Clairin Communal Sajous Ansyen 42 Mois
Clairin · Distillerie Chelo (Michel Sajous)
Michel Sajous produces this clairin from native sugarcane varieties using wild fermentation — a process as close to terroir-driven rum as exists anywhere. The 42-month aging in American oak softens the raw edges without domesticating the spirit's wild character. This is Haiti in a glass: uncompromising, complex, and deeply rooted in place.
Nose
Wild tropical fruits — overripe banana and guava — burst from the glass, followed by funky sugarcane grassiness and a distinct agricole character. Beneath the fruit, there's a woody undertone from the aging and a faint citrus peel brightness.
Palate
Medium-bodied with a surprisingly refined texture for a clairin. The agricole funk is front and center but tempered by 42 months of rest, which introduces gentle oak and toffee notes. Tropical fruit persists, with banana and mango layered over earthy sugarcane. A subtle spice note adds complexity in the mid-palate.
Finish
Long and evolving, moving from tropical fruit to dry oak and finishing on a lingering sugarcane and light tobacco note.
- Base Ingredient
- Fresh sugarcane juice (native varieties)
- Distillation
- Single distillation in a small copper pot still
- Country
- Saint-Michel de l'Attalaye, Haiti
Cocktail Suggestion
Attalaye Ti' Punch — 2 oz Clairin Sajous Ansyen 42 Mois · 0.5 oz fresh lime juice · 0.25 oz cane syrup · Stir briefly in a rocks glass with a single large ice cube, garnish with a spent lime shell.
Food Pairing
The rum's tropical fruit and funky agricole character amplify the mango chutney's sweetness, while its oak tannins and spice stand up to the jerk seasoning's heat.
Michel Sajous cultivates heritage sugarcane varieties on his farm in Saint-Michel de l'Attalaye, Haiti, fermenting juice with wild yeast and distilling on a small copper pot still before aging in ex-bourbon barrels selected by Velier's Luca Gargano.
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