HOIO

Fiol is a dark batri rum. It a blend of a single-distillation and multiple-burnt molasses rum. Fiol has an odour that holds a hint of watermelon-bonbons and a light aroma with a fine caramel scent. Fiol production involves first soaking the molasses in water to which tjim and paratte are added. Tjim is a foam formed during sugar generation and is vital for the aroma of the rum. Paratte is the residue from the earlier cooking process and contains acids which produce the so-called ester. This is critical in determining the taste of the rum. The concoction is allowed to ferment (aided by a special type of yeast) in wooden vats and distilled several times before it is bottled. Fiol means bottles in Lemusan lingo, and is ideal for both cooking, drinking and flambéing.

Kokozyé

Kokozyé is a white Womn Agricole that is present in single-distilled sugarcane juice (the so-called single distilled rum). It has a light and highly fruity aroma and a midly spicy taste. The pretty name of this rum is derived from the modern-day term kokozyé - from the French blanc d’oeil, a reference to the white of the eye. It can be enjoyed pure and is suited to culinary preparations and, even more, to a wide range of drinks. An absolute classic that’s traditionally prepared with kokozye is the ti-punch [coll: tiponch] - a drink that is found throughout the Caribbean isles. There are various recipes for the drink, the simplest of which goes thus: drop half a lime into a glass, add half a spoonful of sugar syrup (or kankle), half dl kokozyé, and allow the cocktail to mingle for a minute or two. Ti-punch is drunk without ice.

Drivayè

Drivayè, a brown Wonm Agricole, is one of the top products of Dekolaj. It’s a blend of single and multi-burnt rum made from fresh sugarcane juice. It is left to ferment in Limousin-oak cognac casks for a minimum of ten years and then bottled as a vintage product. In the hot and humid tropical climate, the rum ages three times faster than cognac does in France and four or five times faster than whisky in Scotland. Moreover, the so-called angel’s share (loss through evaporation) is also higher: 8 to 10 per cent per year and the fermentation period determines the colour, aroma and smoothness of the rum. Drivayè, which means stroller in the Lemusan lexicon, has a complex aroma and a heavy fruity flavour that can differ widely (or even fail) from vintage to vintage. Drivayè is best savoured at room temperature in wide-bottomed glasses.

[Translated from German by Gunvanthi Balaram]

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