La Favorite Distillery

If you are looking for authenticity on the island of Martinique, a visit to the Favorite distillery is a must. It is the last one to use an original steam engine for distillation! You will live an original experience through the distillery still in activity. You will not walk through a museum, but follow the different artisanal steps of the rum making process in the middle of the working machinery.

History of the distillery La Favorite

The distillery La Favorite is one of the last family distilleries. Several generations of the Dormoy family have run it. The founder, Henri Dormoy, lost his business in Saint-Pierre during the eruption of Mount Pelée in 1902. In 1909, he bought the bankrupt La Favorite sugar factory at auction.

Mr. Dormoy transforms it into a distillery. The latter became very profitable with the exponential demand for exotic spirits during the First World War. As a sign of the family's success, a castle was built in 1922.

Sugar cane, the essential raw material

The elaboration of rum remains artisanal. The sugar cane is cut by hand, which guarantees the freshness and quality of the product. The base of the plant is less damaged and allows a good regrowth.

With the 62 hectares of sugar cane on the estate, the Dormoy family provides 60% of its raw material needs. The rest is supplied to the distillery by local farmers. This guarantees a short circuit which is good for the excellence of the product and for the environment.

Stages of production of the spirit

When visiting the farm, you will see the different stages of transformation of the sugar cane to extract the vesou and keep the bagasse which is used as fuel for the distillation columns and as fertilizer for the fields of the property. The huge fermentation vats will certainly impress you.

You will be the spectators of this alchemy which continues until the ageing in oak casks for the amber rum and in oak barrels for the old rum. The barrels used were previously used for maturing other spirits such as Cognac. Imagine the aromatic subtleties brought to the rum! Moreover, while contemplating the alignment of the barrels, bewitching scents will envelop you :)

Discovering the final product

After the tour of the installations, a tasting is necessary to evaluate the result of all this process! The tasting takes place in a room where various souvenirs from the history of La Favorite are displayed.

Many AOC products for sale are on display. You will be able to taste the white rum La Favorite.

Specialists judge it as the sweetest and most fragrant of Martinique. Otherwise, you have the choice between many amber rums and old rums often medalled in national and international competitions.

Connoisseurs particularly appreciate La Flibuste, recognizable by its wax-sealed bottle. It is an aged rum that has been in casks for 25 years. The aromatic palette felt when tasting it is extraordinary! Unfortunately, the production is limited to about 5000 bottles for each vintage.

With the know-how of the Dormoy family, Distillerie la Favorite works in the pure West Indian tradition. It is the guarantee of the excellence of the 600 000 bottles produced per year. Thanks to this unforgettable visit, you will have shared a part of Martinique's living heritage!