Créol is Savanna Agricole line. Yes, you did read correctly, Agricole, not cane juice based Rhum – we are in AOC territory here in the Indian Ocean.

Savanna Créol 2002 6YO Calvados Finish (46%): We have had a bunch of these Calvados finished Créols before and typically enjoyed them quite a bit. Nose: Earthy and grassy, with plenty of these ripe apple and pear aromas you will typically find in intermediately aged Calvados. Behind that I get a hint of bark, something between chestnut and walnut as well as a whiff of red berries deeper in the back. It is very rich and deep for its 46%! Palate: The first thing I notice is the superb texture and smoothness, we are definitely dealing with a great reduction here. I wonder if they have used a particular reduction technique. Flavourwise, I get apple biscuit, walnut, whipped cream, raspberry, something ever so slightly grassy and a note akin to cinnamon or cocoa. Finish: Sufficiently long with those cinnamon and cocoa notes again, red berries and oak. A great example of a reduction done well. (85/100)

Savanna Créol 2002 7YO (46%): I am not sure why we have started with the finished expression, I guess because it is a year younger but somehow I feel that this should have come first. Anyway, Nose: Sharper and less complex than the Calvados finish. I get walnut, maritime notes (think that fresh sea breeze) but not too much more. This one doesn’t really want to open up. After a good 15 minutes in the glass we finally encounter hints of berries, leather, oak and coffee. Let’s taste it before jumping to early conclusions however. Palate: Once again, sharper than I feel it should be but the texture is great once again. Flavourwise, we do not find many new notes though. I get pepper, walnut, seawater, algae, mineral notes and fresh soil. It is quite good, but lacks this certain excitement factor if you know what I mean. Finish: Red and black pepper, earthy and mineral notes as well as cocoa. It is quite long. This is a good Rhum, but none that demands our attention. (81/100)

Savanna Agricole 2005 12YO Port Cask (50,7%): I wonder why they label some Rhums Créol and some Agricole. I feel like they want to emphasize the “Agricole” bottlings but I could be totally wrong. Nose: Very deep and rich. I get ripe apples, pomegranate juice, dried tomatoes, leather and sweet raspberries. With more time in the glass, the pomegranate juice and dried tomatoes are taking over completely, which presents a rare counterplay that balances off extremely well: The pomegranate juice is sweet and acidic and gives an idea of something thin and fragile; the dried tomatoes on the other hand are thick and umami and keep the pomegranate in check. Quite cool Palate: A bit on the sweet side, which is not to my liking. Don’t get me wrong, the Rhum is enjoyable, but not how I’d describe the Savanna Agricole of my dreams. I still get the pomegrante juice but not too much of those dried tomatoes anymore, instead more citrus notes, smoked paprika, raspberry and leather. Finish: Long and slightly smoky with rosemary, the typical port cask notes and a hint of pepper. It was nice to taste it and I definitely enjoy my sample, but I would never be able to drink a full bottle of this. (83/100)

Savanna Créol 2007 9YO (61,8%): We up the power with this one and to this day, Agricoles at this abv are a real rarity! Nose: The polar opposite of the Port cask. This is dry, powerful and straightforward. I get a mix of pears and apples, while we are at it also quince, yellow stone fruits, yuzu and strawberry. This works extremely well and while more time in the glass doesn’t offer additional aromas, it certainly intensifies the existing ones. By the way, it is worth using a lid with this one to cover the glass and intensify the aromas even more! Palate: Nothing new compared to the palate except for some peppery notes perhaps. That said, there doesn’t need to be much more I feel as the combination of quince, yuzu, yellow stone fruits and strawberry works very well anyway. Palate: Those stone fruits are all over the place and stick with us for quite a while. Let’s add notes of hay, spices and the strawberry again. Don’t tell them, but I believe that this might be a favorite for lovers of fruity Armagnacs… (86/100)

Savanna Créol Straight 2019 (67,2%): This is a “Brut de colonne”. Naturally, this should be our starter but given the differences in abv in this session I decided to have it last, which probably makes sense as well. Nose: Very crisp and fresh. Cane juice, ripe exotic fruits, olives, a whiff of brine, black tea and balsamico are my main associations. Palate: Raisins, dried tomato (we did have that before) and related umami notes, peach, anise and lime. Yummy. Finish: Not very long with lime, tea, olive and herbal notes. Great stuff – I am already looking forward to the aged expressions of this vintage and then comparing them to this baby. (79/100)

At the end of this post I would like to thank you for reading, and I mean it. These are not the best of times for this small little blog but we are still alive and I am very grateful for everyone who is still sticking around after all these years. Cheers guys!