Trois Freres Distillery Mahe

Year established: 2002
Year closed:
Owner:
Web page: http://www.takamaka.sc/
Mail address:
Type of still: Pot and column still
Production capacity:
Location: La Plaine St. André, Mahé
History:
The Trois Freres Distillery was built and developed by brothers Richard and Bernard d’Offay back in 2002. "Takamaka Bay" dark rum was created. Since then, the Takamaka Bay family of products has grown to include white rum, coco rum and vodka.

Distillery

Crushing Cane
Takamaka Rum is derived from the sugars in sugar cane. The sugar cane is carefully chosen for its juice and sugar content from selected regions on the island of Mahe. The sugar cane is supplied through a cooperative of sugar cane growers who take great care in ensuring that the cane is wholly organic in cultivation. Once the sugar cane arrives at the distillery it is crushed as soon as possible to ensure the best return of juice. The cane is run through the crusher which gives a 95 percent yield of juice. The extracted juice is green in colour which comes from the cane bark and is known as “vesou”.

Fermentation
The cane juice is then fed into fermentation tanks where it stays during the fermentation process. Fermentation generally takes between four to five days. Once the sugar has been converted into alcohol by the yeast, the liquid now known as the “wash” is transferred to the stills. As the rum is made directly from sugar cane juice it falls into the category of an agricole rum as opposed to the rums made from molasses which are termed industrial rums. Distillation is done in batches as the wash becomes ready in the fermentation tanks.

Distillation
The first distillation involves the stripping of the alcohol from the wash. The first distillation is done in a pot or alembic still. This typically takes a day and produces an initial rum spirit at 50% – 60% or 100 – 120 proof. This rum spirit is then collected for a second and third distillation. The second and third distillations are done in two copper column stills, these give a more refined rum spirit which is the basis on which Takamaka Bay rums are created. Rum is collected from these stills at between 85% - 94% or 170 – 188 proof.

As the distillate is produced in batches they blend the batches together in stainless steel storage tanks. The distillate will remain in the storage tanks for up to 3 months prior to being stored in barrels. The 3 month storage period helps to “relax” the spirit, in that some volatiles are evaporated off providing a smoother spirit.

The Barrel Storage Section
Rums produced at the Takamaka Bay distillery are further enhanced through the processes of ageing and blending. The ageing process imparts a new set of flavour characteristics to the rum spirit as well as providing the distinctive amber colour. Ageing will also tend to smooth out the spirit depending on how long the rum spends in the barrel.
Currently new American oak barrels with a medium toast (toasting or charring of barrels varies from light to heavy toasting with increasing degrees of toasting giving increasing degrees of colour to the spirit) are used.
To all spirits very pure water sourced from the mountains is added. Seychelles is known for its high quality mineral water and this contributes to the overall quality of the rum.

Flavourings
For the Coco rum a natural coconut extract is used. This is added to a blended sweetened rum spirit. The ingredients which make up coco rum (water, alcohol, sugar and coconut extract) are blended together in stainless steel tanks.

For the Spiced rum the ingredients are water, alcohol, caramel and the spiced component which is vanilla heavy with a small percentage of other local spices. The ingredients also blended together in stainless steel tanks.

The white rum is a blend of different distillate component spirits with no added flavours/extracts.

Source:[12][13]

Products:
Takanaka Bay Coco-Rum 25%
Takanaka Bay White Rum 43%
Takamaka Bay Rum
St. André Rhum Vesou 40% Cane juice rum
St. André 8 year old 40%

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