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Savanna Créol Rhum Agricole Blanc

Savanna Créol Rhum Agricole Blanc

Savanna · Distillerie Savanna

100 proofNAS (Unaged)Saint-André, Réunion Island, France
A compelling introduction to Réunion's agricole tradition — livelier and more mineral-driven than its Martinican cousins, and a distinctive pour for those who think they've mapped the agricole world.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

A bright, herbaceous lift of freshly cut sugarcane and lime zest, with softer notes of white pepper, cucumber skin, and a subtle mineral edge reminiscent of warm volcanic stone.

Palate

Vivid and structured — green cane juice up front, followed by anise, crushed grass, and a peppery mid-palate. There's a saline, almost briny quality that pushes into candied ginger and unripe pear.

Finish

Medium-long and clean, with lingering white pepper, lime pith, and a whisper of vanilla bean. Warming without heat, closing on grassy sweetness.

Specifications
Base Ingredient
Fresh-pressed sugarcane juice from Réunion Island
Distillation
Single-column continuous distillation in a Creole column still, bottled unaged at 50% ABV
Country
Saint-André, Réunion Island, France
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Trade Wind Ti' — 2 oz Savanna Créol Rhum Agricole Blanc, 0.5 oz fresh lime juice, 1 barspoon cane syrup (sirop de canne), 2 dashes celery bitters. Build in a rocks glass over one large cube, express lime peel over the top, and drop it in. Stir gently and serve.

Food Pairing

Grilled swordfish with a green mango and chili salsa, or a Réunionese rougail saucisses with tomato, garlic, and thyme over rice.

The Story

Founded in 1870 on Réunion's lush windward coast, Distillerie Savanna is one of the last operating sugar-cane distilleries on the island, drawing on volcanic soils and Indian Ocean trade winds to shape a rhum tradition wholly its own.

Train These Aromas
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