Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, the premium white rum, from the French West Indies island of Martinique, is smooth and silky, has a lineage that dates to 1887, and is a perfect base for cocktails.

For those not familiar with the term "Rhum Agricole" and why Clément's premium white rum is called Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, it is because it is made in Martinique, a department of France, and rhum is the French word for rum. The term Rhum Agricole is designated as a special way of making rum that is used in a handful of countries, including Martinique, which make rum from fresh, free-run juice of crushed sugar cane, without any of the sugar removed. It is interesting to note that only 3% of all rum manufacturing is produced using fresh sugar cane juice; the rest of rum is made using molasses or concentrated syrup, which gives the rum a different aroma, flavor and in some cases, color.

The island of Martinique is renowned for their Rhum Agricole, as the island has rich volcanic soil and a hot and humid climate, lots of rain and good drainage, which played an integral part in why Homère Clément founded Rhum Clément in 1887.

Robert Peronet - Cellar Master

Pride and tradition are the mainstays behind the 18th century Habitation Clément, which is one of the oldest estates on the island. Master Distiller Emmanuel Becheau, and Robert Peronet, the Cellar Master for the past 14 years, ensure that the tradition of exceptional quality is in each bottle of Clément Rhum Agricole.

Ben Jones, a descendant of founder Homère Clément, continues the family heritage by introducing the Clément line of exceptional Rhum Agricole products globally.

Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole is a white rum and is wonderful in a variety of simple or sophisticated long and short drinks, as well as in a traditional Martinique Ti-Punch, (a Creole word which means Petite or Little Punch), made with rum, sugar cane syrup, a squeeze of a small piece of lime and stirred. It is usually served as an aperitif before dinner, or at any time as a little "pick-me-up." Ti-Punch made with sugar cane syrup is called a "wet" Ti-Punch; and made with sugar it is called a "dry" Ti-Punch. Using sugar cane syrup versus using sugar in a Ti-Punch will not only affect the taste, but will also affect the aromas.

Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole: 40% alcohol is a clear premium rum and exhibits floral notes of orange flower, fresh sugar cane, and honey on the nose.

Tasting Notes: On the palate it is smooth and silky with floral notes of orange flower continuing along with fresh sugar cane, honey, citrus and tropical fruit, and vegetal notes of tea, slight spice notes of pepper and anise, and even woody notes.

To showcase the versatility of Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, Luxury Experience Mixologists Debra C. Argen and Edward F. Nesta created a diverse selection of cocktail recipes to tempt your palate.

The Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole Cocktails
All Recipes created by Luxury Experience Mixologists
Debra C. Argen and Edward F. Nesta

The Cocktails

Luxury Experience's Cantaloupe Basil Cooler
Luxury Experience's Smooth Operator
Luxury Experience's Perfect Pair
Luxury Experience's Second Line
Luxury Experience's Candy Bar

Luxury Experience's Cantaloupe Basil Cooler is a refreshing cocktail made from Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, cantaloupe juice, tonic water, and homemade basil simple syrup, and is as pretty as it is tasty.

Luxury Experience's Cantaloupe Basil Cooler
Yield:                 1 Cocktail
Glass Used:       Highball Glass

Cocktail Ingredients:

Basil Simple Syrup Ingredients:

Method for the Basil Simple Syrup: Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let rest 30 minutes to let the basil flavor the simple syrup. Remove and discard basil leaves, refrigerate simple syrup until ready to use; will stay fresh in refrigerator for several weeks.

Method for the Cantaloupe Balls: Use a small melon-baller to create 6 melon balls. Place the balls in a small jar glass jar, add one-half ounce of Clement Premiere Canne Rhum, shake, cover with a lid, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours.

Method for Cocktail: In a large mixing glass, build your cocktail and stir to combine ingredients. Taste and adjust the amount of simple syrup or tonic water if you wish to customize the cocktail for a sweeter or drier cocktail.

Place 2 basil leaves in the highball glass and 1 cantaloupe ball, or more if desired, and fill glass with ice, holding the leaves and cantaloupe ball near the wall of the glass. Pour cocktail into the glass and garnish with basil leaves.

Luxury Experience's Smooth Operator is a playful reference to a strawberry banana smoothie and combines Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, Banana Liqueur, fresh strawberries, and honey. While not a health drink, this cocktail sure is delicious!

