Aroma visualization from community tastings
Taste
Leather, Prunes, Vanilla
Most mentioned across 46 tasting notes
- Perfect for
- Experienced drinkers who love dark, dense, complex aged rum
- Less suitable for
- Anyone expecting a light, grassy agricole
Velier Damoiseau Full Proof 1980
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Don't expect a grassy agricole — this drinks dark and heavy, closer to old-school Guyana than anything from Guadeloupe. Prunes, leather, coffee and dark chocolate pile up over oak, with a syrupy, almost oily body. The 60.3% barely shows; nearly everyone marvels at how seamlessly the alcohol sits. Give it time in the glass and it keeps unfolding. A long, faintly dry, mocha-heavy finish.
The community says- Perfect alcohol integration
- Deep complexity
- Endless mocha finish
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Auction results: 587–893 € (17 sales in 24 months, incl. buyer's premium, latest 09/2026). How the range is built ›
The look inside the bottle
How does Velier Damoiseau Full Proof 1980 taste?
From community reviews · summarized with AI
Dark, oily, complex old cask-strength Damoiseau A near-unanimous favorite: dense, complex and remarkably smooth for cask strength. A couple find it edging toward bitter, but most call it one of the best Guadeloupe rums they've had.
Aroma profileExperienced drinkers who love dark, dense, complex aged rum
Anyone expecting a light, grassy agricole
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
46 of 98 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Which glass for which rum? The community guide ›
Buying advice
Is it right for you?
Yes, if you're after bold, mature, oaky rums for sipping neat.
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What does the community say?
98 community reviews
Rating scale & review checks
On RumX, 7 means “Good” and 8 means “Very good”.
See the full rating guideHow ratings are made and how we check them ›The website shows a selection of written reviews. The distribution also includes ratings without text. All published reviews are available in the RumX app.
45 selected written reviews
The distribution above includes all 98 ratings, including those without text.
Review by Tschusikowsky
A comparison I've been looking forward to for a long time. The famous Velier bottling versus the direct bottling from Damoiseau. ABV of 60.3 is identical for both. Damoiseau is much darker in color. Damoiseau 1980 - direct bottling from the distillery Intense and dark on the nose, with plum, spicy wet wood, pome fruit, yellow fruit, vanilla and fine perfume notes of violets. There is also tropical fruit and a hint of cinnamon. The density and complexity are partly reminiscent of older Guyana bottlings, especially REV. The palate is warm, syrupy and oily with mint, some eucalyptus, cinnamon and plum again, accompanied by perfumed cedar wood. A firework of yellow fruits, apricot and chocolate. The long finish brings peach, chocolate and some apple, with a noticeable but pleasant tannin structure. Overall, an incredibly great rhum, sweeter and more syrupy than the Velier, with plenty to discover. Velier Damoiseau 1980 - Full Proof At the beginning, the alcohol is a little sharper on the nose, yet with beautiful plum and chocolate notes, combined with wet wood. With time, the rum opens up and brings more mango, passion fruit and tropical fruit fullness, plus pipe tobacco and a refreshing, tropical iced tea that takes you to Trinidad. Powerful but perfectly balanced on the palate, with notes of apricot, plum and an abundance of tropical fruit, underpinned by a very light association with cheese. The tannins are considerably lighter than in the direct bottling. The finish is very long and harmonious. Comparison Both rhums are at the highest level and offer enormous complexity and complexity that can be explored over the course of an entire evening. The direct bottling from Damoiseau comes across as an elegant, fruit-driven Guyana bottling with more sweetness, depth and tannin. The Velier bottling, on the other hand, shows its strengths in a tropical-fruity excellence, lighter in the tannins and with a brilliant balance. I would say in the end it is probably personal preference, there is no real winner for me. If I had to decide, Velier would be a tick ahead for me.
Review by Mirco
Absolute plank with impressive intensity and astonishing roundness at the same time. Fruit, spice, floral notes and wood are balanced and multi-layered. The alcohol is very well integrated and supports the powerful profile. I have stored the Damoiseau bottling in my memory almost identically - but a direct comparison is still pending.
Review by Joachim Guger
On the nose, honey, vanilla, licorice, fused with a beautiful floral note.Really gets going in the mouth. Caramel, lots of wood, spices. Fat and oily.An epic finish follows...A great rum!
Review by Galli33
You will smell a lot of lovely notes of leather, banana, pineapple, prunes, prunes… all of them you‘ll find in the mouth too. The alcohol and also the wood is integrated very well! The finish is long, dry with a dominant taste o mocha.. lie behind and enjoy! Update: After ca. 30 minutes of rest the rum open up completely. A bit more smell of the barrel, honey, cedar wood. It mouth there is less spice and more fruity/floral. There are so many different tastes 😍 Amazing experience. Unfortunately it’s to expensive now…
Review by Oliver
Concentrated, creamy, delicious. Exceptional!
Review by Jakob
Fantastic nose, complex spectrum that constantly offers new nuances, but at the same time has a recognizable punch. Opulent dark fruitiness, wood, spices, extreme depth. Excellent.
Review by Giorgio Garotti
The bottle that marked the transition to the decision to try to bottle more and more high grade rums! This damoiseau is an explosion of flavor! It is rich, intense and super concentrated! It literally sticks to your palate and you could taste it for hours! A gem given to you by this distillery!
Review by Serge
Again in blind tasting: still an absolute grenade with unearthly complexity and insane alcohol integration. Oh yes, really very tasty. It's amazing how concentrated it tastes. It's really worth sampling ... even if it's not the cheapest. A bit like a REV that speaks French.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
The most amazing thing about this rum is how well they have integrated the ABV. You barely feel the ABV at all, wonder how they managed to do that :-) The nose is nice with fruit, oak and vanilla trailed by caramel, honey and nuts. I also get a very light note of grass. The palate extremely well balanced and complex. A very full bodied rum indeed. Fruit, oak and vanilla take the front trailed by caramel and honey. The finish is very long and intense with charred oak, spices, tobacco and dried fruit. A truly magnificent rum.
Review by Thunderbird
A rum with intense woodiness and fruit! Yet very balanced ... The alcohol is perfectly integrated.... A real pleasure!!!!!
Review by Jarek
Franconian Rum Tasting Gang & Jakob, 2023-07-27 Part 3: I've been trying for a long time to get a bottle of the Damoiseau 1980 without having tried the rum beforehand. But now, after the tasting, I guess I'll have to step up my efforts 😉. Retasting, together with RX787 from Neisson. The first impression is confirmed. Franconian Tasting Gang October 2026: freshly opened bottle, tasted together with the 1995 and 1989 Full Proof from Damoiseau. Still the best Damoiseau, even though I really like the other two as well.
Review by mto75
comes along almost oily, incredibly concentrated! On the nose, many spices, Maggi and nutmeg, also dried fruit, leather and wood barrel. The impression continues seamlessly on the palate, spices, dried fruit, toasty notes, mocha and clove on the finish. Guadeloupe at its best!
Review by Beach-and-Rum 🏖️🌴
1980 is already a statement. So far I haven't had anything comparable in the glass. A mixture of sugarcane juice and molasses. Super creamy, balanced and complex. You can always perceive new components. The finish is long and warm. I find it great. Many thanks Jakob for the sample. Update: great rum. Even better than in my memory. It goes up 2 points more.
Review by tojo
An der Nase tolle Noten von getrockneten Früchten, Dörroflaume, hin zu würzig-holzigen Noten. Gepaart mit Honig, Vanille und einer rauchigen Note. Am Gaumen auch extraklasse. Hier noch stärker in Richtung Gewürze, Leder, Vanille und Lakritze. Ein echtes Highlight. Leider extrem rar und extrem teuer - Schade!
Review by TheRhumhoe
Véritable légende parmi les rhums de Guadeloupe, ce Damoiseau embouteillé par Velier est une œuvre d’art. On tombe sur un nez démentiel qui exprime toute la complexité du jus. Le boisé se veut très noble, en accompagnement d’une farandole d’épices (vanille, muscade, cannelle, poivre, gingembre, réglisse) et des notes sombres très raffinées (chocolat noir, cacao, café, cuir, amande, tabac, notes rôties). Les fruits ne sont pas en reste : ananas, fruit de la passion, cassis, baies sauvages, fruits rouges, raisin sec et pruneau se relaient dans un profil lourd, complexe mais extrêmement élégant et rond. Le nez est bluffant, car il exulte la fraîcheur du menthol, de l’eucalyptus et des herbes aromatiques, mais il capte également toute la gourmandise de la canne à sucre, du caramel, du nougat, du toffee et du sucre brun. Un profil d’anthologie. En bouche, on retrouve un rhum lourd, complexe, qui tire sur le vieux cuir tanné, les notes sombres de cacao et de chocolat noir, de café et d’amande amère, rejointes par le tabac et le cigare. Les épices, toujours aussi abondantes, apportent de la vivacité au profil. Le boisé, très raffiné, est très bien fondu. Si on perd pas mal de notes fruitées, les fruits secs, raisin et pruneau en tête, continuent de sublimer le palais de leur délicatesse et de leur gourmandise. Des notes d’herbes aromatiques sur le thé noir et le menthol confèrent un peu de fraîcheur. L’alcool est intégré à la perfection. Un profil extrêmement varié, très riche et élégant qui ne peut que ravir les fans de rhum. La finale, extraordinaire de par sa longueur et sa finesse, est particulièrement intense, légèrement amère mais très délicate. Les saveurs en bouche collent au palais et laissent une trame sombre prospérer, à la fois sur le bois précieux, le chocolat noir, le café, le cuir, les fruits secs, les épices et des touches mielleuses de caramel qui se mêlent aux arômes plus floraux sur le thé noir et les herbes. Un rhum de prestige absolument divin, qui peut se considérer comme le nectar des Dieux de par sa profondeur, sa complexité et sa nature si distinguée.
