Clairin (kleren in Creole means "clear") is the Haitian name for local rum made with indigenous sugarcane fermented in open vats with wild yeasts and cooked in copper pot stills. Clairin is closer in style to funky terroir-rich Rhum Agricole than mass-produced molasses-based Caribbean rum. Fritz Vaval's Distillerie Arawaks is just one of hundreds of micro-distilleries dotting Haiti where hyper-local Clairin is made according to traditional methods. Vaval owns nearly 50 acres planted with the Madame Meuze sugarcane variety, and all of it is grown naturally without chemicals, allowing the pure flavors of botanicals, minerals, herbs, and seaside flowers to shine through.
Sign up for the Wild Vine & Liquors newsletter and be among the first to know about upcoming specials!
