Taste Clément rums aboard the sailboat Dénébola in Martinique

Martinique is renowned for its rum production. There are many rum factories on the island. 

Habitation Clément is one of Martinique’s oldest and best-known rum distilleries. 

It is one of the partners of the Dénébola sea excursions. 

During your day on a sailboat, you’ll be able to taste Clément rums overlooking the turquoise waters of the white islets of Robert.

1. History of the rum factory
2. What to see during your visit to Habitation Clément ?
   1. The main residence
   2. The gardens
   3. The old distillery
3. Different varieties of rum 
   1. White rum
   2. Aged rum
4. Production methods

History of the rum factory :

The history of the rum distillery dates back to the 18th century, when only small estates were established on the estate’s land.

It wasn’t until the 1880s that Homère Clément took possession of the dwelling.

As part of a war effort during the First World War, Homère had a distillery built to produce rum for the soldiers. 

On his death, his son Charles inherited the house and decided to develop the rum brand. The brand became truly internationally renowned after the war in 1945.

Charles worked hard to make Clément rum a renowned brand, notably by improving production quality and modernizing facilities. He even went so far as to open an office in Bordeaux to facilitate exports.

The foundation also owes its success to Sarah Lazareff, who organizes receptions for well-known visitors to Martinique. 

In 1986, the Hayot brothers bought the estate and the Clément brand at the same time.

The dwelling hosted a Franco-American summit attended by George Bush and François Mitterrand.

In 1996, the dwelling was classified by the French Ministry of Culture as a Monument Historique. In 2011, it was awarded the “Maison des Illustres” label, and in 2015 the “Jardin Remarquable” label.

What to see during your visit to Habitation Clément ? :

You can visit several areas of the home.

Main residence :

The main dwelling allows you to discover traditional architecture by immersing yourself in a Creole house. You’ll get a feel for the tropical Creole way of life.

The gardens : 

The gardens offer a true botanical discovery of the flora on almost 16 hectares.

It is home to almost 300 tropical plants, some of which are rare species.

The former distillery site has now become a wasteland, and has been redeveloped as a garden by reusing existing infrastructures. This is the case, for example, of the settling basins, which have been converted into water basins for plants. There’s also a splendid palm grove with impressive royal palms. 

You can also enjoy the sculpture garden, where works acquired by the Fondation Clément are on permanent display in the open air.

The old distillery : 

The old distillery is a showcase for the home’s industrial heritage. 

Restored in 2005, the site features a rum interpretation center, where visitors can learn more about how rum is made. 

You can see the testimonies of former workers, as well as relics of our industrial heritage.

Different varieties of rum :

White rum : 

Habitation Clément produces white rum. 

Since 2005, preparation has been a relatively slow process, lasting up to a year. This gives the rum a certain roundness and greater aromatic intensity on the palate. 

At the end of your visit to Habitation Clément, you’ll have the chance to take part in a tasting session. 

During a break in the white bottoms, the captain of the Dénébola boat will suggest a tasting of our delicious rums, in particular Rhum canne bleue, which goes very well with the accras prepared by the An Griyav’la farm.

Aged rum : 

The reputation of Clément rums stems from the reputation of its aged rums.

At the end of your visit, we recommend that you stop by the tasting stand to delight your taste buds with the different varieties of rums, depending on how long they have matured.

On our Dénébola sea excursions, your captain will offer you old Clément rum as a ti’punch or digestif before you set sail again for îlet Chancel.

Production methods :

The sugar cane used for distillation comes mainly from Barbados, Martinique and Reunion Island.

Over and above the technological changes that have taken place over the years, the production method has not changed much since its origins.

Sugar cane is harvested and its stalks chopped and defibered. 

They are then crushed in a steam engine before being stored in large vats for fermentation. The resulting juice passes through a distillation column.

Since 2015, Clément rum has been one of the rums to have obtained the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée rhum Martinique (AOC).

To obtain this Appellation, a set of specifications must be met, and in particular 8 key points: 

1. The production area, which corresponds to the boundaries of Martinique. To meet this criterion, the rum must be produced in one of Martinique’s towns.
2. The cane cultivation area, which corresponds to the cane harvested in the production area.
3. The cane varieties, which correspond to the varieties that must be registered on a list approved by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine. This also corresponds to the cutting period.
4. Juice extraction, which corresponds to fresh juice from healthy cane.
5. Fermentation, which corresponds to the type used. In this case, it’s discontinuous fermentation. 
6. Distillation corresponds to the way in which it is carried out. In this case, it’s carried out in the continuous columns traditionally used in Martinique.
7. Storage and aging correspond to the preparation time the rum has undergone.
8. Labeling: the mandatory information that consumers must read on the bottle label.

Even if it’s not at the heart of the Dénébola concept, which offers ecotourism excursions, enjoying a good ti-punch, a good planteur or an old rum during your day in the white bottoms remains a must. 

That’s why our partnership with Clément rums is such a plus for our sea excursions.

Indeed, Clément rums are tasty and much appreciated by our passengers who come to spend a day on a sailboat at Les ilets du Robert.

You can book your day’s sailing directly on our website.