Review by Leo Krüper
Slightly tamer and lighter compared to the original bottling. As a result, a little less volume and horniness.
Review by Righrum
Simply, as of today, in my personal top 3 of rums I tried. Besides historical value (1st rum ever bottled full proof by Gargano,) this is an amazing rum, complexity and plenty of taste make this damoiseau almost perfect
Review by Johannes
Wow! Fantastic rum! Wonderful balance between wood and fruit! Top class!
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Super exciting profile but a little too bitter for me personally. It's therefore not quite enough for a 9+ rating. But the profile with the concentrated dried plum, tobacco, leather and mocha is really extremely tasty and exciting!
Review by Thomas Wille
Awesome stuff - same level as the Damoiseau 1980 - exceptionally good
Review by zabo
Somehow my head was spinning last night from so many great things in the glass. I've never had so many "Excellent" awards as I did that evening. What an epic round of insanely great rums. Thank you Jakob.
Review by SaibotZtar
Heavy and dark, it comes into the glass. Many dark aromas like dried plum, raisin, leather, coffee, and a bit of vanilla hit the nose, you can also smell a sweetness in the glass. On the palate, also heavy and oily... dark dried fruits, leather, a bit of mint, and again a syrupy sweetness. Really awesome drop.
Review by Maxence
Amazing nose with an impressive balance between sweetness and dark notes from the barrel. Mouth is still very good and well balanced but more funky and fruity. An excellent rum overall 👍
Review by Tom Buteneers
Rich, complex creamy layers with subtle stonefruit flavors, old wood, next to perfect integration and an almost neverending intense finish with coffee/mocha. Every time smelling and sipping it was an endulging delight..
Review by Jakob Mmmmhhh
This is excellent— it reminds me a bit of the La Flibuste 2000 — maybe a bit less sweet but more intense. It’s a dark caramel type of Agricole, with a beautiful and very elegant nose. The palate fully resembles it and the finish is fantastic and lingers forever. I’ll certainly will have to come back to this and take more time with it. It’s fantastic, absolutely exceptional — but rating it is a bit hart as of yet. My impression is a 92 — it’s among the greats, and it’s exceptionalism is immediately perceivable, but it’s not the greatest style for me personally, though it’s making mei really love it. Lets see what the future will bring
Review by Djehey
Tonight, tasting a rum legend. When I poured my little sample, the nose wasn't great, rather sharp. Aeration released it, calming the sharpness in favor of barrel aromas but also prune and a surprising note of honey. The palate matches the nose. The alcohol is very well integrated. Nevertheless, I expected something more impressive. You can recognize the markers of Guadeloupe.
Review by Manuel
What a great and complex rum. Anyone who has the opportunity to get hold of a sample should not hesitate. Very intense on the nose with a slightly sweetish note that is also found in the finish. Otherwise very vanilla-like as well as notes of banana and spices. Extremely long finish.
Review by Alexander Rasch
From my RumRating 3y ago: You can tell that this rhum is not a classic Agricole Rhum. I let the rhum breathe for 60min out of respect. Then he seemed to open up completely. What comes next is impressive. Vanilla, caramel, fruity notes with honey and oak barrels. Heavy and dark. But also light with grassy aromas. Wow. That's impressive. On the palate, the rhum is very mild for 60.3% and the alcohol is perfectly integrated. Again, the rhum is full-bodied and comes with vanilla, peach and other fruity flavors. But also oak and honey. and some nice Agricole notes. But not much. There are also heavy elements. There is a lot to discover and 2cl is sadly not enough for that Mission. The finish is intense and long. The rhum is dry but never bitter. An amazingly good rhum. I am grateful that i had the chance to try this masterpiece. That little sip of Rhum history. Not a typical Agricole. But it doesn't matter here. Just awesome. Unfortunately priceless.
