Clairin Sajous Rum
Clairin Sajous Rum is an unaged Haitian sugarcane-juice spirit in a 700mL bottle — pot-distilled at the Chelo Distillery in Saint-Michel de l'Attalaye from organically grown Cristalline cane, spontaneously fermented with wild yeasts and bottled undiluted at natural harvest strength. Herbaceous, grassy and vividly terroir-driven, it's the purest expression of Haiti's clairin tradition. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: bottled undiluted at natural strength — recent harvests 53–56.5% ABV (confirm on bottle)
- Size: 700mL
- Style: unaged clairin — 100% sugarcane juice (not molasses), no age statement
- Production: spontaneous fermentation, wild yeasts; double pot-distilled over open flame
- Distillery: Chelo Distillery, Saint-Michel de l'Attalaye, Haiti — Michel Sajous, 30-hectare organic plantation
The Spirit of Haiti, Undiluted
Clairin is to rum what mezcal is to tequila — the raw, local, uncompromising original. Of the estimated 500–600 artisanal clairin distilleries in Haiti, a handful export through The Spirit of Haiti, and Sajous's Chelo distillery is among the finest. The rare Cristalline cane — one of the last "canes à bouche" still cultivated — is hand-cut with machetes, hauled by mule, and pressed into juice that ferments on its own wild yeasts. Nothing is added, nothing is taken away, and no water is added at bottling. Browse more rum, explore Haitian spirits, or see the Clairin collection at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Nose: freshly crushed sugarcane, grassy herbs, citrus peel, white pepper, coconut, chlorophyll. Palate: dry and natural — cane juice, lime zest, green olives, white pepper, cream, lime oil, green cardamom. Finish: long and rich — lily, hazelnut, chopped grass, herbs, a touch of salinity.
How to Enjoy
Neat at room temperature to read the full terroir, or as the star of a reimagined Ti' Punch or daiquiri — the classic serves for cane-juice spirits. A splash of water tames the proof and opens the florals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clairin? Haiti's traditional sugarcane-juice spirit — similar to rhum agricole or cachaça — distilled artisanally from fresh cane juice rather than molasses.
Why does the ABV vary? Clairin Sajous is bottled undiluted at its natural distillation strength, which changes with each harvest — check your bottle for the exact figure.
Is it aged? No — this is the unaged white expression, though some aged clairins now appear in other markets.
Raw Haiti in a bottle — order Clairin Sajous online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.