Tag Archive for: Mauritius

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La Maison du Rhum Tradition Francaise XO – January 2026

Let’s kick off 2026 with an EXCLUSIVE Agricole style rum from La Maison du Rhum, and their ‘Tradition Francaise XO’ – a Mauritian rum aged between 6 & 10 years – Welcome to the La Maison du Rhum Tradition Francaise XO!

This rum is EXCLUSIVE to the Rum Tribe in Australia! It is distilled in an un-named distillery in Mauritius (Ile Maurice) in the Agricole style – using fresh squeezed sugar cane juice as the base for the wash. Aged in ex-sauternes casks in Mauritius for at least 6 years as per its XO statement and with NO sugar or colouring added and bottled at 42% abv.

La Maison du Rhum (LMdR) is an indy bottling brand by French distributor Dugas established in 2017. Dugas is responsible for distributing around half of Martinique’s rum brands in France as well as representing other huge brands like Don Papa and Diplomatico. Dugas know rum. AND they have relationships with many distilleries all over the globe. So, curating and bottling their own range of ‘World Rums’ was a logical step for them.

La Maison du Rhum

The La Maison du Rhum collection, which brings together some of the most renowned distilleries from their respective countries, comprises exceptional bottlings from around the world. These rare rums are reserved for French connoisseurs. The La Maison du Rhum collection is also an invitation to a journey of taste across the planet of rum. Rhum, rum, or ron: whether made from pure sugarcane juice, molasses, or even sugarcane honey, the bottlings from La Maison du Rhum are true ambassadors of the diversity of the rum world.

The collection consists of highly rare spirits, selected with meticulous attention to detail in the choice of distilleries, still types, aging methods, vintages, and age statements. The ambition of La Maison du Rhum is to promote each origin and each style, each tradition and each know-how, to take enthusiasts on a journey closer to rum-producing countries, prestigious distilleries whose reputation is well established, but also to the most talented master distillers and cellar masters.

La Maison du Rhum
Dos Maderas Origen Thailand
A Bourbon cask-aged for 12 years in Thailand before being whisked away to Jarez, Spain where it spent an unspecified period finishing in 80 year old sherry butts!

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: Lots of biscuit spices and fruit mince front and centre on the nose. Sweet, fruity-cakey and inviting with an herbaceous twang as well.

Palate: Lovely rich and viscous mouthfeel, Christmas cake fruit notes by the bucketload, some custard-y silkiness, biscuit spices and hints of jube lolly floating around in there somewhere.

Finish: Long lasting and succulent with fruit cake notes giving way to ginger spices and vanilla pods, Werther’s originals and espresso coffee.

Incredibly easy sipping rum – big depth of flavour with little confronting or challenging aspects to its flavour profile. Even the French-oak spice is kept right in check. Won’t scare any beginner off with big funky hurdles – yet there’s a lot of fruit present in this to chew on.    

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La Maison du Rhum Bottle
La Maison du Rhum Stats

FROM LA MAISON DU RUM

La Maison du Rhum is proud to present its new range of aged XO rums, a celebration of French, Spanish, and English rum traditions. This exclusive collection is a testament to our expertise in selecting exceptional rums from around the world.

Each rum in this range has been carefully selected for its distinctive character and unique aromatic profile, resulting from meticulous aging and unparalleled craftsmanship. The richness and complexity ofthese rums will offer an unforgettable tasting experience.

Discover the quintessence of aged rum with La Maison du Rhum, where each sip reveals a story of passion and tradition: the spicy and woody finesse of the French tradition, the sweet and car caramelized aromas of the Spanish tradition, and the fruity intensity of the English tradition.

A true homage to the French style, this XO rum selected by La Maison du Rhum, is an old Mauritius cane juice rum.

Notes of fresh sugarcane sprinkled with savory spices await in tasting this exceptional rum.

Each bottling of La Maison du Rhum is meticulously chosen to preserve the original character of the selected blend.

