Clairin (, , ) is a
distilled alcoholic spirit made from
sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
produced in
Haiti
Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
, that undergoes the same distillation process as
rhum, although not as refined.
There are between 500 and 600 micro-distilleries in Haiti,
compared to fewer than 50 in total throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The distilleries known as guildives are artisan productions: most of them are small shacks dotted around the countryside producing for the consumption of their own villages.
Clairin is made from indigenous cane varieties, non-hybridized, with no chemical interference in the agriculture. They are spontaneously fermented with no yeast selected, distillation techniques from the mid-18th century, and no filtration.
See also
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Rhum agricole
Rhum agricole () is the French term for ''sugarcane juice rum'', a style of rum originally distilled in the French Caribbean islands from freshly squeezed sugarcane juice rather than molasses. ''Rhum'' is a term which typically distinguishes it ...
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Haitian cuisine
Haitian cuisine is a Creole cuisine that originates from a blend of several culinary styles that populated the western portion of the island of Hispaniola, namely African, French, indigenous Taíno, Spanish, and Arab influences. Haitian cuisin ...
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Tafia
Tafia (also called guildive) is a drink similar to rum made from sugarcane juice. It is typically unaged whereas rum is typically aged in wooden barrels to reduce the level of fusel. Most of the fusel is absorbed in the first two years. Premium ...
References
Haitian distilled drinks
Haitian cuisine
Sugar-based alcoholic drinks
Sugar industry of Haiti
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