Bridging tropical heat and Charentais terroir, every rum undergoes Planteray’s hallmark double aging: first in ex-bourbon barrels under tropical skies, then during a second spell in Ferrand Cognac casks. Then comes the decisive step, a final maturation in a barrel carefully chosen for its character. It’s a deliberate process where nothing is left to chance.
Among these ten new releases, three rums stand out through Barrel Swaps: a cask exchange with partner houses - Scottish and Breton distilleries - that share the same artisanal standards. The idea is simple: each spirit matures in the other’s cask, like a dialogue between savoir-faire.
In Planteray’s cellars in Charente, the barrels tell stories from elsewhere: Scottish single malt, Breton whisky… cross-paths that feed an approach to maturation that is both experimental and grounded in great technical mastery.
“It’s a form of mutual exploration,” says cellar master Alexandre Gabriel. “These exchanges push us to rethink our methods and discover new approaches to maturation and new interpretations of terroir.”
With this new Single Casks release, Planteray again shows its knack for surprise while reinforcing a style that’s anything but accidental. Ten rums, ten stories. Not a collection in the classic sense, but a series of singular creations driven by one simple idea: let the cask speak.
Three collaborations spotlighted in 2025
This year, three Barrel Swaps round out the lineup. Three rums finished in casks from elsewhere, chosen for their distinctive profile.
Paraguay 2014 x Arbikie Highland Rye
Arbikie is a farm distillery in the Scottish Highlands unlike any other. The Stirling family cultivates grain across more than 800 hectares, embracing a true field-to-bottle philosophy. Their Highland Rye, the first Scottish rye released in more than a century, is made with exceptional care and aged in new oak. The result is a distinctive whisky - dry, spicy, and naturally vibrant.
The Highland Rye finish injects fresh energy into the Paraguay 2014 rum: its lush tropical notes take on extra structure, complexity, and edge. The rye lends refined notes of dry spice, toasted bread, and delicate oak without overshadowing the rum’s core character. It showcases everything Planteray does well: selecting the perfect cask, bridging terroirs, and sparking dialogue among the people behind the spirits.
Trinidad 2016 x Armorik Oloroso
Of all this year’s collaborations, the partnership with Warenghem Distillery stands out for its depth and heritage. A pioneer of French whisky, this century-old, family-run distillery in Brittany pairs unwavering standards with a terroir-driven craft mindset. Best known for its Armorik single malt, it turns out whiskies that are powerful, expressive, and elegantly balanced.
Our Trinidad rum finished in one of their barrels, a Breton whisky cask seasoned with Oloroso sherry. The outcome lives up to the partnership: the rum’s vibrant fruit now carries a rich, almost velvety texture where dried fruit, dark chocolate, and a subtle salinity evoke Atlantic breezes and Andalusian bodegas alike. This nuanced finish stitches together two continents and two barrel traditions, revealing a rum that’s intense, balanced, and unmistakably original.
Fiji Islands 2009 x Kilchoman Peated Whisky Cask
Founded in 2005, Kilchoman is one of Islay’s youngest distilleries but has already become indispensable. Set on a farm, it embodies the spirit of the farm distillery, with complete control from field to glass: barley grown on site, traditional floor malting, distillation and aging on the island. Its single malts, peated yet balanced, express an artisanal and bold style that is rooted in tradition and open to innovation.
This isn’t our first collaboration with this dynamic young distillery. The peated whisky cask layers on extra aromas: smoke, chocolate, and even a hint of citrus. When explosively estery Fijian rum meets Scottish peat, the result is dynamite.
A collaborative, immersive and bespoke program
Beyond these special editions, the Single Casks program is built on another key principle: bringing our partners into the process. Every year, bars, bottle shops, and restaurants are invited to Charente to hand-select a cask straight from the Planteray cellars. They taste the options, make their pick, and watch their name go on the label. It’s a simple but powerful way to connect us, our partners, and their guests - a bond among true enthusiasts.
"Our clients love being part of the selection and development process, releasing a highly limited bottling that mirrors their own tastes. The experience builds real trust between retailers and customers who are always on the hunt for rare, exceptional bottles," explains Jonas Indesteege, Global Rum Prestige Collection Brand Manager for Planteray Rum.
See you aboard the Barge on September 22
The 2025 collection will be officially unveiled on September 22 aboard Barge 166. Alexandre Gabriel will present the new Single Casks, alongside the latest releases from Citadelle, Ferrand Cognac , and Planteray. It promises to be a special chance to discover, taste, and share.
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