Rhum JM Terroir Volcanique

Rhum JM Terroir Volcanique is Martinique's volcano in a bottle — an 86 proof (43% ABV) 700mL aged rhum agricole blended by Master Blender Karine Lassalle specifically to capture the cane grown in the volcanic soils around Mount Pelée. Rhum agricole from 100% estate-grown fresh sugarcane juice, rested six months after distillation, then matured three years — first in re-charred bourbon barrels, finished in ex-rum barrels with a heavy alligator char — with no added sugar or coloring, as AOC Martinique requires. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• Proof / ABV: 86 proof (43% ABV) — 700mL
• Maturation: ~3 years — six-month rest/proofing, then re-charred bourbon barrels finished in heavily charred (alligator char) ex-rum casks
• Origin: Rhum J.M, Macouba, Martinique — AOC Martinique rhum agricole; distillery founded 1845, first in Martinique to make rhum agricole
• Production: cane crushed within an hour of harvest; open-air fermentation; Creole copper column still; gradual proofing with Mount Pelée spring water; on-site cooperage
• Blender: Karine Lassalle (also rendered Lasalle), Master Blender

Volcanic Soil, Volcanic Character

Terroir Volcanique is J.M's love letter to the lava-rich earth at the foot of Mount Pelée, where the estate cane grows — one of Martinique's oldest and most respected rhum houses, founded in 1845, built its reputation on exactly this kind of single-terroir expression. The double-barrel aging — re-charred bourbon first, then ex-rum with a heavy alligator char — layers oak and baking spice over the agricole's banana-leaf brightness without burying it. Compare more aged rum or follow the distillery in the Rhum J.M collection at Del Mesa.

Tasting Notes

Distillery notes (quoted across reviewers): nose of bananas Foster, Golden Delicious apples, and café brûlot; palate of clove, white pepper, lace cookies, bright banana leaf, and lemon oil. Independent review adds cooked fruit — stovetop cinnamon apples, banana foster, berry brûlée, vanilla — with clove, white pepper, lemon zest, light brown sugar, baking spice, and charred oak in an earthy, dry finish.

How to Enjoy

Neat in a tulip glass to catch the full arc from volcanic fruit to alligator-char oak — or as the aged-rhum upgrade in a ti' vieux.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "terroir volcanique" mean?
"Volcanic terroir" — the rhum is blended to showcase cane grown in the volcanic soils around Mount Pelée in northern Martinique.

How long is it aged?
Three years total: a six-month resting period after distillation, then about three years in barrel — re-charred bourbon first, finished in heavily charred ex-rum casks. The label carries no age statement.

Is it sweetened or colored?
No — AOC Martinique prohibits added sugar and coloring in rhum agricole.

Aged agricole from volcanic earth — order Rhum JM Terroir Volcanique from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.