In the South West part of Mauritius, in the heart of a fertile valley, lies the Rhumerie de Chamarel. Situated in the vicinity of the “Coloured Earths of Chamarel”, one of Mauritius’ most popular tourist attractions, the road leading to the Rhumerie is lined with vast plantations of sugar cane growing side by side with pineapples and other tropical fruits.
Exuding an inimitable sense of warmth and authenticity, the Rhumerie welcomes guests for an all-encompassing tourism experience ranging from a guided visit of the distillery and rum tasting to a tasty meal at L’Alchimiste, its own stylish and creative restaurant.
The Rum of Chamarel: a high quality “eco-friendly” agricultural rum Ideally located in an estate protected from the prevailing trade winds, the sugar cane fields are grown in a unique microclimate which provides the natural water required according to the season. Hand-picked daily at dawn, the freshly-harvested sugar cane is transferred in less than 2/6 four hours to the mills of the rum distillery.
Its rapid conveyance and careful selection combined with the process which prevents the sugar from “burning” guarantee the purest juice extracts. The distillery can also pride itself on the quality of its rum, achieved by distilling the fresh, fermented cane juice rather than that obtained from molasses. It is a lengthy process-making used for only 5% of the world’s production of high-quality rum.
The fermentation and distillation processes use sophisticated techniques while preserving the environment. In line with the concept of sustainable development, the distillery concentrates its environmental efforts on recycling: nothing goes to waste. Indeed, the bagasse, the fibrous residue remaining after juice extraction is collected and turned into energy, the industrial fumes are cleared before being released into the air, the ashes are spread in the fields and the steam retrieved from the process is used to water the gardens. Visit of the Rhumerie de Chamarel One of the distillery’s strong points is that it was designed to provide a holistic experience to guests.
Mauritian architect Maurice Giraud has created a building that blends harmoniously 3/6 with the spectacular surroundings. Wood, natural stone and water provide a sense of communion with nature, turning the distillery into one of the most beautiful factories in the world. Another strong point of the distillery is that it was created to produce the finest rum. Highlights of the distillery’s guided tour with professional guides end with the copper stills (alambics) and cellars where the rum is stored to slowly age in barrels. Visitors are then invited to sample some of the products of the distillery.
Available for sampling:
• The White Agriculture Rum
• The “Coeur de Chauffe”
• The Chamarel Liquors
• The Exotic-flavoured Rums
• The Old Rum 4/6 5/6 L’Alchimiste