The successful collection of Bitters, Clairin and Rum 1716 are produced by ‘La Distillerie 1716’ on the Caribbean island of Haiti, where its founder Jean-Didier Gardère was born and raised, inheriting a legacy of knowledge from a long line of spirit producers.
ONAIR – How would you describe Haiti and what are its strong points?
Jean-Didier Gardère – Haiti is located on the western side of Hispaniola, a beautiful mountainous island that it shares with the Dominican Republic. Haiti’s French Caribbean style towns are densely populated, but the surrounding countryside is magnificent. Haiti has a rich history and has shown great resilience over the centuries. Vestiges of the original Tainos, followed by Spanish and French colonies and African kingdom, have given Haiti its unique and diverse culture based on the creative arts, notably music and local cuisine. Naturally proud of their island, Haitians are always very welcoming with a happy positive approach to life.
OA – How did your interest in spirits evolve and where did you glean your knowledge of the industry?
JDG – My passion for the tastes and flavors of my country developed when I was a teenager, which led to my interest in the sugar cane industry and the manufacturing of ‘rapadou’, the raw cane sugar originally grown on colonial plantations. I later became interested in the distillation of cane juice for the production of ‘clairin’, which is Haiti’s ‘rhum agricole’ (distinct from regular rum that is made from molasses). My training as an industrial engineer has given me a great foundation of knowledge. I have equally inherited skills from my family, such as traditional recipes, techniques for liqueurs and cocktails, as well as the ageing of spirits. I have also learned a lot from local farmers and small producers.
OA – How did your range come about and what is the significance of 1716? JDG – We began by producing bitters based on clairin infusions (trampés) from my early experimentation in the 80s. The bitters were originally known as ‘Amany-I Bitters’ after the Tainos name for Saint-Marc – the port city where my ancestors lived and worked. In honor of this heritage, we changed the name to ‘Bitters 1716’ in 2016, the 300th anniversary of the founding of Saint-Marc.
OA – Is your production process organic and respectful of the environment? JDG – Our traditional agricultural techniques are free from chemical ingredients. The yeast used in the fermentation process is that growing wild in the sugar cane fields; and the cane husks, after juice extraction, provide combustible fuel for production. Approximately 95% of the raw ingredients used in our bitters are locally sourced (apart from cardamom, cinnamon and star anise); while those used in our clairins and rums are 100% local.
OA – Do you have a particular favorite from your drinks collection. Can any of this range be paired with food? JDG – Our Reserve Royale 1716, is perfect for special occasions; White Rum 1716 is smoother. As with most rums, our Clairin 1716 goes well with Creole and Caribbean cuisine, notably seafood. When stored in the freezer, the Clairin Kombit 1716 is an excellent accompaniment to caviar. Traditionally found in apothecary recipes, bitters are now more commonly used to make quality cocktails, added one drop at a time as a highly concentrated flavor enhancer. Clients frequently send innovative ideas for our Bitters 1716, incorporating them into baked goods, culinary sauces or injecting them into meat and poultry.
OA – Where do you market the 1716 range and do you have any future goals?
JDG – Our Bitters 1716 are mainly sold on the European market, and have just been officially approved for distribution in North America. We aim to increase the production of our Bitters 1716 through a network of small producers on other Caribbean islands, each developing unique bitters distinguished by their endemic flora. We are currently working on the ‘Bitters 1716 St Barth’, to be launched in 2022. Our clairins and new collection of rums are mainly sold in the Caribbean and Europe, as well as several African countries; they will be available in the United States in 2022.
Our goal is for our products to be ambassadors of our island, notably for the Clairin Kombit 1716 to become ‘The Premium Clairin from Haiti’. We will continue to help expand the market for Bitters and Haitian Clairin, while advocating respect for quality standards and fair trade.
On a personal level, my main goal in life is to always find time to enjoy my family. I hope my five grandchildren will continue to honor and promote the family heritage: the Bitters, Clairin and Rum 1716.
Autor : Rachel Barrett-Trangmar
