Rhum agricole is rum distilled from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice instead of molasses — grassy, vegetal and unmistakably of its place — and the five bottles below, from a 100-proof Martinique blanc to Haiti's wild clairin, are all in stock at Del Mesa Liquor, our family-owned San Diego, California store, and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
Martinique, the AOC Heartland
Martinique protects rhum agricole with an AOC appellation, and three of these bottles carry it. Rhum JM Agricole Blanc 100 Proof ($39.99) is cane grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Pelee, crushed within an hour of harvest and bottled unaged at 50% ABV — the highest-proof expression in the JM range. Clement Canne Bleu ($42.99) distills a single cane variety, the blue cane, at the same 50% ABV after a six-month stainless rest. For oak, Clement VSOP Rhum Vieux ($49.99) ages a minimum of four tropical years — one in virgin French Limousin oak, three in re-charred ex-bourbon casks — at 40% ABV with no additives. Browse the wider shelf on our rum collection page.
The Bottles in Stock
- Rhum JM Agricole Blanc 100 Proof — $39.99. Martinique AOC, 50% ABV, unaged. Estate cane, Creole column still — the rum geek's blanc.
- Clement Canne Bleu Rhum Blanc Agricole — $42.99. Martinique AOC, 50% ABV. Single-varietal blue cane, open-tank fermented, cut with volcanic spring water.
- Clement VSOP Rhum Vieux — $49.99. Martinique AOC, 40% ABV. Minimum four years tropical aging in Limousin oak and ex-bourbon casks, additive-free.
- Neisson Rhum Blanc 105 1L — $57.99. Martinique AOC, 52.5% ABV (105 proof), 1 liter. Estate La Thieubert cane on volcanic pumice soils, rested at least three months in stainless steel.
- Clairin Sonson Rum — $69.99. Haiti, 700mL, bottled at still strength, undiluted. Madame Meuze cane syrup, wild-yeast fermented, single pot still over open wood fire — clairin as it is drunk in the village of Cabaret.
Beyond Martinique: Haiti's Clairin
Clairin is Haiti's village cane spirit, and until Velier's Spirit of Haiti range it was never commercially bottled. Clairin Sonson is the raw, funky counterpoint to Martinique's polished AOC blancs — spontaneous fermentation and a wood-fired pot still, bottled exactly as it came off the still. If estate rums are your thing, our estate rum guide covers Barbados and Jamaica in the same depth, and more guides live on the blog index. See our shipping page for delivery options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is rhum agricole?
Rhum agricole is rum distilled from fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses. The French Caribbean style — protected by an AOC in Martinique — tastes grassy, vegetal and fruity, with a clear sense of place from the cane, soil and climate where it is grown.
What is the difference between rhum agricole and regular rum?
Most rum is made from molasses, a by-product of sugar refining, and tastes of caramel, vanilla and tropical fruit from oak aging. Rhum agricole starts from fresh-pressed cane juice, so even unaged blancs taste green, herbal and cane-forward, and the AOC rules govern everything from harvest to distillation.
How do you drink rhum agricole blanc?
In Martinique, blanc agricole is drunk as a ti' punch: a small measure of rhum with a coin of lime peel and a touch of cane syrup, stirred with ice or without. High-proof blancs like Rhum JM 100 Proof and Neisson 105 also anchor Daiquiris and other cane-forward cocktails.
What is clairin?
Clairin is Haiti's traditional village cane spirit, made from cane juice or syrup, fermented with wild yeasts and distilled in small pot stills, then bottled unaged — often at still strength, like the Clairin Sonson in this guide. It is funkier and more rustic than Martinique agricole.