Luxury Experience's Smooth Operator
Yield:                 1 Cocktail
Glass Used:       Martini Glass

Cocktail Ingredients:

Method: Chill Martini glass, set aside. Add all ingredients to a blender (with the exception of the garnish), and blend until smooth. Strain through a mesh sieve into chilled Martini glass. Garnish with small strawberry and banana slice.

Luxury Experience's Perfect Pair is a sexy and sophisticated cocktail. A Perfect Martini combines equal parts of Sweet and Dry Vermouth, our cocktail uses the word "perfect" to refer to using equal parts of Anjou pear and spice infused Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole and Crème de Poire (Pear Liqueur), and the addition of spiced infused pear juice.

Luxury Experience's Perfect Pair
Yield:                 1 Cocktail
Glass Used:       Martini Glass

Ingredients for the Infused Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole:

Method for the infused rum: Cut top off pear and set aside. Carefully remove center from the pear (a melon baller works great, remove 4-5 balls, or enough space to hold 1 ounce of the Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole). Place the pear balls in a glass container; in the same container add the star anise, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean to the pear cavity, and then add 1 ounce Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, cover the pear with the cut top, and cover the container with a lid. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days to infuse the flavors.

Pour infused rum from the pear into a measuring glass. Liquid should equal ¾ ounce. Discard the spices. Cut 2 slices of pear into 2 heart shapes for the garnish. Juice the rest of the pear.

Ingredients for the Cocktail:

Method for the cocktail: Add ingredients to a metal shaker, shake until metal is frosty. Strain into chilled Martini glass. Garnish with the pear hearts.

As a tribute to New Orleans we created Luxury Experience's Second Line, a refreshing cocktail that combines Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, B & B Liqueur, Lychee Juice, Fee Brothers Falernum, and Peychaud's Bitters. In keeping with tradition, the cocktail is garnished with a paper parasol, break out the brass band music and dance.

According to Wikipedia, the "second line is a tradition in brass band parades in New Orleans, Louisiana. The "main line" is the main section of the parade, or the members of the actual club with the parading permit; those who follow the band just to enjoy the music are called the "second line." The second line's style of traditional dance, in which participants walk and sometimes twirl a parasol or handkerchief in the air, is called "second lining." It has been called "the quintessential New Orleans art form - a jazz funeral without a body."

Luxury Experience's Second Line
Yield:                 1 Cocktail
Glass Used:       Rocks Glass

Cocktail Ingredients:

Method: Add all ingredients to a large mixing glass, stir to combine, pour into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a paper parasol in honor of dancing in a second line in a New Orleans parade.

Luxury Experience's Candy Bar tastes like a luscious liquid candy bar and combines Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, 2% milk, peanut butter, baking cocoa, sweetened condensed milk, and Fee Brothers Caramel Syrup, and has a peanut butter candy and chopped peanuts rim. Using 2% Milk makes the cocktail tasty and lighter than using Half & Half or Heavy Cream, yet it is sinfully rich without the extra calories.

Luxury Experience's Candy Bar  
Yield:                 1 Cocktail
Glass Used:       Martini Glass

Cocktail Ingredients:

Method: Melt the Wilton Peanut Butter Flavor Candy Melts on a flat plate in the microwave for 1 minute or until melted. Watch carefully, as microwaves vary. Rim the Martini glass with the melted peanut butter candy and then rim with chopped peanuts. Chill glass. Can make ahead.

Mix the cocoa with the condensed milk in a small bowl. Set aside. In a metal shaker can, add the Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, 2% milk, peanut butter, cocoa/condensed milk mixture, and Fee Brothers Caramel Syrup. Shake with 4 ice cubes until metal is frosty. Strain cocktail into Martini glass.

However you opt to drink Clément Première Canne Rhum Agricole, the results will be delicious. As they say in French, "Santé" (Cheers)!

Read about other Clément Rhum Agricole products, Clement Creole Shrubb Liqueur d'Orange and Rhum Clement Rhum Vieux Agricole V.S.O.P. Rum in the Liquor Cabinet section.

For more information on all of the exceptional Clément Rhum Agricole products, please visit the website at www.RhumClement.com or contact Ben Jones directly.

Clément USA
Contact:           Ben Jones
Telephone:      +1-207-232-6633
Email:              This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it         
Website:         www.RhumClement.com

© February 2012. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com. All rights reserved.