Neisson Rhum Blanc 50% - Agricole from Martinique - 700ml

If the 52.5% Neisson is the midday sun blazing over Martinique, then the 50% bottling is the island at first light - calm, crystalline, and utterly inviting. This is the gateway to Neisson's world of blanc agricole: approachable without losing complexity, vibrant without shouting. It is the distillery's gentle handshake before the embrace.

From the tiny, fiercely independent distillery in Le Carbet, this unaged agricole rum is crafted with the same uncompromising care as its stronger sibling: 100% fresh cut estate cane, grown in volcanic soils, crushed within hours, fermented slow, and coaxed through Neisson's iconic creole copper column still. At 50% ABV, it is the proof that captures balance - where structure meets finesse.

The nose is a tropical dawn chorus: fresh cane juice, green mango skin, mint sprig, and white pepper. There is a breath of sea breeze here too - saline and pure - underpinned by lime leaf and the delicate sweetness of honeysuckle. As it opens, hints of lemongrass and crisp pear emerge, giving the bouquet a clean, luminous lift.

On the palate, it glides. Initial grassy freshness leads to a medley of citrus oil, soft minerality, and subtle spice - a whisper of ginger and anise. There is a brightness here, a clarity, with each sip tracing the contours of the cane fields it came from. The body is lighter than the 52.5%, but no less articulate - its grace lies in precision rather than power.

The finish is long and cleansing, leaving a trail of fresh herbs and wet stone, with a final flicker of zesty lime peel. It is a rum that refreshes as much as it intrigues.

In Martinique, this is the blanc you might sip before lunch in a Ti' Punch - lime peel (never juice), raw cane syrup, and a slow stir to taste. It is a drink that adapts to the day: lively in the heat, soothing in the shade. In cocktails, the 50% bottling sings in a Daiquiri with crystalline clarity, lends elegance to a Mojito, and even slips effortlessly into a White Negroni riff for an agricole twist.

Compared to the 52.5% expression, this bottling offers a slightly sleeker texture and a more restrained aromatic lift - a gentler introduction for those new to agricole, yet still a pure, authentic expression of Neisson's house style. It is the rum bartenders pour when they want the agricole experience to shine without overwhelming the uninitiated.

If clairin is your wild friend and unaged mezcal your late night poet, Neisson Blanc 50% is the storyteller at the breakfast table - bright eyed, precise, and full of quiet conviction. This is agricole rum in high definition, stripped back to its essence, carrying the morning light of Martinique in every sip.