Robert Peronet
Cellar Master from Rhum Clément in Martinique, French West Indies.
We are proud to bring you another installment in our series of interviews with the most important figures in the industry. For this issue, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Robert Peronet, Cellar Master from Rhum Clément in Martinique, French West Indies.
Our appreciation and understanding of fine rhums grows with every passing year.
Our special thanks to Mr. Benjamin Mélin- Jones for coordinating and translating the interview.
Q: How long have you been working for the rum industry? How did you get started?
I started with Clément as soon as I was able to work on the bottling line and helping with the blending, charring barrels and moving barrels and gradually kept taking more responsibility until about 14 years ago, I became the master blender.
Q: Could you describe to our readers your everyday activities? In other words,
how much time do you dedicate to quality control, new product development,
research, etc.?
Every day is spent examining the rhum aging in barrels in different warehouses to maintain everything is going the way we want.
I am experimenting a lot with different barrel finishes these days for new rhums and expressions we are looking to release shortly, however we also look to always maintain the “Clément ” flavor profile in our more popular rhums such as the V.S.O.P.
Q: How many different rums does your distillery produce?
A few varieties of white rhum and then many vintage rhums, single casks, and the rest of our normal range of aged rhum we are famous for.
Q: Which of your rums are you the most proud of and why?
Our 10 year old rhum is one I am proud of because these are rhums we see as white with fresh grassy and cane flavors, and 10 years in our cellar, it is like a grown up rum. Just like seeing your child born and mature. 10 years is a great age for Martinique Rhum Agricole Vieux.
Q: As a Master Blender, how easy/difficult is it for you to taste a young rum and anticipate the effects of aging on it? How much of that is within your control and how much depends on environmental/cask conditions/etc. that are harder to predict?
Climate, temperature, humidity are major factors in aging. Not easy to predict, but we are working always to get to a consistent final destination point.
Q: In all of the years you have spent in the industry, what are some of the biggest changes (good or bad) that you have witnessed?
The 7.7 earthquake a few years ago was something amazing. We watched the barrels “dance” on the racks in the cellar, and I was sure the barrels would land on the f loor and break, and we would lose most of our stocks. Finally we found that the shaking was actually wonderful agitation in the barrels and we got some bonus tannin extraction when we tasted it about a month later.
Q: What has been your greatest challenge/obstacle you have encountered thus far as a Master Blender?
Trying to respect tradition while looking for new profound flavors to introduce to the Clément range.
Q: Have you perceived a change in how consumers think of rum since your
involvement with the industry began?
We see the movement of our shipments increasing all the time. When we try to raise the price to control the inventory level, we sell more. It’s bizarre to me.
Q: How about consumer palates? Have you had to adjust the flavor of your rums to keep up with changing patterns in the market , or has your target market remain unchanged over the years?
We are always asked by our importers to make the rhums sweeter. Not in our game plan.
Q: Respect for tradition is something very common in the industry. How do you balance the love for tradition with the needs imposed by modern times (such as using younger rums or adding flavors)?
We will never add flavor, but we are experimenting with sherry casks and wine
casks.
Q: If I came to a party at your house and ask for a rum-based cocktail, what are you likely to offer me?
‘Ti Punch. That is the only cocktail I know how to make…
Q: Is there a particular message or comment you would like to share with our
readers?
Dry Rhum Agricole like Clément V.S.O.P. is maybe not for everyone, but we are delighted to see that Bourbon, Scotch and Cognac drinkers appreciate them.
If you are a rhum drinker and your friends like whiskey, give them a bottle of our aged rhum and you will see the amazement when they first taste it. Yes - it is really rhum…