J.Bally 2009/2025 - 15 y.o. - Single Cask - The Awakening Series

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 62% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

This single-cask release from The Awakening Series combines rhum agricole made from fresh sugarcane juice with 15 years of tropical maturation. The 2009 vintage matured from 27 July 2009 in Sainte-Marie, Martinique, in American oak previously used for bourbon. In March 2025, the rum was bottled as Brut de Fût, meaning at cask strength, at 62%. It is neither chill-filtered nor coloured and carries the Appellation Martinique Contrôlée.

The release comprises 192 bottles, each containing 0.7 litres. The pyramid-shaped bottle comes in a cardboard gift box.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The powerful nose reveals orange peel and peony before wood-glue-like notes emerge. A subtle hint recalls raspberry eau-de-vie. A little water brings out resinous earth, cigars, thuja wood and vegetable broth.
• Palate: On the palate, the rum is very powerful and distinctly oak-driven, accompanied by mint and salty liquorice. With water, dark earth, strong cigar tobacco, pine needles, herbal sweets and mint sweets come to the fore.
• Finish: The long finish is resinous and salty. Tar-like and sal ammoniac notes linger.

Distillery/Bottler:

The history of J.Bally begins at Habitation Lajus in Le Carbet. Engineer Jacques Bally bought the estate in 1917 and converted the former sugar factory into a distillery. In doing so, he developed a new distillation column and modernised the facility. From 1924, he deliberately set rum aside for cask maturation, becoming one of the pioneers of aged rum on Martinique. He also introduced the pyramid-shaped bottle in 1930.

Following several changes of location, all J.Bally production moved to Saint James in 1996. The brand's tradition continues there: production takes place during the driest season, followed by maturation in oak casks. J.Bally is therefore the brand behind this official bottling, while Saint James is the distillery that produces the rum.

Facts: