El Dorado Special Reserve 15-Year

This is what I serve first to friends who haven't experienced 'good rum.' It sets a high bar and rarely fails to please. Many will find it slightly on the sweet side, but not as much as, say Diplomatico. The flavor is highly complex and alluring.

From a value point of view, at about $40 USD/bottle, I don't think you can do better. Focusing on the El Dorado line, the slightly less expensive 12 year bottle isn't as good as the even-less expensive 8year, so it's skippable. The more expensive 21-year bottle is noticeably smoother but questionably more enjoyable to drink. My cabinet always includes a bottle of ED8 for 'everyday' rum, 15 for entertaining, and EHP for special occasions.

This is the best rum i have ever tried. Compared to the 12y this one has more complexity and flavour. It is more dry with a hint of bitternes that balances the sweetness wonderfully.

I can see how some like the 12 more but i prefer the 15. I would recomend this rum to anyone who wants a little more complexity and is ready for that extra dryness. Since they started adding less sugar i think this rum has gotten even better. At the moment its my all time favorite rum.

This is the rum against which all others are judged. The taste is a perfect balance of sweetness to tannic barrel flavors, creating a complexity not found in other backsweetened runs. Not as cloying as Diplomatico. Flavors present consist of vanilla, tea, burnt caramel, espresso, dried fruits with slight citrus zest at a short, clean finish. Drink neat with no water or mixers!

Drier than 12 and slightly less flavor, but still one of the best sippers out there. A bit pricey only when compared to other ED products, but much better value than Zacapa or Mount Gay.

An absolute steal at $43, and the very best rum I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. Complex, and not overly sweet.

I have tried many rums, some of which cost more that El Dorado, but from my tasting experience El Dorado 15 year old Reserve is one of the best!!!

This is the second rum I’ve had from the El Dorado brand, after the 12 year old edition. El Dorado 15 is a blend from several rums, that matured for at least 15 years in oak barrels. It has a warm mahogany color. In the nose it’s amazing, a well balanced mix between the richness of coffee, the sweetness of figs and oranges and the complexity of a slight hint of cinnamon. In the taste there’s this richness again, dark sugar, caramel, a little bit oaky which is surrounded by some dark butter. The aftertaste is the best I have ever had. It is long, complex and amazing. You taste molasses, orange and vanilla. Conclusion: The El Dorado 12 is a very good rum, but the 15 edition is definitely superior. It was the best rum I’ve had so far, so this one deserves a 10.

Best rum I have ever had! Tasted great on the rocks. Better than most high dollar bourbons. A stable for your collection

This stuff is delicious. Slightly sweeter than the 12 and probably not as smooth as the 21 but that's to be expected. This is better than pretty much every £100+ rum I've tried. Will come back to this time and time again.

The El Dorado Special Reserve 15 Year is for me the rum that gives me the most pleasure each time I take a sip. It's difficult to compare rums, because they are all so different and there are no existing quality standards. So, in the end, the rating is decided by the taste of the customer. And this one is my favorite so far. Very nice aromas of caramel, vanilla and a hint of chocolate. In the mouth with sweet but not too sweet taste, smooth and not burning. The price is about 60€ a bottle, but worth it with every drop.