Riviere du Mat Opus 5

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 43% | Chill filtration: Yes

Special Features:

Blending is at the heart of Opus 5: Rivière du Mât brings together five aged rhums agricoles made from sugarcane juice and matured in oak casks under tropical conditions. They mature in the cellars of Saint-Louis in the south-west of La Réunion. The number in the name therefore refers to the five rhums in the blend, not to five years of ageing.

Woody nuances accompany flavours of dried and candied fruit. This golden cuvée combines these mature impressions with a floral, honey-led character. The bottle contains 0.7 litres at 43% and comes in red gift packaging. A tasting glass at room temperature is suitable for enjoying it.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Honey and delicate floral aromas lead the nose, complemented by a hint of raisins and sweet almonds. Creamy caramel, vanilla and cinnamon pastries are joined by a subtle note of candied ginger.
• Palate: The rum is lively, aromatic and full-bodied on the palate. Honey pastries, fresh and candied fruit mingle with spices. Vanilla ice cream, creamy caramel sauce and juicy peach meet lemon and ginger tea with honey. Cinnamon, white pepper and spicy oak complete the flavour profile.
• Finish: The finish is long, leaving gentle caramel and spicy wood notes.

Distillery/Bottler:

Founded in 1886, Distillerie Rivière du Mât is located in Saint-Benoît on La Réunion. It uses open vessels for fermentation. The distillery team then controls the separation of aromatic components through a distillation column with multiple plates. This allows the eventual aromatic profile to be shaped during distillation.

Cask selection and the blending of the cuvées take place in Saint-Louis. There, cellar master Jean Grondin works with rhums of different ages matured in new and previously used casks. Inspired by Cognac production, this approach forms part of the house's maturation philosophy; in Opus 5, it results in a blend of five rhums agricoles.

Since 2011, the distillery has also been expanding its reuse of production residues. Liquid distillation residues undergo anaerobic digestion to produce biogas, which is used to generate steam. The nutrients recovered in the process are returned to the sugarcane fields as fertiliser.

Facts: