Planteray swaps rare casks with whisky distilleries
Maison Ferrand-owned Planteray Rum has unveiled the 2025 edition of its Single Casks programme – an annual celebration of craftsmanship, exploration, and collaboration.
Planteray’s Single Cask programme sees each of the rums in the series begin life under the tropical sun, maturing in ex-Bourbon barrels in their country of origin.
The liquid then makes the voyage to France for a second ageing in Ferrand Cognac casks – the ‘hallmark’ of Planteray Rum’s style – and then a third ‘unexpected’ maturation is carried out in casks that once held the likes of apricot liqueur, Chardonnay wine, and peated whisky.
This process is described as patient and deliberate, where wood, time, and intuition work together to shape something ‘truly exceptional’.
“Our single casks are like fingerprints, no two are alike,” said Alexandre Gabriel, owner and master blender of Planteray Rum. “Every cask is an experiment, shaped by encounters and knowledge shared with other producers, and reveals a singular aromatic profile – a true journey in a bottle, carrying the soul of the tropics, France, and, in this edition, a third world through these extraordinary finishing casks.”
The 2025 Single Casks bring together 10 distinctive expressions, each shaped by its own dialogue with wood, and all being limited, unique, and ‘unforgettable’ – offering its own perspective on time, terroir, and craft.
Barrel swaps
In this year’s series, three bottlings have explored a ‘different path’, having been part of a series of barrel swaps – rare cask exchanges with whisky distilleries that share Planteray’s passion for heritage and terroir.
The Paraguay 2014 – Arbikie Highland Rye Cask is a 46.5% ABV rum finished in casks from the Arbikie Distillery on the east coast of Scotland.
Arbikie’s Highland Rye revives a lost tradition with a bold, grain-to-glass philosophy. Its dry spice and roasted notes bring structure and edge to the tropical sweetness of Paraguayan rum.
The second whisky cask featured in the trio of barrel swaps comes from Warenghem Distillery in Brittany, France, which has been shaping Armorik single malt for more than a century.
In this cask, Trinidad 2016 – Armorik Oloroso Whisky Cask (44.3% ABV), sees Trinidadian rum gain ‘richness and finesse’ from the barrel, which is seasoned with oloroso Sherry and Atlantic air. Notes of orchard fruits layered with dried fig, chocolate, and a saline touch evoke both ocean shores and Andalusian bodegas.
The final rum in the barrel swap trilogy, Fiji Islands 2009 – Kilchoman Peated Whisky Cask, sees high-ester Fijian rum meet the smoky soul of Islay, with an ‘explosive’ 47.7% ABV result. The single cask from Kilchoman, one of Scotland’s most respected farm distilleries, adds waves of smoke, dark cocoa, and citrus zest to Fiji’s tropical fire.
These collaborations stand alongside seven other bottlings in the series, each with its own singular expression: Dominican Republic 2014 – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask (48.8% ABV); Barbados 2017 – Marsala Wine Cask (48.5% ABV); Jamaica 2013 – Madeira Wine Cask (52.0% ABV); Fiji Islands 2017 – Pauillac Wine Cask (48.3% ABV); Panama 2019 – White Port Cask (44.6% ABV); Barbados 2018 – Apricot Liqueur Cask (48.6% ABV); Paraguay 2018 – Chardonnay Wine Cask (49.1% ABV).
Each expression is described as rare, personal, and unrepeatable.
“Our partners take great pride in selecting these casks,” said Jonas Indesteege, global rum prestige collection brand manager. “They do it because they want to offer their customers something extraordinary: a bottle chosen by hand, filled with authenticity, and meant to be savoured as a one-off experience.”
“Every cask is a discovery, every bottle a journey,” added Alexandre Gabriel. “That’s what we want to share: not just rum, but an authentic, rare experience that carries the soul of the people and places behind it.”
The 2025 Planteray Rum Single Casks are now available in select markets in 700ml format.
Suggested retail prices range from €50 (US$58) to €90 (US$105) and may vary by market.
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