A1710 Distillery : Interview with Déborah Gaugirard

5 November 2023 | Interviews & Meetings
A1710 Distillery : Interview with Déborah Gaugirard
Interview with Déborah Gaugirard from the A1710 distillery

Hello, thank you for granting us this interview. A1710 is primarily a name. What does it correspond to?

A1710 is a brand name that can indeed be intriguing. A for Artisan and Agricultural, and also because A is synonymous with excellence. 1710 is a special year for our founder and manager Yves Assier de Pompignan indicating the year of the foundation of his family in Martinique. This date allows our brand to be anchored in time.

A1710 is a rum that has chosen to position itself outside the Martinique AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) to use a hybrid distillation system, which is not permitted by the AOC regulations. Can you tell us more about it, as well as the advantages of having such a system?

We have had the desire to reconnect with the ancestral methods of rum production in Martinique, using a hybrid Charentais still with a mini-column is part of it. This allows us to have a signature on our agricultural rums, which is important in building A1710. Of course, this means moving alongside the AOC as it does not fit the specifications, but it's a gamble we wanted to take and we are proud of it today.

For a few months now, we have also added a second hybrid still to our rum house, also entirely made of copper. The A1710 distillery is growing while maintaining what makes our products extraordinary rums.

Today, you group many of your white rums under the name "La Perle," often followed by an adjective that describes it. What is the philosophy of this range?

The Pearl is the very first white rum distilled in a still produced by us. We continued in this vein by adding agricultural white rums, each with its own universe. That is why each of the A1710 rums offers different tasting experiences. We have a range of rums that can appeal to everyone. We have thus:

- The selection of Rare Pearls, single-estate, single-varietal rums that are certified organic. We currently have 4 varieties represented: red cane, blue cane, roseau cane, and crystalline cane.

- The Fine Pearl is our single-estate white rum in double distillation. It is also a still raw, a very original work in the category of agricultural white rum. Moreover, this vintage is certified organic.

- The Raw Pearl our single-estate rum from the Martinican planter Paul Octave, is a still raw with very intense fruity notes.

Can we define a flavor profile for the aged rums from the distillery? If so, what would it be?

The work on our range of aged rums relies on three essential elements: complexity, finesse, and length.

Cheval Bondieu is our under-wood rested rum combining sweetness and strength.

La Délivrande, our latest creation, is a balanced and surprising old rum. It's a true gustatory experience that is created.

Soleil de Minuit is one of the very old blended rums we release each year, whose deliciousness perpetually enchants.

Tricentenaire comes from a blend of carefully selected rums to create unmatched aromatic subtlety.

Nuée Ardente appears in the range of old blended rums every three to four years, bringing intensity and complexity.

What percentage of the production is exported to mainland France?

We can estimate that one third of A1710 rums are destined for mainland France.

What new developments can we expect in the last months of the year?

In recent weeks, we have released limited editions of Le Temps des Secrets and Nuée Ardente. We will have the return of La Délivrande by the end of this year, which will notably be available at Excellence Rhum. La Délivrande is our exceptional old rum, pure sugarcane juice, distilled in a hybrid still and aged at Habitation du Simon. Our cellar master, Cédric Paviot, has some gems lined up for the coming months that we will reveal with great pleasure when the time comes.

A1710, Cheval Bondieu
A1710, Cheval Bondieu
A1710, la délivrande batch
A1710, la délivrande

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Interviewed by

Matthieu Lange Excellence Rhum
Matthieu Lange
Spirits Advisor