The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Clairin Sajous Ansyen 30 Mois
Rum

Clairin Sajous Ansyen 30 Mois

Clairin · Michel Sajous Distillery

102.2 proof30 MonthsSaint-Michel de l'Attalaye, Haiti
Clairin Sajous represents terroir-driven rum at its most transparent. Michel Sajous grows his own native sugarcane, ferments with wild ambient yeast, and distills on a small copper still. The 30-month aging period softens the edges without taming the spirit's essential wildness. This is rum that tastes like a specific place.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Grassy cane juice and overripe tropical fruits hit first — think mango skin and banana. Below that, a funky, almost rubbery note gives way to citrus peel and a faint herbal quality. There's a subtle oak undercurrent from the aging.

Palate

Vibrant and lively. The agricole character is unmistakable — raw sugarcane and tropical fruit — but the 30 months of rest have added a layer of vanilla, toffee, and soft oak. A muscovado sweetness lingers at mid-palate, offset by white pepper spice.

Finish

Medium-long, with tropical fruits, a touch of leather, and a pleasant grassy bitterness that pulls you back for another sip.

Specifications
Base Ingredient
Fresh pressed native creole sugarcane juice
Distillation
Single distillation in a small copper pot still
Country
Saint-Michel de l'Attalaye, Haiti
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Attalaye Ti' Punch — 2 oz Clairin Sajous Ansyen 30 Mois · 0.5 oz cane syrup · 1 lime disc · Muddle lime disc with cane syrup, add clairin, stir briefly, serve neat without ice.

Food Pairing

The funky tropical character of the clairin stands up to the intense allspice and scotch bonnet heat of jerk seasoning, while the toffee notes complement caramelized pork fat.

The Story

Michel Sajous cultivates native creole sugarcane on his family farm in Haiti's Artibonite Valley, pressing, fermenting, and distilling entirely by hand in a process unchanged for generations.

Train These Aromas
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