Martinique Rum Production Update - Rhum Clément

Oct 10, 2022

A brief note today to keep Martinique rum enthusiasts updated on where their favorite brands are distilled.

TL;DR – per authoritative sources, Rhum Clément now obtains its unaged rum from the Fonds Préville distillery, which is also where Rhum J.M is made. The distillery and both brands are owned by Spiribam, which is part of Groupe Bernard Hayot. Previously Clément sourced its unaged distillate from Distillerie du Simon.

This isn’t to say that the Clément and J.M blanc rums are identical. Rather, each brand likely has its own particular recipe, aka mark/marque.

Backstory

What follows is partially adopted from an upcoming project I’ve just completed. (Stay tuned.)

In 1986, GBH purchased Domaine de l’Acajou, the estate once owned by Homère Clément and the source of Clément rum at the time. L’Acajou and its great house were subsequently renamed Habitation Clément, honoring the Clément family’s time there. In 1989, Bernard moved Clément’s distillation and associated equipment to the Simon distillery, owned by his brother, Yves. However, Clément branded rum continued to be aged, blended, and bottled at Habitation Clément.

In 2002, the company purchased the Rhum J.M brand and the Fonds Préville distillery, which most people know as the Rhum J.M distillery. With a second column still added circa 2016, Fonds Préville had far greater capacity, and Clément started sourcing some of its new-make distillate from the distillery. I’m told Clément has now fully switched to Fonds Préville distillate.

It’s worth noting that many well-known and beloved Martinique rums originate at a distillery different than their brand names. Among them:

· Bally is distilled at the Saint-James distillery

· Dillon is distilled at Depaz

· Trois Rivieres and Duquesne are distilled at La Mauny

· HSE is distilled at Simon. HSE and Simon are owned by the same parent company, Holmex.