Rhum Compagnie des Indes

During the 17th and 18th centuries, just about every major European company had an East India Company. Whether Britain, Holland, Denmark, Portugal or France, they all tried, through a persistent presence as well as diplomatic and partly warlike activities, to obtain the precious raw materials of India, Indonesia and China. The emphasis has been on exotic spices, which have only recently come to the attention of the general population. And although most of the brand's rums are "Compagnie des Indes" come from the other side of the globe, the name fits well with a punch in the eye.

Immediately, we see sailing ships, precious resources, shy colonial masters and exotic landscapes. The young brand's collection is equally breathtaking. There's an 11-year-old rum from Belize, a 13-year-old bottling from Fiji, an 11-year-old rarity from Haiti, a whole range of rums from Jamaica and Guyana, a 22-year-old rum from Trinidad and many other (literally) excellent blends with names like “Octoberum”, “Caraibes” or even “Latino”. It soon becomes clear that the company cannot be involved in the production of all these rums. Instead, we understand that it is an independent bottler. Florent Beuchet is the owner of the French brand founded in 2014, and specializes in blending and bottling Single Cask and Cask Strength rums under the Compagnie des Indes label.

To do this, he hires brokers who supply him with barrels of exceptional rum from distilleries both unknown and known around the world. It's important not to add sugar or other additives to the rum, as Florent Beuchet is strictly opposed to this practice. Rums are either blended with other rums after importation, or after maturation, or after maturation in European casks. Thereafter, the focus is on marketing, which he carries out mainly through festival and social media presences, and distribution in selected European countries.