First Impressions
St Aubin's agricole expression uses fresh sugar cane juice rather than molasses, placing it in the same family as Martinique rhum agricole. However, the Mauritian terroir creates a different character — darker, earthier, and less floral than its Caribbean cousins.
Tasting Notes
The nose is dark and earthy. Dark sugar and oak lead, with dried fruit and grassy notes adding complexity. On the palate, caramelised sugar and oak tannins provide structure, with dried fruit adding sweetness. The grassy agricole character is present but subtler than Martinique expressions. Medium-bodied and straightforward.
The finish is medium, with dark sugar and oak fading to earthy grassiness.
How to Drink It
On the rocks or in cocktails. The darker character makes it work in drinks where you'd typically use aged molasses rum rather than blanc agricole.
The Bottom Line
St Aubin Agricole Premium Black earns a 6 — an honest Mauritian agricole with its own identity. At £38.50, the pricing matches the Gold, offering an interesting comparison between agricole and molasses-based production.
