Savanna Art of Rum by Xandro - Reunion Island Rhum Traditionnel

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 57% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

For Art of Rum by Xandro, Savanna blends four rums from its humid maturation cellar, Chai Humide, on La Réunion. Two six-year-old rums matured in former Cognac casks are joined by a nine-year-old rum from a former Muscatel cask. The blend also includes a HERR, a high-ester rum distilled in an alembic still in 2006. It initially rested in a tank before spending eight years in former Cognac and port wine casks. The blend thus brings together distillates from the C20 column and the alembic still.

The fourth release in the collection was created with artist Xandro, whose real name is Alexandre Lafaurie. His work combines painting, street art and graphic design. The colourful abstract artwork appears on the bottle label and the red gift packaging. The edition was released in 2026; the rum was bottled in 2025 at 57% in 0.7-litre bottles. The release comprises 1,700 numbered bottles. It is neither chill-filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, ripe apricots and peaches sit alongside tropical and candied fruits. Sweetness, vanilla and wood combine to suggest pastries. Liquorice and anise add spicy accents, while a fresh nuance complements the bouquet.
• Palate: The opening is soft and fruity, echoing the impressions on the nose. The texture is silky, with vanilla joining spicy cedarwood and a subtle maritime, salty nuance. A slight liquorice bitterness gives definition to the flavour. Wood, vanilla and spices linger on the palate.
• Finish: The long, balanced finish combines the fruitiness of the HERR with vegetal nuances from the Muscatel cask. Delicate maritime notes and wood accompany the lingering flavours.

Distillery/Bottler:

Savanna has its roots in the sugar estate of the same name near Saint-Paul, where the distillery was established in 1870. Since its relocation in 1992, it has stood beside the Bois Rouge sugar factory in Saint-André. Another turning point came in 2003 with the introduction of its own bottlings under the Savanna brand: previously, most of its production had gone to other bottlers.

The distillery cultivates its own yeasts and uses both distillation columns and alembic stills. Its range includes traditional molasses rums, high-ester rums, agricole rum made from sugarcane juice and light rums. Its cask programme includes former Cognac casks made from French oak, as well as various wine and spirits casks for finishing. For Art of Rum, Master Blender Thierry Grondin and his team develop blends in collaboration with contemporary artists. Vast in 2023, Yann Le Gall in 2024 and Repy in 2025 were followed by Xandro in 2026.

Facts: