Santa Maria Gold Rum

Ie Rum Santa Maria Gold is a barrel-aged agricole rum made from 100% fresh sugar cane juice sourced from the island of Iejima, Okinawa Prefecture. It is matured for two to three years in former Nikka whisky barrels (Asahi Brewery) and has a subtly sweet, fruity and extremely round taste and a soft aroma.

Description

While rum is usually made from molasses, a by-product of sugar production, agricole is a product made from fresh sugar cane juice. Agricole is usually considered angular and edgy, accounting for just under 10 percent of total rum production. However, as Santa Maria is aged in oak barrels, it is extremely pleasant and very easy to drink. Originally the distillery, which is now owned by Iejima, was built by the Asahi Group. This is also the reason why the oak casks used by Ie Rum were previously whisky casks used by Asahi for their famous Nikka whisky at the Yoichi Distillery in Hokkaido.

The Santa Maria Gold Rum has a deep fragrance with a charming sweetness. In the nose it is very fruity with ripe pears and pineapple. Light notes of cocoa and wood are also present. The finish is long with fresh orange peel and a subtle oak scent. Only 12,000 bottles are produced annually.

The Santa Maria Gold is not only suitable for drinking neat but also for cocktails and long drinks.

Japanese Agricole Rum
Net quantity: 700 ml
Alk.: 37% vol
Dispensed only topersons of full age
Importer: Ginza Berlin GmbH, Pfalzburger Straße 20, 10719 Berlin

About the Iejima Distillery

The Iejima Distillery is a young factory that was founded in 2011. It is located on the island of Iejima, west of Okinawa's main island Hontō. Historically, the area is relatively poor, as this semitropical region is water scarce and rice cannot be grown. However, sugar cane has been cultivated here since 1630, which is the most important economic factor of the island. From this local sugar cane, a former awamori distiller in the Iejima Distillery produces the finest agricole rum. The company policy is very clear: as little as possible is interfered with the steps before distillation (e.g. no cooling of the fermentation tanks). The idea is that the soul of the island of Iejima is transferred to the rum in the most natural way possible.