Wine

Martinique and its rums: the J.M.

They are part of the heritage of this island of the Lesser Antilles. Especially since agricultural rum from Martinique is the only one to benefit from an AOC, Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée. In the northeast of the island is the Fonds-Préville distillery, renowned for its old rums.

Latest edition : 16 May 2023

You have to want to go there! The Fonds-Préville distillery is located in Macouba, in an isolated valley, in the very north of Martinique. To get there, you have to follow the road that leads to Grand-Rivière, turn off following the sign Rhum J.M. – La Distillerie to get there. On the right, the Atlantic Ocean, on the left, Mount Pelee. Below the road, in the heart of a real tropical jungle, the emblematic red roofs of the distillery indicate that we are on the right path!

From the small road, the view is beautiful of the J.M. distillery which nestles in the heart of the Macouba valley.

The mountain water that feeds the distillery has a lot of texture.

For several years, a well thought-out visit route has allowed visitors to discover the world of J.M. rums. From the cane garden to the tasting counter, the visitor discovers all the stages of sugar cane processing up to rums from the J.M. range The visit is free.

The oratory probably dates from the time of the creation of the distillery.

The story of J.M. began in 1845, when Jean-Marie Martin bought the Fonds Préville sugar factory to found a distillery there and sell his rum, J.M.

In 1914, the Gustave Crassous de Médeuil family, owner of Habitation Bellevue, bought the Fonds-Préville habitation and constantly developed the J.M. distillery. In 2002, J.M. joined the Martinican company GBH in order to be able to pursue its development serenely.

Lush vegetation, volcanic soil suitable for the cultivation of sugar cane, a tropical climate and pure water from the Roches River are the major assets of the distillery. Without forgetting the quality of the sugar cane. J.M. creates his own plants. Among the varieties of cane grown are straw cane, blue cane and red cane, which are very aromatic and have a high sugar content. The cultivation is done by plots but then the juices are mixed.

In the small cane garden grow the three varieties cultivated for the J.M.

More than 75% of the sugar cane is grown nearby in order to preserve all its freshness. Thanks to the complete mechanization, it only takes a maximum of one hour from the cutting of the cane to obtaining the juice.

With 1 ton of cane, we obtain 1200 liters of juice. After filtration, only 700 liters of pure juice remain, which is fermented in 23,000 l and 30,000 l tanks. After adding the yeast, the sugar turns into alcohol.

The fermentation of the vesou lasts between 21 h and 36 h. A process that is constantly monitored.

This cane wine, the vesou, is then distilled before starting its aging cycle in oak barrels. The alcohol softens, the flavors evolve, enriched with caramelized, creamy, spicy notes... no artificial flavor is added. The colors change, from straw yellow to gold, amber, mahogany.

At J.M. the distillation is done with two creole copper columns.

The aging of the rum is carried out in American oak barrels of 200 liters, new or used.

A particularity of the J.M. distillery: the burning of the barrels is still done on site. At least for some of the barrels dedicated to old rums.

Under the effect of burning, the tannins in the wood caramelize, which will accelerate the exchanges between the rum and the wood.

Burning brings slightly toasted and smoky aromas.

With the arrival of Karine Lassalle, cellar master, the classic range has been rejuvenated. Because 15-year-old rums are not for all audiences, nor for all budgets. Karine Lassalle, a trained chemist and “nose”, develops the taste of J.M. rum, rich, complex, elegant and with character, like the distillery in its green setting, but with pep. A rum accessible to all but of high quality. Aging in different barrels further broadens the aromatic panel.

Karine Lassalle is a "nose" and a chemist by training. Since 2018, she has been Cellar Master at the J.M.

The visit to the distillery continues with the olfactory workshop. You have to lift the caps of the different bottles to discover each rum, with its aromatic notes that compose it. For example, for old tobacco leaf rums, fresh cigars and honeyed blond tobacco. Tangy pineapple, frecinette banana, coconut milk. Or even fresh caramel, milk cream, macerated raisins. It's fascinating. And a good introduction to tasting!

Before leaving, and to prolong the pleasure, a short walk in the tropical garden of the distillery allows you to find all the flavors detected in the rums: jasmine, frangipani, gardenia, black pepper, clove; creole lemon, cocoa, bakoua…

After having come all this way to visit the distillery, why not continue a few more kilometers to reach Grand’Rivière, the town at the end of the world.