Rhum JM XO

This is the first agricole that i have enjoyed. Stefan, a member of rum ratings, recommended this one and it did not disappoint. I have been drinking this rum neat for half a day and the taste is delightfully pleasant. At 45% ABV, it is so smooth. The tasting notes are candied pecans, toffee, dried fruit, oak, and more subtle notes that i cant yet decipher. There is a little burn with a very well balanced sweetness. Take the leap and try this one. It is worth it.

Searching for something to grab and store for the second quarantine, i thought about trying something different. Noticed this brand being mentioned under "no sugar added"; check! Fatrumpirate rates it 5 stars; check! It being a genuine extra old (french style); check! Result = instabuy. Obviously, i immediately sank in, right now at the very moment that i am typing. The smell is heavy but sensational, even though i cannot describe or decode. The texture is smooth, the burn almost nonexistent, the taste is grassy, reminding me of my herbal tinctures but way better, the aftertaste is like chewing herbs and the lingering grassy sensation was extremely welcome... It's as if you took a sip out of a herbal tea, after some time passes from the moment you gulped. This stuff is lovely, even though expensive. And the total absence of sugar, makes it a great, natural treat!

It's a complex rum, great notes, great finish, very persistance, a lot of fruits in my nose.

Color : amber
Flavour : toasted nut, lemon & sage, mango, passion fruit, finish of spice like white pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg
Palate : mid-bodied, long lasting, sweet finish

Aged 100% in re-charred Bourbon barrels, it's an elegant rhum that suits any palate. Very nice paired with dark chocolat or exotic fruits

Another strong rum full of flavour n smells
Great sipper

This one has been sitting on the shelf of a favorite liquor store for about a year. Having been very disappointed with Clement 10 Year for absorbing way too much charred oak flavor, I was hesitant to try any more agricoles aged more than 3 years. Thanks to Stefan Persson's recommendation, I finally took a chance on this one today for only $60 US. I am so glad that I did!

The aroma is very floral, but six years of aging in specially charred barrels has removed all of the grassy taste without adding any charred oak taste. No easy feat. My bottle came in a gift box and it states that they char the barrels by lighting overproof rum inside. Then they scrape the surface char away before placing the rhum inside these barrels. Ah ha! So that is the secret. They go on to say how the sugar cane is grown on volcanic mountain slopes and the pure water that they use comes from the ground. They also give credit to the sea breezes. The cane juice is fermented after only one hour. This is probably the most important step. There is no mention about the yeast that they use, which I assume is their trade secret.

There are some reviews on here that state that it is too woody or tastes like bourbon. This is not even close to these descriptions for my bottle.

Update April 16, 2021: I bought a bottle of Rhum J.M. 2008 aged 10 Years in bourbon casks at almost twice the price of this one today. It ranks lower than this one in taste, which inspires me to say that this XO is their best buy. As promised, I won't be submitting any more reviews, so this is my half baked review for the 2008 version, which only serves the purpose to provide for my own future notes to not buy anything more aged than their XO. As usual, if it works, don't fix it.

I love this rhum, and find it to be a singular experience. A fresh sugarcane note mixed with wood and ash is what I experience here, and it is wonderful, but also pungent and intense. It's an amazing rhum, but not something I'd sip on every day, or keep around as my only option. I like drinking it alongside (alternating) a more traditional style rum. The contrast is always enjoyable. This is a must try, though, and truly special.

A solid choice, very different from the JM white (but in a good way). It has subtle and complex flavors and a persistent finish.

Harmonious and fragrant, it still retains vigor and fruity scents of sugar cane

Nose: Warm, pleasant, classy. Some hints of spices, wood and caramel
Palate: The first sip was very harsh, got better after the second sip: hints of very old wood, spices, some chili maybe.