La Mauny

Maison La Mauny, established in 1749 by Count Ferdinand Poulain de Mauny in Rivière-Pilote, Martinique, stands as one of the Caribbean’s most historic and esteemed rhum agricole distilleries. Initially focused on sugar and tafia, the estate transitioned in 1820 to producing rhum agricole from pure sugarcane juice—pioneering a tradition that endures today.

A significant transformation came in 1923, when the Bellonnie brothers industrialized the estate with column stills and steam-driven mills, setting the stage for bottling and export by the 1950s. Subsequent mergers formed BBS (Bellonnie & Bourdillon Successeurs), and, in 2019, La Mauny joined the Campari group, uniting with Trois Rivières and Duquesne under a new era of stewardship.

Since receiving the AOC Martinique designation in 1996, La Mauny has rigorously adhered to terroir-driven production standards—crafting rhum exclusively from fresh sugarcane juice (vesou) and utilizing both copper and stainless steel column stills. A 24-hour fermentation is followed by resting and aging in French or American oak, with select cognac barrels lending the rhums their signature elegance and dry, refined profile.

Today, La Mauny cultivates nearly 259 hectares of sugarcane, sourcing about half from local farmers in the “Les Planteurs de La Mauny” association—underscoring its commitment to community agriculture. The distillery offers an expansive portfolio, including white rhums (40–62% ABV), VSOP, XO, vintage releases (1995, 1998, 2005), the flagship “Nouveau Monde,” spiced and specialty finishes (such as acacia), and the acclaimed “Maître de Chai Signature” cuvée.

Visitors are invited to embark on guided tours aboard a mini train through the cane fields and production workshops, where they can witness the processes of fermentation, distillation, and aging, before sampling a range of rhums in the welcoming “Cabane à Rhum” tasting room.