Takamaka Zepis Kreol - Spiced Rum

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 43% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Oak and natural spices from the Seychelles take centre stage in Takamaka Zepis Kreol. Part of the St André Series, it combines pot- and column-distilled molasses rums with eight-year-old Foursquare rum from Barbados. The spice blend includes cinnamon bark, cloves, nutmeg and allspice leaves. Its bold oak character is deliberately given greater prominence than pronounced vanilla sweetness.

Production involves several stages. First, the local spices steep in the rum for 15 hours. Fine oak particles from former Merlot casks and the Foursquare rum are then added. After seven days, the spices and wood particles are filtered out, followed by six hours of hydrodynamic cavitation, Takamaka’s so-called Pressed-Rum process. Finally, the blend rests for around 60 days in very old American oak ex-bourbon casks that have already been used for molasses rum.

Before bottling, the rum is brought to 43% and rounded out with 14 grams of sugar per litre. Zepis Kreol contains neither added colouring nor artificial flavourings and is not chill-filtered. Takamaka recommends serving it over ice; it also works in short or long drinks. The bottle contains 0.7 litres and comes in gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is delicate, with impressions of fresh wood and exotic spices.
• Palate: On the palate, gentle sweetness gives way to nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, accompanied by a subtle vanilla note.
• Finish: The short to medium-length finish leaves notes of spicy oak, caramelised almonds and caramel.

Distillery/Bottler:

Takamaka is made by Trois Frères Distillery at La Plaine St Andre on Mahé’s east coast. Its story began in 2000, when Bernard d’Offay and his father Robert started experimenting with distillation. Bernard’s brother Richard later joined them, and they opened the distillery in February 2002. Their grandfather provided a family inspiration with his Rum Arrangé, made by steeping fruit, leaves, bark and spices in alcohol.

Today, Takamaka works with both locally grown sugar cane and imported molasses. In its general molasses rum production, the molasses is diluted with the distillery’s own spring water and fermented for 3.5 days before distillation in a multi-column still. Collaboration with Foursquare in Barbados also broadens its blending possibilities. For Zepis Kreol, blender Steven searched Mahé, Praslin and La Digue for suitable spice suppliers. More than one year was spent refining the selection and balance of the spices.

Facts: