Rhum Barbancourt

Rhum Barbancourt

Rhum History:

We invite you to visit the official website:
www.Barbancourt.com
by clicking on the following pages:

For your convenience we have provided an English description of the following final distillation processes:

Distillation
Ageing

Distillation:

The fermented juice is sent as soon as possible to be distilled. This juice is heated and the vapor is sent into columns that are comprised of perforated plates. The vapor will go up the column while crossing the plates and progressively will become more concentrated out of alcohol before it is finally condensed.

Two stages follow:
The first, called exhaustion, consists in concentrating the alcohol by separating it from the wine. In Haiti, the alcohol obtained in this first stage is called "clairin" and is sold to wholesalers in bulk. This clairin can be compared with the brouilly obtained during the manufacture of cognac. Before 1949, this clairin was the product Barbancourt had rectified. The definition of clairin in Haiti could be classified in a similar category of the agricultural crude white rum not rectified. On average this does not exceed 70% alcohol by volume.

The second stage consists in selecting alcohols. Indeed, at the time of fermentation, several alcohols were formed, in addition to ethanol. Some of these alcohols have a bad taste or release a nauseous odor and must be separated from the rest. It then returns to the distiller to decide which alcohols to preserve and in which proportion. This clairin then passes through a column similar to the first stage and which is also comprised of plates. Each one of these alcohols has different evaporation degrees and they do not arrive at the same time or the same place in the columns. Rum obtained has an average 90% alcohol by volume.

Ageing:

The rum is crossed with water, to bring back its degree of 50% alcohol by volume, and then sent to ageing in barrels of Limousin oak.

There are two varieties of white oak. One variety with tight pores lives in the forest, and the other variety with broader pores, but insulated, which is Limousin Oak. Barbancourt uses this Limousin Oak because of its importance for the process of ageing rum. The important characteristic is in how air crosses the wood better. The oak breathes and supports a reaction between the stored product and the oxygen in the air that passes through the wood's pores.

This process of ageing rum is similar to that of cognac. Rum ages in particular rooms like wine storehouses. The barrels in the rooms are changed approximately every 6 months. The alcohol, consumed slowly, can be distinguished by its fine aged taste!

For additional information and to learn more about Rhum Barbancourt, see History.

Rhum Barbancourt, 43% alc./vol. (86 proof), Imported from Haiti by Crillon Importers Ltd., Paramus, NJ, 07652 c 2006