Review by Stylo
For my 100th tasting, something truly special had to be opened! It all starts with this wonderful caramel color, with this oily texture. The nose is sooo complex: there’s the vanilla and the wood from the barrel, then tons of leather, followed by a refreshing mint in the background. The fruity note mainly appears to me as prunes, almost dried sweet prunes. Then more spices, like nutmeg. On the palate, as other already notices, the alcohol is truly well integrated..I’d never tell it a 60+ ABV. You get a more roasted note, like coffee and burnt wood, then dried fruits and still a hint of freshness lingering in the throat. The finish is long, slightly dry, with more coffee, dried fruits, wood and spices. This is truly a remarkable experience. so sad that this gems are now rare and expensive
Review by Michal S
Significantly better taste than aroma, medicinal tones dominate the nose, lots of fruit in the taste, very pleasant finish.
Review by Buddudharma
Wonderful all around. A bit more floral than the 60% version from Damoiseau, with great complexity and fantastically integrated alcohol.
Review by Business Liner Ralf
Awesome! That I got to try this today, simply excellent!
Review by Piotr Ignasiak
Great balance and complexity, with dried fruit and pleasant presence of wood notes.
Review by Schnubbii
Northern Lights Meeting Summer 2026
Review by Émile Shevek
On the nose it's intoxicating with notes of licorice, roasted coffee, cocoa, leather, roasted, plums, molasses and some esters. On the palate roasted coffee, cocoa, BBQ sauce/roasted, leather, toasted hazelnuts, where mint also appears on an endless finish (after half an hour and after smoking I still feel the mouth coated and the menthol rising even in the nose). Perfectly round, warm, enveloping, comforting, a true sensory experience. I understand why Luca Gargano was surprised tasting it the first time. In the empty glass roasted and wood. Thank you very much JakobM for this opportunity
Review by Filip Šikula
Already when pouring into the glass, you can feel that this will really be unique. Beautiful aroma full of tobacco, tea, leather, honey, and spices. The taste is intense, complex, and with a finish that I will remember for a long, long time. Gorgeous.
Review by Alessandro
Yeah, really well done! Alcohol perfectly integrated and clean with incredible roundness on the palate. Wood and fruit dominate the taste and the finish that never leaves you. I repeat, really good 🤤 the price not so much
Review by Gianca Zil
What to say... a guarantee... to drink and drink again... and that plum note I love!! Compared to the 1991, maybe it has a more restricted bouquet on the nose. Overall, however, it's a marvel, 60.3 degrees and the alcohol so well integrated! I believe it's one of my favorite rums. Untouchable.
Review by Léo Delek
Still the same caramelized sugar/drum syrup with stone fruit as the 1989, but this time more red fruit (cherry ++). There are also a lot more empyreumatic notes, with quite a bit of leather. Very well-integrated alcohol.
Review by Oli Hollister
Honeyed, dried fruits, tobacco, leather, intense. It fills every square millimeter of my palate. Very good rum but too expensive today.
Review by Pierangelo Pianta
Wow , wow, wow Polline, cera d’api, legno Intenso , mega persistente Assaggiato 1 anni fa E l’emozione ritorna … Wow
Review by Arnaud Faverjon
A quite unique experience, with a darkness and depth really impressive, it's heavy and complex, definitely not an everyday rum, but really a beautiful moment!
Review by Adrianv
My first Damoiseau, interesting on nose, esters and fruits, complex on palate, dried fruits, oak, cofee, leather, all in harmony, very good rum
Review by JFehr
On the nose, dried plum, leather, and old wood. Very harmonious on the palate and on the first sip with a nice sweetness that fades towards the finish. Alcohol is well integrated. Nice bitterness, leaning towards coffee. Lots of dried fruits. Minimal saltiness on the tip of the tongue. Very slightly herbal. Very dark and aromatic.
Review by RumRhush
Magnificent rum, very complex, with fruit, cocoa nibs, coffee, spices, a very nice length, everything is there, a beautiful emotion.
This selection contains no written reviews in this rating range.
Expert reviews
5 critics scored it, averaging 9.2/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by Rob Bauer
One of the best Guadeloupe rums. Top 5 rums
Expert review by The Dunder Hut
This damoiseau is a killer rum. It is intense beyond recognition and gets woody in the way of old school Guyana rums of the 70s but it still remains a staple of damoiseaus portfolio. They are all good but his is probably my favourite
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Velier Damoiseau Full Proof 1980 at live auctions
A bid is not a final price: the house sets the buyer's premium, shipping and any customs duty.
All live auctions ›Community shelf
78 bottles logged by 61 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
15% opened, 4 emptied.
What does Velier Damoiseau Full Proof 1980 cost?
Community paid 238–851 €.
Current best price: 849.00 € – within the typical community range.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 732 €. Price history with 17 auction results in RX+ ›
78 purchased · 100 tasted · 61 wishlist · as of
Details about Velier Damoiseau Full Proof 1980
A Column Still Rum from Guadeloupe, bottled by Velier, at 60,3%.
Read on in the RumX Guide
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