V IZCAYA W INE I MPORTS 2031 SW 70 TH A VE #C16 D AVIE , FL 33317 P: (786) 277-6034 WWW .V IZCAYA W INE . COM 1 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
T HE D ZAMA R HUM S TORY D ZAMA ( PRONOUNCED “ ZAMA ”) R HUM WAS STARTED IN 1980 BY M R . L UCIEN F OHINE , HALF -C HINESE - HALF M ALAGASY ) AND HIS M ALAGASY WIFE , ON THE ISLAND OF N OSY B E OFF THE NORTHERN SHORE OF M ADAGASCAR . T HEY HAD BUILT A S COTCH W HISKEY BOTTLING BUSINESS , AND DECIDED THAT THE RESULTING EMPTY BARRELS RUM . WOULD BE PERFECT FOR THE AGEING OF P RODUCTION WAS TRANSFERRED TO A NTANANARIVO ( THE CAPITAL ) WHEN THE SUCCESS OF THE RUMS AND THE COST TRANSPORTATION MADE IT IMPERATIVE BY 1984. OF T HE COMPANY STARTED OUT WITH TWO STATION WAGONS AND TWO LIGHT TRUCKS , NOW HAVE 60 VEHICLES THAT COVER THE WHOLE ISLAND OF M ADAGASCAR . D ZAMA DOMINATES 60% OF THE SPIRITS MARKET ON THE ISLAND . T HE POPULATION IS 20 MILLION . 2 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
D ISTINCTIVE C HARACTERISTICS L UCIEN F OHINE , THE FOUNDER , DISCOVERED THAT RUMS MADE ON N OSY B E ISLAND ( OFF THE NORTHWEST COAST OF M ADAGASCAR ) HAVE PARTICULARLY DISTINCTIVE AROMAS AND FLAVORS THAT SHOW THEMSELVES CONSISTENTLY . T HE ROOTS OF THE Y LANG -Y LANG VINE AND OTHER AROMATIC VANILLA , CLOVE , CITRUS , PEPPER , AND PLANTS SUCH AS OTHERS ENTANGLE WITH THOSE OF THE SUGAR CANE . G ROUND WATER WILL ALSO TRANSPORT THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF THESE PLANTS TO THE CANE FIELDS . T HIS SUPER - SIZED REED BEING IN EFFECT A LONG COLUMN OF WATER SUCKED OUT OF THE GROUND , CONTAINS THE OILS EMANATING FROM THE SURROUNDING AROMATIC PLANTS . M OLASSES MADE FROM THESE WILL IMPART THOSE FLAVOR CHARACTERISTICS TO THE RESULTING RUM THAT IS DISTILLED FROM IT . T HE VOLCANIC SOIL OF N OSY B E CONTRIBUTES ESSENTIAL MINERAL ELEMENTS THAT , COMBINED WITH THE ABOVE OTHER TERROIR INFLUENCES , MAKE THE RUMS OF THE ISLAND VERY DIFFICULT , IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DUPLICATE ELSEWHERE . 3 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
P RODUCTION N OTES BARRELS -- T HE BARRELS COME FROM THE C HIVAS B ROTHERS DISTILLERY . T HEY MAY BE OAK OF S PANISH OR A MERICAN ORIGIN , AND F RENCH L IMOUSIN OAK IS USED FOR SOME OF THEIR AGED RUMS , T HE MULTIPLICITY OF BARREL ORIGINS ADDS COMPLEXITY TO THE RESULTING RUMS . BARREL WASHING -- I N THE CASE OF THE WHITE RUMS , USE OF WATER LADEN WITH CITRUS FRUITS NEUTRALIZES THE STRONGER FLAVORS OF THE WHISKEY THAT HAS BEEN EMPTIED OUT TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE RUM . T HIS IMPARTS SUBSEQUENT CITRUS AROMAS AND ACIDITY TO THE WHITES . DISTILLATION -- C OLUMN STILL . ADDITIVES -- N O ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS AT ALL . BOTTLING LINES -- T HREE ; P RESTIGE AND N OSY B E ARE BOTTLED SEPARATELY FROM THE C LASSIC . WATER FILTRATION - -- F IVE TIMES - S AND F ILTER TO REMOVE IMPURITIES , SOLIDS ; C ARBON TO REMOVE ODORS ; C ATHANION TO REMOVE CHEMICALS ; C ARTOUCHE TO REMOVE MINERALS ; U LTRAVIOLET TO KILL GERMS . QUALITY CONTROL -- M ETICULOUS . M ASKS WORN BY EVERYONE WHO ENTERS THE BOTTLING PLANT . W ALLS PAINTED TWICE A YEAR TO AVOID ACCUMULATION OF MOLD , MILDEW . H AND INSPECTION . 4 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
CLASSIC CUVEE NOIRE AND CUVEE BLANCHE - 80 P ROOF . N O BARREL AGEING FOR C UVEE B LANCHE . 1 YEAR IN BARREL FOR THE C UVEE N OIRE . N ATURAL CARAMEL USED FOR THE AMBER . T HESE TWO PRODUCTS SHOW SURPRISING SOFTNESS AND COMPLEXITY . CUVEE BLANCHE PRESTIGE - 80 P ROOF . 6 MONTHS IN BARREL . D EFINITE NOTES OF CITRUS AND VANILLA . C HARACTERISTIC SMOOTHNESS OF D ZAMA EVEN MORE NOTICEABLE . N OTES OF NUTMEG , ROSE PETALS , PEONY , SWEET SILKY FINISH . B RONZE MEDAL -R UM R ENAISSANCE M IAMI 2011. CUVEE NOIRE PRESTIGE - 80 P ROOF . 3 YEARS BARREL AGEING . N OTES OF VANILLA , CARDAMOM , GINGER , ORANGE , COFFEE LIQUEUR , HINT OF BANANA . B RONZE MEDAL IWSC – L ONDON 2011, G OLD - R UM R ENAISSANCE M IAMI 2011, S ILVER M EDAL - R UM M ASTERS , L ONDON 2012, S ILVER M EDAL -WSWA L AS V EGAS 2012, S ILVER M EDAL -R UM R ENAISSANCE M IAMI 2012. NOSY-BE WHITE – 84 PROOF . 4 MONTHS IN BARREL . V ANILLA , CITRUS , LINGERING FINISH . S ILVER M EDAL -R UM R ENAISSANCE M IAMI 2011, G OLD M EDAL WSWA L AS V EGAS 2012, B RONZE M EDAL - M IAMI R ENAISSANCE 2012. NOSY-BE AMBRE - 104 PROOF . 4 YEARS BARREL AGEING . N OTES OF VANILLA , TOFFEE , CLOVES , SWEETNESS , LONG FINISH . G OLD M EDAL B EST - IN -C LASS MEDAL R UM F ESTIVAL , M IAMI 2011. G OLD MEDAL R UM M ASTERS , L ONDON 2012. S ILVER MEDAL WSWA L AS V EGAS 2012 5 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
O VER 25 M EDAL A WARDS ACHIEVED IN THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS 6 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
A LCOHOL BY VOLUME : 40% A GEING : 1 YEAR C OUNTRY OF O RIGIN : M ADAGASCAR T ASTING NOTES : I N THE NOSE , A POWERFUL SOFT WOODY TASTE WITH NOTES OF VANILLA . O N THE PALATE , LONG IN THE MOUTH . 7 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
A LCOHOL BY VOLUME : 40% A GEING : 6 MONTHS C OUNTRY OF O RIGIN : M ADAGASCAR T ASTING NOTES : I N THE NOSE , THE AROMAS OF CITRUS FRUITS , ESPECIALLY LIME FIRST , THEN NUTMEG , VANILLA , PETALS OF ROSE , PEONY , AND FINISHES WITH THE SWEETNESS OF A DRAGÉE . A ROUND AND SWEET MOUTH , WHERE WE FIND THE SAME AROMAS WITH LESSENED FLAVORS . 8 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
A LCOHOL BY VOLUME : 40% A GEING : 3 YEARS C OUNTRY OF O RIGIN : M ADAGASCAR T ASTING NOTES : I N THE NOSE , A BIG SWEETNESS , WITH CRYSTALLIZED ORANGE , STEM GINGER , SEED OF CARDAMOM . I N THE MOUTH , SUCCESSIVE AROMAS OF COFFEE LIQUEUR , CRYSTALLIZED ORANGE , VANILLA , THE FRESHNESS OF CITRUS FRUITS , AND A POINT OF BANANA . A REAL FEELING OF SWEETNESS . 9 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
A LCOHOL BY VOLUME : 42% A GEING : 4 MONTHS C OUNTRY OF O RIGIN : M ADAGASCAR T ASTING NOTES : I N THENOSE , VANILLA , VANILLA , AND STILL VANILLA . A SPICED MOUTH WITH SOME FAT , THE ALCOHOL BEING FIRST PRESENT . I T IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL BASE FOR COCKTAILS . 10 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
A LCOHOL BY VOLUME : 52% A GEING : 4 YEARS C OUNTRY OF O RIGIN : M ADAGASCAR T ASTING NOTES : I N THE FIRST NOSE , THE ALCOHOL COMES FIRST , THEN COMPENSATED BY THE VANILLA AND THE SPICES . I N FIRST MOUTH , THE ALCOHOL SLIGHTLY DOMINATES THE VANILLA , TOFFEE , AND THE SOFT SPICES . T HE SWEETNESS RETURNS IN THE SECOND MOUTH . A VERY “ TROPICAL ” RUM 11 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
