Rhum Gouverneur 1648
Go for a tour and tasting of this delicious sipping rum, a blend of molasses rum and rhum Agricole. The product name is a nod to the year St. Martin was divided between the French and the Dutch, and Robert de Lonvilliers de Poincy, avid agriculturalist, was Governor of French St. Martin.
Master Blender Olivier Kleinhans mixes several aged rums, including molasses rum from the Dominican Republic and rum agricole from Guadeloupe to create the brand’s streamlined selection. A signature of the French Caribbean, rum agricole relies on fresh pressed sugar cane juice for distillation imparting a purity in flavour, while traditional molasses-based rum adds depth with caramel and vanilla notes.
The amber liquid is then oak aged in barrels in St. Martin to produce a luxurious rum equally suited to sipping on its own, or mixing as a cocktail. Julie Kleinhans, a France-native relocated to the island nearly a decade ago and guides visitors through a cellar tour that includes an interactive Mai-tai cocktail mixing class.
WHERE? Rhum Gouverneur 1648, 90 rue de Cul de Sac, Saint Martin.
Tijon
One of the Arawak names for St Martin was Oualichi, meaning land of women. And, nothing speaks to femininity as perfume (men, of course, have cologne, which they are welcome to create).
Founded in 2007 by American couple John Berglund and his wife Cyndi, the perfumery in Grand Case is an opportunity to create your own bespoke scent – a transportive souvenir from your time on the island.
As soon as you enter, fragrances waft in the air. Indistinguishable at first, you’re encouraged to peruse the store and choose a favourite from the already bottled scents. Then, the fun begins. Sporting a lab coat, you’ll concoct a scent of your very own according to a proscribed formula. Dark brown vials of essential oils from lemon verbena to ocean rain sit arranged amphitheatre-style in a semi-circle on a table. In total there are 300 scents. Coffee clears the heady confusion between sniffs. Your scent is made a drop at a time by layering the oils – rounded out with top, heart and bottom notes.
My friend subconsciously made a scent that amalgamated her two longtime favourite perfumes, and I recognized the mashup straight away. There’s something fascinating about learning about your senses this way – what you like, what you thought you liked and what actually goes together – and, every time you open your bottle, you’ll think of Oualichi.
WHERE? Tijon, 1 Rue de Petite Plage, Grand Case, St. Martin.
DollarThrifty Sint Maarten
Nowhere are the contrasts of the island more evident than on the road. It takes only minutes, seconds really, to pass from the Dutch side to the French side but the atmosphere, the language and even the geography differs. Locals speak of the “other” side literally as if it were a different country, and, it is. Driving is the best way to see these differences up close. Convenient airport pickup, friendly service and ample choice, makes this a great way to see both sides.
WHERE? DollarThrifty Sint Maarten, Airport Road #102, Sint Maarten.
This original article first appeared in the FALL 2024 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
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