Click here to read French 🇫🇷 version of this article.
There are rare encounters where liquid and art become one.
Transcendence, obsessive standards : this is how I often define the work of Robert Bauer, my german friend with a spirit-vision that is truly one of a kind.
His new project, Love Triptych, and its masterful first release, « Toxic Love, » once again push the boundaries of intimacy and rum. Our first love is a 2008 Marie-Galante agricultural rum. Aged for 17 long years in a tropical climate (cask #199) – has just been revealed, and I was lucky enough to get a small sample to tell you all about it. Pre-orders are happening right here: Distilia Shop.
Far from being a mere high-end selection, Rob invites us into his world : a visceral vision, dark and raw emotions, intense aesthetics enhanced by a short video clip (available here). The project is fully embodied, the stage is set (and unsettled).
Toxic Love: The Rare Gem from Bielle
What is love, if not that brutal paradox between the intoxication of life and the fear of rushing toward our own downfall? This is the entire philosophy behind this first piece of the triptych, inspired by these words from Hermann Hesse: « Oh, love isn’t there to make us happy. I believe it exists to show us how much we can endure. »
Distilled in 2008 on the rebellious island of Marie-Galante using a Creole column still, then shaped by 17 years of tropical maturation in a first-fill bourbon cask, this cask-strength agricultural rum (51.4% ABV) is a true revelation.
Tasting Notes
- The Nose: A caress for the soul; intoxicating ripe fruits (apricots, mango, passion fruit) intertwine in the most magnificent way. Then emerge surprising floral notes reminiscent of a feminine perfume, a beautiful wood patinaed by time that lingers, quickly taking on an empyreumatic character marked by smoky accents and deep dark chocolate.
- The Palate: Never has a Bielle been so oily. The sensation is sublime, velvety, and closely follows the first nose.Sweet, very ripe exotic fruits invite temptation and indulgence, while a generous handful of spices settles lastingly on the palate.
- The Finish: Exemplary length, resonating with yellow and exotic fruits & dark chocolate. A gorgeous indulgence carried by melted, patinaed wood notes, lifted by little spices that make the embrace last.The urge to intoxicate oneself with these aromas again and again has very few equivalents.A great rum, complex & profound, showing mastery and coherence from start to finish.Remarkable!
Artistic Singularity
What makes this project fascinating and radically unique in today’s market is this absolute synthesis between the container and the content. Robert Bauer doesn’t just sign off on an aesthetic: he breathes a narrative soul into each of his releases.
In a spirits landscape sometimes bogged down by traditional codes, this artistic approach has no equivalent. Friend Rob’s art is the fruit of a solitary standard of excellence, of an ability to capture the complexity of the deepest human emotions to transform them into unparalleled collectors’ items (only 167 bottles in the world).
Conclusion
This is no longer just about tasting a great Marie-Galante rum, but about experiencing a living, organic, impetuous work of art. A start-to-finish mastery of a project that is only just beginning, since 2 triptychs are expected… so there are still very fine things to come.
The panache and sensitivity that only Robert Bauer dares to offer, alongside the unmissable Distilia, are taking a most exciting new turn. STAY TUNED.
Thank you Sir Rob for the sample!
An inspired and inspiring project, a suspended tasting of this first « Toxic Love » cuvée : an exceptional 17 year-old Bielle that invites us to discover the new triptyque by Robert Bauer & Distilia.
THE JACK DROP – THE BLOG ABOUT RUM, MEZCAL & OTHER SPIRITS – BASED IN LILLE
Please note that English article are auto-translated and may contain errors.
Please drink responsibly. Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health.
