Savanna - The Absolute 2025 - 10 years - 58%
Located in Saint-André, Réunion Island, the Savanna distillery crafts precise rums, from traditional to highly aromatic, with entirely tropical aging processes that refine their intensity without artifice. Under the guidance of master blender Thierry Grondin, the distillery has developed premium blends where the purity of the distillate meets the depth of aged Cognac casks. L'Absolu is the flagship cuvée of this exacting standard, produced in limited quantities each year.
L'Absolu 2025 is a rare blend that, for the first time, brings together Savanna's three areas of expertise. It combines traditional rums aged up to fifteen years in ex-Cognac casks, a ten-year-old rhum agricole, and an eleven-year-old grand arôme. The 58% ABV bottling delivers a clear expression of tropical aging and the Réunion style. The youngest component marks the ten-year age, while the overall range spans from ten to fifteen years. This third edition has already been awarded a Diamond Medal at the French Drinks Awards and a Silver Medal at ISC 2025.
The nose combines a precise vegetal freshness with generous fruit, ranging from ripe citrus to red and exotic fruits, framed by a touch of delicate rancio and hints of hazelnut and noble oak inherited from the Cognac casks. The palate, ample and taut thanks to the natural alcohol content, unfolds a clean, oily texture where orange marmalade, roasted pineapple, sweet spices, and a discreet salinity mingle, enlivening the whole. The finish is very long and dry, carried by a return of orange peel, toasted nuts, and a balsamic persistence that marks the blending of the three styles.
At the table or in the living room, serve it neat after a few minutes of rest in a tulip glass, or slightly warmed with a few drops of water to unfold its layers. It pairs well with a glazed pork chop, lightly sweetened citrus duck, a clothbound cheddar, or a 24-month aged Comté. At the end of a meal, it finds a perfect match with a lightly sweetened chocolate fondant, a walnut tart, or roasted pineapple with spices—pairings that highlight its depth and length.
