10 Cane

[Ed Hamilton]

Moet Hennessey launched 10 Cane, their new premium rum from Trinidad this month which they claim is destined to become the world's premier prestige rum.

I look forward to tasting this rum in the coming weeks, but while I wait to taste a rum from Trinidad Distillers Limited that really gets my attention, I was more than a little surprised to read that this rum is made from 'the first pressing of the finest sugar cane. . .' At the risk of living up to my reputation as a cynic, I wonder if anyone is aware of any rum made from the second pressing of any sugar cane.

Crushing sugar cane is quite unlike pressing fruit such as grapes, where there is a danger of extracting the bitter elements of the skins and seeds into the sweet juice if the grapes aren't pressed gently. Sugar cane is a homogenous stalk of hard grass fiber. Crushing is accomplished by cutting the sugar cane into small chunks with rotating machete blades and then pressing the chopped stalks between heavy grooved-steel rollers under great hydraulic pressure. In all of the cane pressing operations I have seen, there are a series of three sets of pressing rollers. As the cane is crushed in the first set of rollers, water is sprayed on the cane in order to wash more of the juice from the fiber. More water is sprayed during the second pressing operation. The crushed cane fiber that is collected from the third set of rollers has had enough moisture pressed from the fiber that it is immediately used to fire the boilers that generate steam for the single cylinder engine that drives the mill as well as the distillation process.

While it isn't uncommon for marketing people to get carried away with product descriptions which are designed to instill thoughts of the highest possible quality, the first pressing of the cane is a new one to me.

Has anyone tried this rum?

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

second pressing of any sugar cane :rofl: :lol:

{emoticons on this site leave a bit to be desired}

I'll be on a look-out for it, next trip to Rum buying central, i. e. Florida

[scubadoo97]

Moet Hennessey is good at marketing and making their products appear to be of elite status. I would be interested in tasting it but so far it has not shown up on the shelves around this Florida rummy.

[Jason Perlow]

I've never had Trinidadian rum, so I'll be sure to look for it.

[Ed Hamilton]

From Cigar Aficionado, here's another article on 10 Cane from Jack Bettridge.

[VoodooDog]

I'm pondering getting a bottle.

Really, the only thing holding me back is the thought of feeding "idiot marketing". If C&H started selling 'fat free' sugar I would probably avoid them too.

So, my question is: Is it any good? Is it worth the price?

Or should I just get it anyway to add Trinidad to the list?

[westsail]

Here in Southern California I have found 10 Cane at Bev More and I think I also saw it at Cost Co. I also was a bit amused at the " first pressing " jargon, however this is definitly an 'agricole' tasting rum. While I usually prefer an aged rum this was quite tasty with tonic ( of course ) ! I think I prefer the 10 Cane to the Rougue Rum I recently tried, which was also quite good, very clean; but the 10 Cane's 'agricole' taste does it for me.

[bigbear]

I didn't think that it was worth what I had to pay for it.

[elixirofthetropics]

I'm near finishing my first bottle of it. Indeed an interesting taste. Sugar cane nose but the taste has a little bit of a citrus note. A touch of lime only emphasised the citrus.I did try mixing it. When I tried mixing it with Guava juice (2 part rum to 8 parts juice), the combination yielded a strong black currant taste. I also tried 2 parts rum, 4 parts guava juice, and 4 parts orange-pineapple juice. That was good. But neat is still good with 10 Cane.

[Ed Hamilton]

Or should I just get it anyway to add Trinidad to the list? 

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10 Cane is unlike anything else from Trinidad so if you're looking for something representative of Trinidad you need to keep looking, though 10 Cane is made in Trinidad.

[KatieLoeb]

Tasted this today at the Moet-Hennessey portfolio tasting. I think it's delicious and more like a "rummy" cachaca or agricole than standard issue rum. I think it has a lot of potential in cocktails because of the subtle flavors and smoothness. It's a lot less "hot" than most rum products I've tried.

[freshherbs]

I prefer a new rum called Oronoco if we are talking agricole. seems to have the bite of an agricole with the body of a darker rum

[M.X.Hassett]

Tasted this today at the Moet-Hennessey portfolio tasting.  I think it's delicious and more like a "rummy" cachaca or agricole than standard issue rum.  I think it has a lot of potential in cocktails because of the subtle flavors and smoothness.  It's a lot less "hot" than most rum products I've tried.

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I agree completely with the "rummy cachaca" description and see this as being a wonderfull base for cocktails.

Here are the tasting notes from the provided booklet

10 Cane has a lightly golden color with aromas of pear and a hint of vanilla that are typical of suger cane. On the palate 10 cane is beautiffuly balanced, smooth with a velvety texture and has a perfect harmony between the lively flavors of fresh sugar cane with a hint of sweetness. The finish is extraordinarily long with primarily notes of suger cane and oak

[bcarney]

Moet Hennessey launched 10 Cane, their new premium rum from Trinidad this month which they claim is destined to become the world's premier prestige rum.

Has anyone tried this rum?

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Yes, I have. It may be very be the most foul alcohol I have ever sipped. It has a bad "veggie" smell, reminds of me rotting broccoli. (seriously)

[Bill Poster]

Tasted this today at the Moet-Hennessey portfolio tasting.  I think it's delicious and more like a "rummy" cachaca or agricole than standard issue rum.  I think it has a lot of potential in cocktails because of the subtle flavors and smoothness.  It's a lot less "hot" than most rum products I've tried.

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Interesting to see the different points of view on taste. The one good thing about this product is it helps put rum on the map.

But how did they say it should be drunk? I have'nt tried it but i guess it has that 'olive' smell and taste that agricoles have. Does it make a good cuba libre? Does'nt sound like it. Why sip this when you can spend less on a top sipping rum?

See, I'm a little confused by their marketing. I am thinking it will be in the same bracket as ultra premium vodka-

To be pushed as a mixer on expensive cocktail lists to rich idiots who don't know the difference

Sorry to be cynical, but it is a very contrived product.

Edited February 10, 2006 by Bill Poster (log)

[Ed Hamilton]

I prefer a new rum called Oronoco if we are talking agricole.  seems to have the bite of an agricole with the body of a darker rum

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Oronoco is not trying to be an agricole rum. It is much more highly distilled than any of the agricole rums and lacks the character found in rums that are distilled to a lower alcohol content. Oronoco also has a component of aged Venezuelan rum which gives it a slight vanilla taste.

[freshherbs]

gotcha, thanks for the clarification Ed. whatever it is, I know I like it! the vanilla nose is amazing...

[Sneakeater]

What I think about 10 Cane is that when I got it and tried sipping it I thought it was a complete hype and rip-off. But then I tried mixing it, and as a mixer it is truly superior. Now you can say that it costs an awful lot for a rum you're going to mix, and I wouldn't disagree with that. But if you're at a bar, I think that right now it's nuts NOT to specify (say) a 10 Cane mojito.

[Joe Pyrat]

I must agree with Sneakeater, tried 10 Cane on the rocks and didn't like it at all. It works for mixing, but, IMHO, you can spend less and get a better rum.

[jediNord]

so i am curious Ed, did you ever try this one?

[scubadoo97]

I had my first taste of 10 Cane this past weekend. I sampled it on the rocks. Reminded me of a Rum Agricole since my go to rum is Ron Zacapa 23. Not bad, but different. Not something I would purchase a bottle of.

[jediNord]

I was given a bottle as a gift... have yet to open it, but plan to this weekend...

[Port Aransas]

I was given a bottle as a gift... have yet to open it, but plan to this weekend...

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Well, what say you Jedi?

[Darcie B]

Bumping this thread up to hear what people have to say about 10 Cane seven (?!) years on. It only recently showed up on my liquor store shelves (or I only recently noticed it), and it's become my go-to rum for cocktails, since it frequently goes on sale for under $20 and it plays nicely with a variety of mixers.

As an aside, the first time I posted a photo of the bottle, one of my friends thought it said Iocane - now all the new cocktails I make from it get Princess Bride names.