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Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002
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One taster's nose went straight to a "damp, woody ship's hull" hauling spices, and that dark barrel character runs the whole show. Think licorice, dried prunes, coffee and burnt sugar, dry and earthy on the palate with real tannin. The Versailles pot still gives it depth, but at 63% the alcohol pokes through — most owners let it breathe or add a drop of water and it settles.
The community says- Deep barrel character
- Licorice & prunes
- Keep in mind: Alcohol sticks out
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Auction results: 132–171 € (14 sales in 24 months, incl. buyer's premium, latest 08/2026). How the range is built ›
The look inside the bottle
How does Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002 taste?
From community reviews · summarized with AI
Dark, dry Versailles with licorice and prunes A dark, barrel-driven Guyanese most owners rate highly; the recurring note is that the 63% alcohol could be better integrated, so give it air.
Aroma profileDemerara fans wanting dark, dry pot-still depth
anyone chasing sweetness or hating high proof
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
54 of 116 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.
Similar in style and available now.
Drier
Port Mourant El Dorado Rare Collection PM 19998.5/10 (113)211.90 €
69 rated both: 36 scored it higher, 28 scored Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002 higher, 5 gave both the same score.Milder
Enmore El Dorado Rare Collection EHP 19938.5/10 (127)211.90 €
57 rated both: 28 scored it higher, 16 scored Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002 higher, 13 gave both the same score.Fruitier
Enmore El Dorado Rare Collection EHP 19968.8/10 (195)238.59 €
76 rated both: 65 scored it higher, 4 scored Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002 higher, 7 gave both the same score.Similar rating, cheaper
Foursquare ECS XIX Sovereignty 20078.6/10 (228)159.00 €
56 rated both: 39 scored it higher, 11 scored El Dorado higher, 6 gave both the same score.Rated better
Diamond (Port Mourant) El Dorado Rare Collection <PM> SVW 20018.7/10 (65)251.88 €
38 rated both: 30 scored it higher, 5 scored Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002 higher, 3 gave both the same score.
What does the community say?
116 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.
46 selected written reviews
The distribution above includes all 116 ratings, including those without text.
Review by cigares
Most helpful positive review
A rum decried by the RumX community and praised by Serge Valentin. So I had to buy it and taste it. I was rather disappointed when I opened the bottle, but I'm familiar with the phenomenon... A nose of old leather, flambéed banana, brown sugar and tea, with good concentration. A slightly peaty palate with fat and brown sugar. The finish is abrupt, but honey and cask reappear after a while. The empty glass is splendid with previously hidden aromas. Apart from the fact that this rum is too lively when opened, I find nothing but good in it. It's perfectly balanced and deep. It could have a slightly broader aromatic palette, but then it would be one of the great Demerara rums. Tasted again and one point more, the end of the bottle is splendid. Buy it before it disappears from the shelves.
Review by Pavel Spacek
Most helpful mixed review
Huge molasses taste.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
26.10.2025 Part 2 / Evening Session Today we have an El Dorado Rare Cask online tasting and I've been looking forward to it. I will keep the score and just enjoy the rums and I have all of them on my shelves as well. ---------------- I have the entire series in more than one copy and I really like them because the releases are good in general. Love the citrus note from nose to finish and the wood and tannins with other fruits in the mix. Lightly dry on the palate. The flavours are still in the glass the day after 😊
Review by DomM
Nose and finish come with intense citrus notes. Palate dominated by dried fruits. Not very heavy on „classic“ Versialles notes you would expect from a VSG ie somewhat of a weird animal. Nevertheless a nice expression. Oxidation changes the profile quite noticabley. Less citrus and more dried fruits as well as Versailles notes on the nose. Also nice in it’s „evolved“ form.
Review by Tim
Great nose as known from the Rare Cask series, even if it's not as strong as other ED Rare Cask. Very cask-driven with dark and roasted aromas (licorice, brown sugar). Unfortunately, also an alcoholic sharp note present. On the palate sweet and dark spicy, so raw sugar and licorice, as well as other intense flavors. Overall not up to the other ED Rare Cask rums, but this rum doesn't have to hide.