M EDIA / P RESS 12 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
D AVE R USSELL R UM G ALLERY . COM R EVIEWED : “ R UM G ALLERY ” – S EPT . 2012 V ERY S MOOTH . C UVÉE N OIRE P RESTIGE IS CERTAINLY ATTRACTIVE . I T SHOWS A BRIGHT , COPPER - BROWN COLOR , WITH MULTIPLE QUICK SHORT LIVED LEGS , THE KIND OF DRIPPING APPENDAGES YOU ’ D EXPECT FORM A RUM AGED THREE YEARS IN OAK . T HE RUM COULD EASILY PASS FOR AN EXCELLENT FLAVORED / SPICED RUM , AS THE VANILLA IS MORE FORWARD THAN MANY ENHANCED RUMS . Y OU MIGHT WANT TO USE YOUR FAVORITE TASTING GLASS FOR THIS RUM . T HE MORE SUBDUED AROMAS ARE LARGELY MASKED BY A WONDERFUL M ADAGASCAR VANILLA , WHICH MAKES THE OTHERS DIFFICULT TO DISCERN . W ITH SOME EFFORT AND PATIENCE , YOU ’ LL ULTIMATELY DETECT LESSER SCENTS OF CARAMEL , TOFFEE , COCONUT , THE SLIGHTEST TINGES OF CARDAMOM , ORANGE CITRUS , BANANA , GINGER , AND FINALLY SOME MILD ALCOHOL . A CREAMY BODY DELIVERS THE PRIMARY FLAVOR OF VANILLA , WITH MILD COCONUT MILK , A BIT OF OAK AND CITRUS ZEST IN KEEPING WITH THE AROMAS . I N THE END , THE SWEET VANILLA FLAVOR INFLUENCES THE ENTIRE TASTING THOUGH TO THE FINISH . I’ M OF TWO MINDS ABOUT D ZAMA ’ S C UVÉE N OIRE P RESTIGE . W HILE THE DISTILLER INTENDED IT AS A MILDLY AGED , PREMIUM RUM , YET IT HAS ALL THE AROMAS AND FLAVORS TO COMPETE WITH AND WIN AGAINST MOST FLAVORED / SPICED RUMS . I N THE AGED RUM CONTEXT , C UVÉE N OIRE P RESTIGE OFFERS SUPPLE VANILLA FLAVOR , IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO DRINK NEAT , AND VERY SATISFYING . A S A SPICED RUM , IT ’ S EVEN BETTER . 13 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
W AYNE C URTIS A UTHOR – A ND A B OTTLE OF R UM : A H ISTORY OF THE N EW W ORLD IN 10 C OCKTAILS R EVIEWED : “S LOW C OCKTAILS ” – A PRIL 2012 A number of rum imports from non-traditional locales have tried to make it into the North American market, but most fail to gain any traction. A lot of these are built around big marketing ideas, the idea being to get cool hunters to try the latest novelty. (I’m thinking of Starr African Rum in the red bottles.) The product seems to be an afterthought. Not so with Dzama Rum from Madagascar (home to five rum distilleries), which will be rolling into limited U.S. markets next month. When I first sipped I expected the worse, but was more than pleasantly surprised. It was a rich, complicated rum that, to my mind at least, managed to capture some sort of exotic terroir. Dzama makes a vanilla rum (with a whole bean encased in the bottle, seen at left) plus two unflavored rums. The Cuvee Noire (90 proof) was smooth and tasted of honey and vanilla (the man in the booth claimed it had no additives, although I’m skeptical). But the real winner for me was the 104 proof rum, with a spicy taste up front and lively, sweet finish. It somehow seemed to capture then attenuate into the distance the essence of rum. The retail price of the overproof is expected to be about $50. 14 | V i z c a y a I m p o r t s
Recommend
More recommend
