[Martinique Travelogue] To the Home of La Mauny, the Rum Loved by Char from Gundam

2026.10.05

In short: a visit to Maison La Mauny in Martinique — founded in 1749, the rum Char drinks in Gundam. The legend (love or political marriage?) behind its founding, a 50-minute Ti Train ride through the sugarcane fields, and the bubble caps inside the Creole column that also distils Trois Rivières and Duquesne. By Mika Tanimoto, Bar Little Happiness, Hiroshima.

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When I tell guests, “There’s a rum that Char from Gundam drinks,” their eyes light up.

A few years ago, I visited the historic La Mauny Distillery (Maison La Mauny), founded in 1749.

1749: “love,” or “strategy”?

As you come through the deep green valley of Rivière-Pilote, what jumps out at you is the photogenic, bright red, tank-like “La Mauny” sign.

This is where a story of more than 270 years begins.

La Mauny’s official history reads like a fairy tale.

In 1749, a nobleman from Brittany, the Count of La Mauny (Ferdinand Poulain), arrived here, and the moment he met the daughter of the plantation owner, a “thunderbolt of the heart” is said to have struck them both.

Legend has it that a “storm of love” swept over this land, and that passion became the foundation of the distillery.

But in the depths of history, there is another theory.

Some say it was a “political marriage” to protect the land and strengthen the rights to it.

Love at first sight by fate, or a strategy that staked the family’s future?

The truth has vanished into 270 years of time — but either way, without that “strong bond,” we would never be able to meet this beautiful rum today.

This mystery is the best secret ingredient for grown-ups tilting their glass.

A 50-minute trip for the five senses on the “Ti Train”

The biggest highlight of a visit to La Mauny is exploring the estate on the guided little train, the “Ti Train.”

Rattling and swaying through the sugarcane fields for 50 minutes is a truly “immersive experience.”

(↓ It will make you feel like you are riding the Ti Train)

Tropical air carried on the breeze.

Then we went deep inside the distillery, which is still in operation today.

Here, a team led by master distiller Daniel Baudin, who earned the world’s top title in 2019, carries on 270 years of traditional craft.

What is surprising is that this is not only where La Mauny is made, but also the distilling base for “Trois Rivières” and “Duquesne.”

The magic of the “bubble caps” hidden in the column

In the distilling section, the staff explained a part that looks almost like a sculpture: the “bubble cap.”

These bubble caps sit on the trays (plates) inside La Mauny’s distillation column.

The alcohol vapour passes under these caps and bubbles up through the liquid.

They poured some freshly distilled spirit from this traditional “Creole column” into my hand.

The green aroma of sugarcane was so pleasant!

The visitor route is very well organised and makes for a highly satisfying tour, so if you are going to Martinique, be sure to go!!

Next time: a tasting experience in the cellar!

Every encounter is meant to be. Welcome to the world of Rum&Whisky.

“Both whisky and rum taste even better when you touch the feelings of the people who make them.”