{"id":11993,"date":"2023-07-28T17:19:16","date_gmt":"2023-07-28T16:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/?p=11993"},"modified":"2023-07-28T17:19:55","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T16:19:55","slug":"the-rise-of-rhum-agricole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/the-rise-of-rhum-agricole\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rise of Rhum Agricole"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><time class=\"w-post-elm post_date entry-date updated\" datetime=\"2023-07-28T17:19:55+01:00\" itemprop=\"dateModified\">28th July 2023<\/time><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><h2 class=\"w-post-elm post_title entry-title color_link_inherit\">The Rise of Rhum Agricole<\/h2><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When it comes to drinking Caribbean rum, nine times out of ten, what\u2019s in your glass will be a spirit that uses molasses as its raw material.\u00a0 Molasses, being a byproduct of the sugar refining process, was surplus to requirements until the mid-17<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> century when someone in Barbados discovered you could ferment and distill it to produce a certain type of booze.\u00a0 Originally dubbed <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kill Devil<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, the product in question is now universally (almost) referred to as rum.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Agricole rum is slightly different.\u00a0 Rather than using molasses, these spirits use harvested sugarcane that\u2019s been crushed, pressed, and fermented akin to how a winemaker might treat their grapes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-3 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_none\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"830\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Distillery-53-830x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"The inside of a distillery with lots of pipes and barrels.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Distillery-53-830x1024.jpg 830w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Distillery-53-243x300.jpg 243w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Distillery-53.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-9 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The use of sugarcane juice, rather than molasses, produces a spirit that\u2019s much more grassy, earthy, and herbal in its essence, often with a healthy dose of tropical fruit.\u00a0 The spirit produced is also one with the ability demonstrate a sense of place through use of specific cane varieties farmed at different altitudes with different soils and microclimates.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Martinique is an island in the Caribbean famed for its production of Agricole style Rhum.\u00a0 Spelt with an \u2018H\u2019 to reflect the island\u2019s French heritage and like the protected designated areas of Cognac, Champagne and Comt\u00e9 cheese, rhum from Martinique has its own AOC status.\u00a0 This means that the rhum from the island must follow some of the strictest quality control regulations in the whole of the category.\u00a0 The result is a spirit produced to some of the highest standards imaginable at every single price point leading to quality in the glass at every sip.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The history of sugarcane in Martinique is long and fascinating.\u00a0 The French established a colony on the island in the 1640s in the decade prior to the first recorded mention of the term \u201crum\u201d in Barbados.\u00a0 Sugarcane soon arrived and, like elsewhere in the Caribbean, became big business very quickly.\u00a0 Much of it was smuggled out of the country and traded with rum producers based out of New England.\u00a0 At the time, there was an edict that French colonies could only trade with other French colonies, making rum a tricky commodity to tackle with the French preferring homegrown brandy as their spirit of choice.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Moving into the 19<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Century, the embargo was dropped, and Martinique rum (still made from molasses) flourished.\u00a0 Taxation on the importation of colonial spirits into France was also dropped.\u00a0 Rum from Martinique became the ration of choice for French soldiers fighting in the Crimean War (1853-56).\u00a0 By the late 1860s, that pesky louse phylloxera was well on the way to destroying Europe\u2019s entire wine and brandy industries.\u00a0 Without brandy to turn to, the Brits started drinking a lot more Scotch whisky and the French leapt upon Martinique Rum.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Something was happening in the background however which would drastically alter the destiny of sugarcane spirits on the island.\u00a0 It began with a man named Napoleon Bonepart who became Emperor of France in 1804, a nation already locked in a bitter fight with the British for naval supremacy.\u00a0 This culminated in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, which decimated the French fleet.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">French merchant ships making their way back from the Caribbean became a lucrative target for plundering raids, particularly the ones that carried sugar, the most valuable product of the day.\u00a0 Understandably, this was a trend Napoleon was not pleased with and he took the decision to change tact, encouraging the cultivation of sugar beets, which could be grown in Europe and, therefore, carried significantly less risk.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-4 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_none\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-600x600.jpg\" class=\"attachment-us_600_600_crop size-us_600_600_crop\" alt=\"A view of the inside of a rum distillery\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vue_8_sortie-sas_DSC4617-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The result was a dramatic decline in the value of sugar made from sugarcane over the course of a century when the abolition of slavery made its production justly more expensive.\u00a0 Martinique was the first of the French colonies where the decree came into force and by the 1870s, sugar production in the Caribbean was in swift decline.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With the amount of molasses available on Martinique, the number of producers using it for spirit production began to fall.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That being said, at the beginning of the 20<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> century, a hub for molasses rum production had emerged in the busy port town of Saint Pierre.\u00a0 A commercial capital, dubbed the \u201cParis of the Caribbean\u201d, the town was home to most of the island\u2019s sugar refineries.\u00a0 In the more rural sectors of the island, Agricole rhum was produced for mostly local consumption.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">On 5<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> May 1902, Mount Pel\u00e9e, the volcano directly to the northeast of Saint Pierre, erupted.\u00a0 The blast devastated the entire city killing some 30,000 of its occupants and leaving the sugar industry on the island in tatters.\u00a0 In the aftermath of the tragedy, Martinicans, with much less molasses rum to consume, turned their attentions to rhum Agricole.\u00a0 At first the trend was slow to take hold, in 1930, the split was still 50\/50 in terms of consumption between the two styles.\u00a0 Today, however, there\u2019s just one distillery left on the island producing molasses-based rums with Agricole now very much the face of the industry.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-image has_ratio align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\"><\/div><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Image-28-07-2023-at-16.14-600x400.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-us_600_400_crop size-us_600_400_crop\" alt=\"Harvesting plant material to make Rhum Agricole\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Our Range<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/clement-rhum-blanc-agricole\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Cl\u00e9ment Rhum Agricole Blanc<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\"> \u2013 <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">the perfect introduction to Martinique rhum, in my opinion, one of the most bang-for-buck bottles on the entire shelf.\u00a0 It does everything you\u2019d expect from a Rhum Agricole.\u00a0 It\u2019s not the most powerful or concentrated but it stands up fantastically in a variety of cocktails.\u00a0 For someone hunting for a Cacha\u00e7a to use in Caipirinhas, I might cheekily point them in this direction (sorry Brazil).<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/clement-vsop-rhum-agricole\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Cl\u00e9ment V.S.O.P. <\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">This rhum has been aged for four years in ex-bourbon barrels.\u00a0 It\u2019s the best of the Martinique rhums for a whisk(e)y fan looking to branch out.\u00a0 Time in barrel has given this rhum a lovely added richness with notes of vanilla and spice on the nose.\u00a0 The earthy, grassy flavours are still, however, very much in abundance on the palate.<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/rhum-jm-terroir-volcanique\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Rhum J.M<\/span><\/b> <b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Terroir Volcanique<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\"> \u2013 <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">one of three brand new products to hit the shelves from Martinique, I\u2019ve been keen to get some Rhum J.M in for a while.\u00a0 This rhum is packed with tropical fruit, particularly passionfruit, which is a really interesting characteristic.\u00a0 It\u2019s a Rhum Vieux which means it\u2019s been aged for a minimum of three years, so along with all the tropical fruit, there\u2019s some lovely oaky notes as well.<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/rhum-jm-epices-creoles\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Rhum J.M Atelier \u00c9pices Cr\u00e9oles <\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">it\u2019s important to mention to anyone who\u2019s translated the name of this rhum that this is not a spiced rum. The Spices that the name refer to are derived from a maturation process which involves time spent in virgin oak casks followed by a period where different blending components have been rested in a variety of different cask types.\u00a0 This includes French oak, ex-Cognac casks and ex-bourbon.<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/rhum-jm-xo\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Rhum J.M X.O.<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\"> &#8211; <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">this is the oldest expression of rhum from Martinique that we carry.\u00a0 Technically the rhum must be a minimum of six years old, however there are older elements involved in the blend to add further complexity.\u00a0 Once again, the liquid spent most of its maturation period in a combination of virgin and ex-bourbon casks before switching to a variety of different cask finishes for the remaining years.\u00a0 The X.O. is the flagship of the J.M range, it\u2019s damn delicious!<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-1\/5 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_none\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/clement-rhum-blanc-agricole\" aria-label=\"Clement_Blanc_Rhum_Agricole\" class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"136\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Clement_Blanc_Rhum_Agricole-136x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A bottle of Cl\u00e9ment Blanc Rhum Agricole\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Clement_Blanc_Rhum_Agricole-136x300.jpg 136w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Clement_Blanc_Rhum_Agricole.jpg 436w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 136px) 100vw, 136px\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-1\/5 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_none\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/clement-vsop-rhum-agricole\" aria-label=\"Cl\u00e9ment VSOP\" class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"126\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/VSOP-2-126x300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A bottle of Cl\u00e9ment Rhum Vieux Agricole VSOP\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/VSOP-2-126x300.jpeg 126w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/VSOP-2.jpeg 145w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 126px) 100vw, 126px\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-1\/5 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_none\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/rhum-jm-terroir-volcanique\" aria-label=\"Rhum JM Terroir Volcanique\" class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"116\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/terroir-volanique-2-116x300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A bottle of Rhum J.M. Terroir Volcanique\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/terroir-volanique-2-116x300.jpeg 116w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/terroir-volanique-2.jpeg 140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-1\/5 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_none\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/rhum-jm-epices-creoles\" aria-label=\"Rhum J.M. Epices Creoles\" class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"94\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Epices-Creoles-94x300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A bottle of Rhum J.M. \u00c9pices Cr\u00e9oles\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Epices-Creoles-94x300.jpeg 94w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Epices-Creoles.jpeg 125w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 94px) 100vw, 94px\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-1\/5 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_none\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.oxfordwine.co.uk\/products\/rhum-jm-xo\" aria-label=\"Rhum JM XO\" class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"112\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/jm-xo-112x300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A bottle of Rhum J.M. XO\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/jm-xo-112x300.jpeg 112w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/jm-xo.jpeg 137w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 112px) 100vw, 112px\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-post-elm post_author vcard author color_link_inherit with_ava avapos_top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/author\/owctom\/\" class=\"fn\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><div class=\"post-author-ava\" style=\"font-size:96px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"96\" height=\"96\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-96x96.png\" class=\"avatar avatar-96 photo\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-96x96.png 96w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-350x350.png 350w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-400x400.png 400w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-24x24.png 24w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1-48x48.png 48w, https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/9-1.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/div><\/a><div class=\"post-author-meta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/author\/owctom\/\" class=\"post-author-name fn\">Tom Brady<\/a><div class=\"post-author-info\">Tom is Shop Manager and Spirits Specialist at The Oxford Wine Company. He holds WSET Level Three qualifications in both Wines and Spirits.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"28th July 2023The Rise of Rhum AgricoleWhen it comes to drinking Caribbean rum, nine times out of ten, what\u2019s in your glass will be a spirit that uses molasses as...","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":11998,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oxford_wine_blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Rise of Rhum Agricole - Oxford Wine Company<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/oxfordwine.co.uk\/owc\/the-rise-of-rhum-agricole\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Rise of Rhum Agricole - 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