Nose: spicy, vanilla, nutty

Palate: yellow fruits, mellow oak, sweet spices

Finish: exotic fruits, woody

ABOUT LA MAISON DU RUM

La Maison du Rhum is all about celebrating the wild, wonderful diversity of the rum world — the kind of diversity that keeps us rum tragics endlessly curious. Instead of running their own distillery, they roam the globe hunting down standout casks from the Caribbean, Latin America, the Indian Ocean and beyond. Think of them as globe‑trotting rum scouts, sniffing out the good stuff so the rest of us can sit back and enjoy the spoils.

Each release is a snapshot of a place, a distillery, and a moment in time. La Maison du Rhum works directly with producers big and small, selecting barrels that show off the quirks of local cane, fermentation styles, still types, and ageing conditions. They bottle these discoveries in limited batches — often with vintages, distillation details, and cask notes that make collectors grin and newcomers feel like they’ve just unlocked a secret level of the rum world.

Over the years, the brand has earned a reputation for delivering rums with real character — not cookie‑cutter blends, but expressive, region‑driven spirits that tell a story in every sip. Whether it’s a grassy agricole from the Indian Ocean or a rich molasses bomb from Central America, La Maison du Rhum gives drinkers a guided tour of rum’s global landscape. For the Rum Tribe, that makes them exactly the kind of bottler we love: passionate, curious, and always ready to surprise us with something worth pouring.

La Maison du Rhum

Equiano Rum – May 2025

Behold the Equiano! A collaboration between two LEGENDS of the rum world (Richard Seal and Ian Burrell), rum from two LEGENDARY distilleries that combined have more medals than we can list.

Equiano Rum is a blend of molasses-based rums from the African island of Mauritius (Gray’s Distillery) and the Caribbean Barbados (Foursquare) rums. The African component is column distilled and aged for 10 years in French Limosin Oak and ex-cognac casks, and the Caribbean component is 8 years old and matured in ex-bourbon American oak. 100% tropical maturation, bottled in 700ml at 43%.

The Equiano brand is a collaboration between two legends of the rum-game. Richard Seale – Master distiller and blender from Foursquare – needs little introduction. Since 2016, Richard Seale has earned an impressive 11 ‘Rum Producer of the Year’ titles across two of the most prestigious spirits competitions in the world — the IWSC (International Wine and Spirits Competition) and the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) — firmly establishing himself and Foursquare as arguably the finest rum producers on the planet.

Equiano Rum

The second partner-in-crime in the Equiano story – Ian Burrell – is a renowned figure in the spirits industry, celebrated as the world’s only recognized Global Rum Ambassador. With over three decades of experience, he has dedicated his career to promoting rum worldwide. In 2007, he founded the UK RumFest, the world’s first international rum festival, which has inspired similar events globally, including in Miami, Berlin, Paris, and Hong Kong. Burrell’s passion for rum has led him to conduct masterclasses and seminars across all seven continents, including establishing a rum shack in Antarctica in 2013!

Equiano Rum
From the Foursquare premium stable, a sensational rum every rum lover should have in your collection!

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: Lots of fruity notes – both slightly funky and stewed fruit aromas. There’s nice mix of French and American oak notes readily apparent – lovely notes of dry biscuit spices from the French and floral and vanilla from the American.

Palate: Rich mouthfeel with brief pepper burst (especially on very first neat sip) more of those lovely sweet spiced fruit flavours – but there’s a also granny-smith apple crispness there as well = not quite astringent, but just a pinch of tartness.

Finish: Takes a surprising, yet exciting, turn towards dryness in  the finish. Tannin-ey – Oakey notes emerge, some pepper re-appears and there’s some liquorice, dark chocolate and coffee bean for good measure!

For me, this is a ‘with a good hunk of ice of a hot arvo’ rum. That slight dryness just works for this guy with a bit of condensation on the outside of the glass. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great neat (my notes are written on neat measures) – nice and complex with lots of good things to discovering every sip – but this is a great one to let a bit of ice melt in a good double nip and taste the progression. I think the RumChicks are going to love this in a Daquiri – I predict that slight dryness is going to work brilliantly up against the lime.