Review by TheRhumhoe
An intense and full-bodied Versailles on the nose, with a changing profile: you find the dark side, with cooked caramel and Demerara sugar, the spicy woodiness on licorice, pepper and vanilla, cocoa and coffee, prunes, raisins and orange. An alcoholic touch is noticeable and slightly disturbs the nostrils. Aeration does it good and gives it freshness. The palate shows another facet of the Versailles still: no heavy fruity and grassy notes, you find citrus notes on orange, dark woodiness, milk chocolate, spices and bitter notes on licorice, anise and leather. Caramel, molasses and burnt sugar bring a bit of roundness to this warm profile, unfortunately rather marked by alcohol. Special mention to the small rather pleasant salty note. The finish is long, dark, spicy, woody and bitter, tannic and caffeinated. The aromas are not as marked as expected. Spices, caramel and molasses are present at the end of the mouth, accompanied by raisins, prunes and orange. An unusual profile, not unpleasant but a bit unbalanced, especially compared to other Versailles or other rums from the Rare Collection range.
Review by Serge
Update: Back in the glass after a long time. Also in direct comparison with an anoxidized sample. Both delicious, but also very different. In addition to the dried fruit and liquorice with brown sugar, the fresh one also has some banana (overripe) wafting around. Very tasty. The nose develops beautifully and the palate is simply delicious with licorice, dried fruit, prunes, wood and brown sugar.
Review by Frank
Another from the Rare Collection, which I really like overall. It's actually crazy that these very good drops are still available; it just has the wrong name on it 😉 Nose: once the alcohol has evaporated, a very pleasant and tasty spicy-woody-roasty affair. Soft, sweet licorice with dark maple syrup and mocha chocolate. In addition, a fine fruity note of blood orange, dried date and soft prune. There is also something fresh and tart from blackcurrant, plus a little pepper. The palate is again woody and spicy with the soft licorice up front and some chocolate behind it. Dried dates and prunes are also consistent here. A little more caramel and almost toffee. Damn well integrated alcohol. Very accessible + good
Review by Mirco
Pleasant but with a note of over-steeped green tea.
Review by LukaŽiga
8,7:On the nose, we have a strong barrel impact with roasted wood notes like caramel, leather, nuts, cocoa and coffee, spicy vanilla and marmelade like dried, citrus fruits with orange and raisins, as the molasses is herbaceous, slightly dark with licorice. On aeration, Demerara sugar is caramelized, also dried fruits with prunes and apricots, spiced with cinnamon and a whiff of a tobacco. 8,9:On the palate, the attack is delicious, but still complex with fruits like banana, prunes and citrus fruits, roasted wood notes like caramel, milk chocolate, coffee, toffee and especially Irish cream, slightly salty and oaky, as the molasses is grassy, herbaceous, later dark with black tea and licorice...as we see a strong barrel impact, also with slightly tannic touch. 8,7:The finish is long, dry and tannic, very buttery, like on the palate, joined by Demerara sugar and hints of coconut. Edit:23.11.25, an upgrade for 0,1
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Very intense and concentrated! lots of resin, licorice and some citrus and caramel on the nose, then milk chocolate, strong espresso, prunes and gingerbread, salty caramel and treacle with tangerine peel. Nevertheless, aromatically very exciting!
Review by Galli33
I tried this in a lovely place in genova. Very good rum with a nice complexity and mix of dried fruits. The alcohol could be integrated better, otherwise this could have a 85+ rating The nose reminds me of a hampden 🤔
Review by Joachim Guger
Back in the glass after a long time, the first time I didn't like it (69 points). A very shy nose. Caramel, leather and fine spice. Lots of coffee!! Reserved dried fruits and tobacco. Blind I would definitely place the aging continental. On the palate furry, woody, alcoholic and bitter. With the finish it wins again. Warm, burnt sugar. A fine and good rum that wants to be given time and muse. In the end, however, it does not manage to step out of the shadow of the tropical opulence of its brothers.
Review by Timo Groeger
That one was actually a round too dark for me. Maybe just the mood of the day. Otherwise very woody, oaky and cask-heavy. However, you can also detect some coffee and caramel, but somehow not my favorite right now.
Review by Herr K
Hm, I can't get along with it. Sharp, alcoholic, and unbalanced. Yeah, I do smell and taste something citrusy, I think orange, but above all wood, tannin, and alcohol. I find nothing sweet and even resting and airing it didn't help. For me, like the PM, one of the weaker editions of Rare Casks.
