Martinique, one of the islands of the Lesser Antilles, is famous for spirits distilled from sugar cane. The sugar industry gave way to the development of sugar distillation in the mid-19th century. The agricultural rums of Martinique feature among the favourites in the world of rum enthusiasts. Their quality is even protected by a product specification, i.e. a controlled designation of origin, in French an AOC i.e. an appellation d'origine contrôlée (because Martinique is still a French overseas department). They are obtained from the pure juice of one of the authorised varieties of sugar cane.
The juice is left to ferment with brewer’s yeasts and then distilled in the characteristic single-column still with between 5 and 9 rectifying plates. The alcohol level when bottling must not be lower than 40% proof. Rhum Agricole Blanc Martinique also exists, although it is not common. It is usually aged in wood. If ageing exceeds 3 years, the label usually reads Rhum Agricole Vieux Martinique. At the height of its history, there were as many as 150 distilleries on the island. Today, however, there are only nine: 1 is industrial and 8 are small craft - or “agricultural” - distillers. Production is monumental nonetheless and Martinique Rums are exported all over the world.