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Equiano Rum Bottle
Equinao Stats

FROM EQUIANO

At The Equiano Rum Co. we’re redefining a four-century- old industry by creating unique blends of rum from around the world.

Equiano Original is a collaboration between two continents and two world renowned distilleries in Mauritius and Barbados: masterfully blended by Richard Seale at the Foursquare Distillery in Barbados.

Rich and deep flavours come from the barrels in which we tropically mature our liquid in. 

Nose: Subtle warmth with rich notes of dried fruits combine with sweet toffee and caramel culminating with a suggestion of orange peel, vanilla and buttered wood.

Palate: Natural sweet notes expected of a well-aged rum from American white oak ex- Bourbon casks. A warm toffee and butterscotch mouth-fell, with chewy raisins and brown sugar flavours.

Finish: A medium to sweet ending with touches of oak, anise, sweet pepper with a hint of bitter orange peel.

Ian Burrell

ABOUT EQUIANO – THE MAN

In 1745, Olaudah Equiano was born. His life began in Africa, but before reaching his teens, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Growing as a boy into a man, his experiences shaped him. During his early years he voyaged across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean where he was enslaved for many years. Eventually he crossed the seas once more and landed in the United Kingdom. Tenacious and determined, he traded in rum on the side, selling a puncheon of rum at a time. In just a matter of years he managed to save forty pounds, paving his way to liberation. Equiano was free!

Equiano was a visionary, a freedom fighter, whose work changed history. As a writer and speaker, his powerful memoirs went on to inform the transatlantic slave trade act and impact the freedom of people all over the world. Freedom that many of us enjoy, but that many more are still fighting for, making his story as relevant to global conversation today as he was in the 1700’s.

With the bold statement of being the world’s first African and Caribbean rum, we knew our name needed to respect the journey, provenance and quality of our liquid, marrying the old with the new. We knew it had to mirror our own beliefs, creating positive change through the work that we do.

Between his values, journey and impact, we feel great pride and honour in his name adorning our bottle. Equiano’s values distill our beliefs perfectly and that is why we’re giving 5% of company profits and £2/$2 of every bottle purchased here to ground-level freedom and equality projects annually, and celebrating a man who we all aspire to be more like.

We are hoping we can do our bit for Equiano’s legacy, please see how we are making a difference, by supporting ‘Freedom of Spirit’ through the Equiano Rum Co Foundation grant. Click here to go to our press release.

Equiano Rum

Saint Aubin VSOP Rum – February 2022

Okay let’s RHUM! For the first time ever in Australia and exclusive to The Rum Tribe we are very excited to present the Saint Aubin VSOP Rum – A single estate rum, matured in ex-bourbon and cognac casks from a distillery in the sunny islands of Mauritius that has been making rum since 1819. Plus each bottle is individually numbered and to make it even more special you can pair it with the Saint Aubin 10 year old Pot Still…RHUM IT IS!

This is the very first time the Saint Aubin brand has made it to our sunny shores, and we’re proud to be able to offer the very first taste in Australia to the Rum Tribe. Saint Aubin specialises in ‘Rhum Agricole’ – or rum made from fermented sugar cane juice rather than molasses. This style of rum has been produced on the Saint Aubin estate for eight generations – since 1819.

In an almost unprecedented development, we’ve actually had an international shipment arrive in time for the actual month we planned it for and what a shipment it is! Direct from the island paradise of Mauritius, we have a simply fantastic ‘double header’ for February. Our Rum of the Month is the Saint Aubin VSOP Rum and our ‘Members Extra’ is the Saint Aubin 10 year old Pot Still.

Saint Aubin VSOP Rum

This month offers us a fantastic opportunity to explore two rums from the same distillery, but produced from differing style stills.  The Saint Aubin VSOP rum is a column distilled spirit, the 10 year old a pot distilled rum. Both stills are 100% copper and the fermentation recipe for the wash is the same. I guess our hope is to demonstrate the viscous oiliness of the pot-still as compared to the crisp-cleanliness of the column distilled VSOP expression. 

