Rhum J.M, one of the most prestigious rhummeries of Martinique, toasts to this year's holiday season with the release of their French Caribbean orange liqueur, J.M Shrubb. 

A cousin to spiced rum and another Caribbean elixir, Shrubb is one of the oldest and preeminent traditions of Martinique's rich cultural heritage. Traditional folklore of Shrubb begins on All Saints Day, Nov. 1. Citrus fruits are harvested to be preserved for the season. Some of the seeds and the most perfect peels of skin are saved to make decorative ornaments for Christmas, while the rest of the peels and pulp were typically dried and then placed into rum with spices and sugar to make bottles of this traditional orange spicy rum liqueur. Shrubb is at the center of one of the most fun creole traditions, "Chante Nwel." These are typically big parties with friends, families and co-workers that are warm and festive. The staples on the menu for the warm and jolly event include Christmas ham, Christmas pate, and everyone brings their housemade Shrubb to celebrate with genuine holiday cheer and sing upbeat Caribbean versions of their favorite Christmas carols.

Rhum J.M honors this tradition with Shrubb J.M. This cultural treasure is made according to the recipe passed down by the heirs of the Crassous de Medeuil family. The base is aged rum, with a more concentrated bitter and spice flavor than other French Caribbean Shrubbs that have become commercially available. At a subdued 35 percent ABV, the rhum-based orange liqueur has the typical character of Rhum J.M, and has been repackaged in a striking red gradient bottle, which makes the bottle attractive and vibrant against a crowded field of orange liqueurs.

J.M Shrubb comes to the United States at a time when there has been a lot of curiosity surrounding Shrubbs in general. They have been mainstays in the cocktail and culinary world for generations, but have come in different versions depending on the culture of the region. In the United States, shrubs (with one single b) are usually made on location at the bar as macerated fruits made into drinking vinegar or there have been packaged versions available for sale. Shrubbs (with two b's) from the French Caribbean are made with pure rhum as its base rather than vinegar and have their own peculiar heritage. "Shrubbs have made a surprising impact to the American cocktail culture," states Benjamin Jones, Managing Director of Spiribam North America, the importer of Rhum J.M. "Many cocktails are linked to a story and Shrubb has a deep history in North America. There is a strong heritage in Martinique for Shrubb we intend to tap into and share with the American cocktail drinker." As the movement for shrubb has made an impact on the cocktail universe, J.M Shrubb seeks to capture the fine spirit enthusiast who appreciates a dynamic orange liqueur for sipping or mixing cocktails with.

ABOUT SHRUBB

J.M is made according to the Crassous de Medeuil family recipe and is a brilliant marriage of J.M aged rhum with bitter orange zest and pulp, natural sugarcane syrup, followed by a maceration of locally sourced creole spices and bitter roots and barks. 

ABOUT RHUM J.M

In 1845, Jean-Marie Martin purchased the famous sugar plantation, Habitation Fond-Preville. His intentions were not to carry on in the sugar business but to shift the cultivation practices away from producing huge quantities of sugar and to focus on growing sugarcane to make only pure Rhum Agricole and to make the finest rum in Martinique. His rum barrels were branded with his initials "J.M." and always received the highest praise and value on the rum market, which eventually led to bottling the rhum brand in the same tradition, Rhum J.M.

The rich sugarcane flavors in Rhum J.M are derived from micro-climactic conditions of the unique terroir of the volcanic soil, tropical humidity, steady ventilation from the Atlantic sea breezes, and the excellent drainage on the sloping sugarcane fields. The balance of expert distillation to capture the character of the aromatic fresh sugarcane juice and the natural volcanic mineral water used in our rhum bring uniqueness and authenticity to Rhum J.M, which we are very proud of.

Source: PRNewswire

Image Source: PRNewswire