PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Rhum agricole is made from fresh sugarcane juice, not molasses, and Clément is one of the names that defines it. The house was founded in 1887 by Homère Clément in Martinique and is often described as the spiritual patriarch of rhum agricole; Clément used Cognac-style grading, with VSOP and XO expressions. The distillery has moved a few kilometers from its original site, but the Habitation Clément in Le François still houses the aging cellars, where some 12,000 barrels rest.
In 2026, Clément unveiled a new proprietary bottle for its entire aged range, developed with glassmaker Saverglass and design studio Linéa. The new silhouette is sleek and contemporary but keeps the sharp shoulder that has defined Clément bottles for generations. “Clément” and “1887” are now engraved directly into the glass, the bottle is on average 23% lighter than the old design (cutting emissions in manufacturing and transport), the direct glass screen printing has been removed to improve recyclability, and the labels use FSC-certified paper. The signature green anchors the range, and the longer maturations shift into copper, gold, and amber tones. The liquid inside is unchanged.
The XO carries the “AOC Martinique Rhum Vieux” appellation, a strict set of production rules. The cane juice can ferment for no longer than 120 hours, with a fermented strength no higher than 7.5% ABV; it is distilled in column stills between 65% and 75% ABV, which retains a lot of the cane’s own character; the whole process takes place in Martinique; and nothing is added. To qualify as XO, the rhum must age a minimum of six years in oak, in Martinique’s warm, humid climate: Clément’s XO is aged first in French oak, then in ex-bourbon barrels. It’s bottled at 42% ABV.
The brand’s notes describe “a sweet nose with brown sugar, dried fruit, dates, prunes, and baking spices,” and a palate with “a full mouthfeel with flavor of oak, punctuated by sweet gingerbread and mocha.” Another description finds “honeysuckle, candied orange peel and vanilla,” with “cloves, black tea, nuts and extra dark chocolate,” and “a superb fusion of hints of charred wood from aging, the typical sweetness of sugar cane and elegant floral notes.” A French merchant sums it up as “rich and gourmand,” combining “toasted almond, spices and dried fruits.” The Rum Barrel blog scored it 83/100, finding a nose “like mulled wine,” “quite fruit-forward,” with grape juice, apricot, apple pie, pineapple, mango, and passion fruit, a palate with “an explosion of bright fruits,” “grassy and floral notes underneath,” golden syrup, toffee, and “some old leather,” and concluded: “If you like Jamaican rum but never tried an Agricole, this bottle would be a good start.”
It’s an elegant, vegetal-yet-sweet sipping rhum for brandy and whisky drinkers, and a bridge between rum and Cognac for anyone curious about agricole. Serve it neat at 14-16°C, or with a single ice cube.
Clément XO Vieux Rhum Agricole is produced by Habitation Clément in Le François, Martinique, under the AOC Martinique Rhum Vieux appellation. It is distilled from fresh sugarcane juice (fermented no more than 120 hours) in a column still at 65-75% ABV, and aged a minimum of six years in oak barrels in Martinique’s tropical climate, first in French oak, then in ex-bourbon barrels. No additives. Presented in Clément’s new 2026 proprietary bottle (Saverglass/Linéa, 23% lighter, with “Clément” and “1887” engraved in the glass). Bottled at 42% ABV / 84 proof, 700ml.
The Rum Barrel blog — 83/100:
“On the nose, the very first aroma is like mulled wine. Quite fruit-forward, grape juice, apricot, apple pie, with some tropical ones like pineapple, mango and passion fruit. On the palate there’s like an explosion of bright fruits, tutti frutti like. Grassy and floral notes underneath the fruit salad with some golden syrup, toffee and some old leather. If you like Jamaican rum but never tried an Agricole, this bottle would be a good start.”
Clément (official tasting notes):
“Color: Mahogany. Nose: Sweet with brown sugar, dried fruit, dates, prunes, and baking spices. Palate: Full mouthfeel with flavor of oak, punctuated by sweet gingerbread and mocha.”
Importer description:
“It boasts a wide aromatic range, with notes of honeysuckle, candied orange peel and vanilla, to which are added nuances of cloves, black tea, nuts and extra dark chocolate. The taste presents a superb fusion of hints of charred wood from aging, the typical sweetness of sugar cane and elegant floral notes.”
Nose
Mahogany. Brown sugar, dried fruit, dates, prunes, and baking spices, with honeysuckle, candied orange peel, and vanilla.
Palate
Full-bodied, with oak, sweet gingerbread, and mocha, with toasted almond, bright fruit, floral and grassy cane notes, toffee, and a touch of leather.
Finish
Long, with charred wood, cloves, black tea, and dark chocolate.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Rhum Vieux Agricole — AOC Martinique, XO |
| ABV / Proof | 42% ABV / 84 Proof |
| Base | Fresh sugarcane juice, column still |
| Aging | Minimum 6 years, first in French oak, then ex-bourbon barrels, Martinique |
| Additives | None (AOC) |
| Producer | Habitation Clément — Le François, Martinique (founded 1887) |
| Packaging | New 2026 proprietary bottle (Saverglass/Linéa), 23% lighter, engraved “Clément” and “1887” |
| Critics | The Rum Barrel blog 83/100 |
| Style / Identity | A sweet-and-grassy aged agricole, a bridge for brandy and whisky drinkers |
| Aromas & Flavors | Brown sugar, dried fruit, toasted almond, orange peel, gingerbread, mocha, floral cane |
| Serving Temperature | 14–16°C |
| Bottle Size | 700ml |
Neat or with one large cube — the best way to taste the cane, fruit, and oak.
Rum Old Fashioned — a good base for a rhum-forward Old Fashioned with a touch of cane syrup and bitters.
Rum Manhattan — replace the whiskey with the XO for a drier, grassier twist.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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