New Grove Distillery is ideally located in the north of Mauritius Island, an exceptional terroir for producing exceptional rums. The estate covers a vast area of 7,000 hectares, of which 6,000 hectares are dedicated to intensive sugarcane cultivation, a true agricultural jewel of the region. The operation is expertly managed by the Terra Milling Ltd. group, which oversees both the cultivation and quality of the sugarcane. The Grays distillery, founded in 1838, is the oldest on Mauritius and remains the undisputed leader in the Mauritian spirits market. It was in 2003 that the renowned New Grove brand was born, embodying the excellence and tradition of Mauritian rum.
The New Grove distillery focuses exclusively on producing natural and raw special sugars, obtained from 12 unique varieties of sugarcane as well as carefully selected molasses. The sugarcane harvest begins in June, marking the start of the southern winter, and ends in December, during summer. Rum production is mainly concentrated during the cool season (June, July, and August), using fresh molasses without added sulfites and a house yeast specially developed to optimize fermentation. After 30 hours of meticulously controlled fermentation, the molasses wine is recovered, then passes through a preheater before entering a degassing column that removes undesirable compounds. Distillation then takes place in two precise steps: a 20-plate copper valve column, followed by a rectification column with 17 plates equipped with caps and chimneys. Eight draw-offs collect the characteristic aromas while eliminating sulfurous and non-condensable compounds. The feints obtained on the reflux of the rectification column reach a high alcohol level of 94°. This sophisticated distillation process allows precise adjustment of the concentration of natural non-alcoholic components, which give the rum its unique flavors, according to the desired profile: light (100-120 g/hL), full-bodied (250-300 g/hL), or intensely charged (300-400 g/hL).
New Grove Emotion 1969 is an exceptional rum, originating from a historic 1969 distillation. Aged in whisky barrels the same year, it remained buried and forgotten for about 50 years in the deep cellars of the distillery, thus developing deep and complex aromas. This treasure was then subtly blended with younger rums, selected from the emblematic vintages of 2005 to 2008, thus ensuring a perfect balance between power and finesse.
