overproof , as well as the St Andre Series, which comprises of Extra Noir , Zepis Kreol , Pti Lakaz, and Grankaz a more complex affair consisting of cane and molasses rums made on pot and column stills, as well as its pressed rums, and some of those Bajan rums blended in for good measure. Idővel a Seychelle-szigeten is igény támadt egy magasabb minőségű desztillációval, finomabb blendelési és érlelési eljárással készülő rumra, amelyben megjelennek a Seychelle-szigetek jellegzetes ízei. Így született meg a Takamaka rum, amely kezdetlegesebb elődeinél kiszámíthatóbb alkoholtartalommal rendelkezik, és nem okozott akut gyomorrontást. A fűszeres és fahéjas Takamaka rumok egyfajta műfaji visszatérést jelentenek Seychelle ősi italához, a házi készítésű, enyhén keserű rum arrangéhoz, amit a barátok rendszerint a békés tengerparton kortyolgattak.

This makes it the perfect time to launch a new collection of Takamaka rums: the St André Series. Comprising four expressions, the new range truly encapsulates what Seychelles rum is all about. Takamaka founders: brothers Richard and Bernard d’Offay Unique blends To distill the rum for the Habitation Velier collaboration, Takamaka used two identical, all copper Hoga built Portuguese 500 liters pot stills, in a double distillation process. The first pot still has no plates in its column, facilitating that initial stage from mash to wash , the first stage to strip the water, yeast and sediment out of the mash before moving to the second pot still, for its final distillation. Those pots stills were recently retired as they reached the end of their working lives. Their new stills are a 1,000L Wash still with traditional copper and condenser, and a new 450 L hybrid spirit still, a copper pot still with 8 bubble plates in the condenser that will allow for an advanced rum separation.We’ve played around, experimented, and now we’re ready to showcase our very interesting cane rums and the blending process behind them. It’s fantastic liquid; we like to experiment.” Going global The Seychelles has never had a sugar industry, the Takamaka team had recently reached out to Antoine Marie Moustache who is the former Permanent Sectary to the Department of Agriculture. She kindly was able to share from the“ Annual report on Agriculture and Crown lands”authored by P.R. Dupont the first recorded reference to sugar in the Seychelles was in 1919. The report went on to elaborate that“ no sugar was manufactured in the colony and the culture of sugar cane was restricted to about 20 acres because of a tax on acreage.” Seychelles Cane rum therefore remains an artisanal product with Takamaka historically never having been able to produce more than 4,500 litres of finished cane rum in a year. However – the decade of support is starting to pay off as more farmers have started to plant both on Mahe but now also on La Digue and the team have set their sights to achieve 7,000 litres of Seychelles Cane Rum per year by 2024. Today they have access to five genetically different types of cane which vary in colour from green to striped green and yellow, red to the purple “kann di vin” or wine cane, which is the rarest and sweetest one in the Seychelles. The team actively support cultivation of this specific variant including growing it within their own Clos at La Plaine St Andre. The cane that is grown in the Seychelles has distinct terroir notes from the island’s unique granitic soil which is mixed with beach sand. The unique Seychellois rums combine a mix of cane and molasses rums, distilled in pot and column stills, utilising pressed rums, and finally blending with Bajan rum from Foursquare Distillery. Each expression has been carefully crafted to celebrate the rich heritage and Creole traditions of Takamaka’s homeland, while pushing the boundaries of conventional rum production.