Saint Aubin estate, located in the south of Mauritius in the Savanne district, has been ‘under cane’ (cultivating sugar) since 1819.   The distillery has been in production on the estate since 2003 and it’s no wonder they specialise in Agricole style rum. For a start Agricole can only be made very close to where the sugar is crushed, due to the quick-to-spoil nature of the main ingredient – sugar cane juice. Being a centuries old sugar producer, they obviously have easy access to cane. Also Mauritius is the next Island (archipelago, technically – it’s made up of 30 islands) to Reunion – one of the spiritual homes of Rhum Agricole!

VSOP stands for “Very Special Old Pale” rum. This category refers to rum that has been aged in barrels for at least 4 years. The Saint Aubin VSOP rum is a column distilled rum made from the fermentation of sugar cane juice rather than molasses. Unlike most modern column stills, the Saint Aubin column still is made from copper rather than stainless steel.   It is then aged for 4 years in bourbon and cognac barrels. The result is a light spirit (typical of column distillation) with a complex flavour profile stemming from the barrels it has been tropically aged in.

Saint Aubin VSOP Rum

Saint Aubin VSOP Rum Tasting Notes:

Nose: Light floral notes surround a core of vanilla, cherry and mashed banana with just the slightest hint of tropical funk.

Palate: Delicate, light mouthfeel, slightly dry with a peppery edge. Those fruits are still there along with fresh cut grass and a healthy dose of vanilla.

Finish:  The fruity notes persist along with the pepper, but a pleasant leathery note emerges towards the end.

This is a light and clean tasting rum. Not overly sweet at all. Whilst there is plenty of flavour, there is a lack of oiliness, almost a dry palate, thanks to that column distillation.  Crisp, fresh and lively. If there is such a thing as a ‘cleansing rum’ – this is it!

  • PRICE : $149

  • ABV : 42%

  • BOTTLE: 700ml

  • REGION: Mauritius

  • NO Added Sugar/ NO Added Colour / Non-Chill Filtered

Saint Aubin VSOP Rum

FROM SAINT AUBIN

In Mauritius, the Saint Aubin distillery has been smoking since … 1819! This venerable institution now belongs to a large agro-industrial group that has diversified into, among other things, ecological tourism and tea cultivation. 

In this vast area of ​​750 hectares, cane is cultivated with which we will produce tasty rums signed Saint Aubin.  Just like, for example, this very old Saint Aubin VSOP rum.

The result of column distillation of pure cane juice, it has aged for 4 years in Bourbon and Cognac barrels, which gives it it’s aromatic profile.  It exudes delicious scents of candied fruit that are sure to arouse your curiosity, or rather your lust!  No need to buy a ticket for a flight to Mauritius, we take care of bringing this very old Mauritian rum to you!

ABOUT RHUMERIE DE SAINT AUBIN

Located along the undulating slopes of southern Mauritius, the fields of Saint Aubin have been under sugar cane cultivation since 1819. Bountiful rainfall (a product of the island’s microclimate), along with copious tropical sunshine provide the Saint Aubin Estate sugar plantations with the perfect conditions for sugar production. The rich volcanic soil, which the estate lies on, is the 3rd point of the trinity of sugar production. The on-site production of such high-grade cane and subsequent cane juice ensures the very best and freshest ingredients go into making this Rhum Agricole. Knowledge and traditions passed down through 8 generations of family ownership add the rest.

The Saint Aubin estate was established in 1819 (which the company logo pays homage to). It wasn’t long before rum distilling was being carried out on the estate as well. The family has now been distilling for the local market for eight generations. This culminated in 2003 with the building of the ‘Rhummarie De Saint Aubin’ and the emergence of the Saint Aubin brand into the global market since then. 

The Saint Aubin distillery utilises both column, and pot still distillation. Unusually though, all the stills at Saint Aubin are fully copper. Unusual in that most column stills are stainless steel – especially in the modern rum industry.

The distillery is just one aspect of the Saint Aubin Estate. It is nowadays a multi-faceted business that has expanded and diversified from its sugar-based roots. Now incorporating eco-tourism, tea production, other local products as well as the rum, Saint Aubin Estate is a big player in the Mauritian economy.