Looking for the right Agricole


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Mujuru avatar image
Mujuru 🇺🇸 | 152 ratings Author Posted 6 Aug '20

Can Anyone Recommend a good intro Agricole? So I have had Rhum JM VSOP and Barbancourt 8 year. I did not like Barbancourt 8 year whatsoever and found Rhum JM to be just ok. So I am looking for a good Agricole that I can sip on and enjoy. I most enjoy Bajans and (Cuban influenced) Panamanian rums. I also really like Appleton 12 and Smith & Cross. But I like all of those for very different reasons. I like the Banana and Orange notes of Bajans; I like the Molasses and Fine Tobacco notes of Cuban-Panamanian rums; and I like the Sangria fruit funk notes of the Jamaican rums. Surely there is an Agricole out there that I will fall in love with. I say that because... Many years ago as an older teenager I got into my grandpa’s stash and had a Barbancourt that sent me to heaven. It turned me on to rum for life. Literally, that was the rum that me me say “yeah this is precisely what I want” I remember vanilla, caramel, fresh cut grass, and orange peel. But because that was 20+ years ago and I was a teenager doing something I wasn’t supposed to be doing I cannot remember which Barbancourt it was. I had the Barbancourt 8 year a while back and did not like it at all. So given that information does anyone know a good Agricole that has caramel and vanilla but also light citrus and grass notes...without being overly raw and harsh? I know that is pretty specific but surely someone here has a good suggestion...
Paul B avatar image
Paul B 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 6 Aug '20

Mujuru; Both the Barbancourt 8 and the JM VSOP rank quite low for me. All of my top 9 agricoles are far above those 2 in their own rankings. The first two are truly incredible but very hard to find. I am terrible on tasting notes and I view that like asking someone to look at a rock formation and then tell us what critters they think it looks like. No two answers will be the same. Clarin Le Rocher (Haiti) Depaz Blue Cane Amber Rhum (Martinique) Ron Alegro XO (Dominican Republic aged) Rhum J M VO (Martinique) much better than their more costly VSOP Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc (Martinique) Paranubes ( from Oaxaca Mexico of all places!) St. Augustine Pot Still 90 proof (Florida) Sweet Crude Black Gold Single Harvest (Louisiana) Bayou Select (Louisiana) Louisiana has plenty of cane fields and Florida has quite a few. If you want an agricole that tastes just like a Kentucky bourbon, then waste your money on Clement 10 Year, which I refer to as a gluten free bourbon. Agricoles are very sensitive and too much aging in bourbon barrels can ruin them. So less aging for agricoles is actually BETTER!
MA
martin jeppesen 🇩🇰 | 256 ratings Replied 6 Aug '20

Hey Mujuru. Nice that your heading into agricole territory, there are great expiriences to be had:-) Below are some of the agricoles I find as decent introductions to the style, generally on the well behaved side regarding tannic harshness. - Saint james 12 (Also 7 and 15). Very “juicy” expression - Longueteau VS. Complex and fullbodied - Longueteau 50 blanc. If you wanna give the insanely fruity white agricole a try. - Depaz view. Again on the sweeter side Agree with Paul that younger agricoles generally tend to be more approachable, though I have found some exceptions like longueteau XO and Clement 1976 tres view. Veeeery smooth but also expensive, especially the Clement. Damoiseau 1980 and 89 are not shy on flavour but among the best rum I’ve had allround. The 89 can still be had at a somewhat reasonable price.
Stefan Persson avatar image
Stefan Persson (PREMIUM) 🇸🇪 | 507 ratings Replied 6 Aug '20

Hey Mujuru! My clear favourites comes from Guadeloupe and to be more exact Montebello and Reimonenq. Their Rhum aged aged between 6 and 10 years is a real good buy to an affordable cost in my opinion, if you want something fruity and flavourful. I can also recommend the Saint James 12yo that Martin suggests. Another one is J.M XO which maybe is the best Agricole to taste if you want to taste Agricole for the first time. Two others that I find fantastic is HSE XO and La Mauny XO. If you want to test Barbancourt again I suggest the 15yo which is a great Rhum, but your father maybe had something much more expensive than that. All the suggested Rhum here is possible to find below 60€.
Paul B avatar image
Paul B 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 6 Aug '20

What I have suggested to Mujuru all sell for $26 to $39 US. There are a very limited number of agricoles available in the US, since most are marketed to the mother country of the FWI, which is France. I have spent more on agricoles, but they did not rank into my top 10. What I have found is that longer aging for agricoles does not equate to better tasting, so the cheaper ones with less aging are actually better buys. Clement 10 is actually the worst one and more than $60 US.
Mujuru avatar image
Mujuru 🇺🇸 | 152 ratings Author Replied 6 Aug '20

I greatly appreciate the input. I live in Atlanta, GA and apparently we have a beverage store that specializes in Agricoles. So maybe I can get some of the recommendations here. I am really looking for one with strong vanilla and orange notes with subtle grass and oak notes. Someone suggested Neisson Reserve Speciale for that profile what do you guys think.
Paul B avatar image
Paul B 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 6 Aug '20

Mujuru: I have only tried two Neissons, but not the Reserve Special. Both of mine were good, but not at the top of my list. That recommendation probably would work for you. I need to clarify what I meant by excessive aging ruining delicate agricoles. This would be only the ones aged in charred ex-bourbon barrels, since these are the only aged agricoles that I have found. The charring does horrible things to agricoles over time. As for aged agricoles from uncharred barrels, I would like to know which ones get that special treatment.
Mujuru avatar image
Mujuru 🇺🇸 | 152 ratings Author Replied 6 Aug '20

Paul, The person who recommended that (who reviews rums on YouTube and is also active on the r/rum Reddit) mentioned that he recommended Neisson because it is aged in cognac barrels, not bourbon barrels.
Paul B avatar image
Paul B 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 6 Aug '20

Mujuru: Thanks! No wonder I did not hate the bottle of Neisson Eleve Sous Bois that I tried last year. It is probably also aged in cognac barrels.
Stefan Persson avatar image
Stefan Persson (PREMIUM) 🇸🇪 | 507 ratings Replied 6 Aug '20

Hi guys! Neisson produces excellent Rhum. I’ve tasted the Vieux and XO and they are both very good, but a little bit more expensive. My experience is that it’s not hard to find good or very good Agricole if you’re prepared to pay close to or over 100€, but all ain’t worth the money even if they are good. You can checkout my cabinet that I call “My private rum bar”. All aged Agricole there is good or very good, but some of the more expensive ones are probably not a great value for money for most of us.
MA
martin jeppesen 🇩🇰 | 256 ratings Replied 6 Aug '20

Neisson is a very nice product, love most of their offerings, but sadly can’t comment on the Neisson Reserve Speciale. Want to chime in on Stefan’s recommendation on Guadeloupe rum in general. Rum from this Island seems more fullbodied and rounded than most agricole’s. Worth checking out, if it’s available to you.
Mujuru avatar image
Mujuru 🇺🇸 | 152 ratings Author Replied 6 Aug '20

Thank you Martin and Stefan. That is great information. Sadly I don’t think I have much access to Guadeloupe Agricoles in my state. Maybe I could try to order it? My state is strange about it rules regarding ordering alcohol. It seems I can’t have it delivered to my house, but I can have it delivered to a pick up facility.