Clairin Le Rocher Haitian Rum Winebow

“The Spirit of Haiti,” 100% sugar cane, wild yeasts, pot still, still proof, 49.5% ABV, 750 ml.

Clairin Le Rocher is produced by Bethel Romelus in Pignon from sirop de canne.

The syrup is made from juice that has been boiled in order to preserve it and maintain the distinctive features of the raw material intact. Three different sugar cane varieties are used to produce the syrup, which then undergoes fermentation similar to the tradition of Grand Arôme, where the residual material left in the pot after distillation (often called dunder, backset or stillage) is added back to the fermenting wash.

This addition allows much more intense aromas to develop during fermentation, which are then also revealed in the finished spirit. Le Rocher is characteristic of a heavy richness and an intriguing smokey sweetness. Le Rocher is represented by a painting found on the walls of the famous Hotel Florita in Jacmel, Haiti.

The Spirit of Haiti was created in 2012 as a collaborative project, aiming to release co-bottlings from producers of Clairin Traditionnel – working together with Michel Sajous, Fritz Vaval, Faubert Casimir, Bethel Romelus and Stephan Kalil Saoud.  ⁠ ⁠

Based in Port-au-Prince, The Spirit of Haiti is proud to be the first export company to offer opportunity and support to small producers of Clairin Traditionnel. Through sustainable business relationships and practice, we foster the hopes of growing the category of locally celebrated Clairin Traditionnel on the global market.

The Spirit of Haiti aims to share the liquid exactly as one would find it in its home – all our offerings are bottled at the strength that it leaves the still, with no dilution or filtration. The liquid is collected in drums and transported to Port-au-Prince for bottling, labelling and export. All production, aging and bottling is done in Haiti.