Review by Jakob
The alcohol is not entirely perfectly integrated, but as a lover of the Versailles profile, you get your money's worth here.
Review by Mopar Rules
a subtile complexity on nose and palate, very balanced but the alcohol is a bit too present. while dried fruits and mango and apricots dominate the nose, on the palate it is the chocolate and wood that rules. Not quite as bodied and heavy as other special releases of DDL
Review by Skyfly
Phew, I understand why this rum divides opinions. Basically a complex and classic Versailles, but I taste an unpleasant aroma that reminds me of peat. Plus, it's a bit sharp-edged.
Review by Rumpalumpa
Nice spicy-fruity pairing. On the nose primarily barrel aromas and red dried fruits like raisins. On the palate shows full intensity and is very roasted-spicy and again red fruits. Coffee on the finish, great!
Review by Johan R
Cool, a bit funky, Wood pot still, complex but the funk is a bit over the top.
Review by Jussi Piirainen
On the nose: Very woody and barrel heavy. Woody notes, licorice, light vanilla and cinnamon. Caramel/burnt sugar note gives some nice sweetness. Some dried fruits in the background. Taste: Very Woody and barrel heavy. Licorice notes. Light caramel notes. Dry. Salty. Light dried fruit notes. Finish: Woody and licorice notes. Light roasted coffee notes. Light citrus notes. Dry and slightly bitter towards the end. In overall, not as rich and powerfull on the palate as the other rums in Rare Collection series. Very dry and barrel influenced. For me, i would have liked just a little bit of sweetness on the profile.
Review by Alex Kunath
Beautiful VSG notes! Very good PLV.
Review by Florent Apl
El Dorado rare collection SWR vs VSG vs PM DHE this evening, thanks to Tim for the samples! There's everything I love in the nose, dried plum, dried fig, raisin, licorice and wood. The mouth has slightly less dried fruits and more fresh fruit like plum, it's also earthy. Finale could be longer, but it's a very good rum.
Review by Righrum
A nice Versailles, not as deep as a Rev but still highly enjoyable. The sugar/caramel added is not disturbing and overall the rum is not that dirty. Not all Guyana are rums that I find pleasant, this one though is one that I liked
Review by Filip Šikula
This is my first encounter with the rare collection and we are pleasantly surprised. A very complex rum from start to finish. Pleasant notes of orange in the aroma followed by a finish. Wide palette in the taste including barrel, pepper, salt and citrus. Very nice indeed.
Review by Chrischi78
Was initially skeptical due to the low ratings, but pleasantly surprised: Typical Rare-Cask nose, cask-forward, roasted, on the palate sweet and spicy with licorice and raw cane sugar. Not the best, but for me a great drop!
Review by Tschusikowsky
EastIndia Company⚓️ Took me through the nose to a damp, woody ship hull carrying spices. Quite pleasant. Nice complexity.
Review by Fuwi
For me, the weakest representative of the range, but that doesn't make it a bad rum! The alcohol is better integrated than in the Enmore, but it loses a bit of body and complexity, yet it feels finer and more balanced. You can easily pick out aromas of honey and yellow fruits, alongside the familiar and expected notes of wood, burnt sugar, chocolate, and licorice. For the price, it offers a solid value for money, even though my personal favorite is the Skeldon – but that's how taste goes 😄
Review by Jarek
I have heard that this rum undergoes quite a transformation in an open bottle. The bottle Serge shared with us had also been open for a while. The rum thrilled me and my rating is above average. The nose with leather, licorice, coffee, caramel and dried fruits, plus some citrus. This continues on the palate, with some wood and pepper. On the palate it goes similarly, dark and roasted. Very tasty overall.
Review by TheJona'Spirits
Nose: a bit of artichoke at first nose, even almond flower, but the note quickly disappears to give way to a very nice burnt caramel, Demerara sugar, lots of licorice too, melted. All kinds of coffee, roasted coffee beans, cocoa, 95% dark chocolate, all expressing a mix between a pastry like moka and a cappuccino to accompany it. It's indulgent. Palate: caramelized vanilla that alternates with vanilla caramel cream. The fruitiness evolves into very ripe, even candied prunes, I find the licorice from the nose, a bit of bitter orange too. Finish well roasted on cocoa husk, almond too. Alcohol quite present on the nose, even more so on the palate, a pity otherwise the score would have been higher. Beautiful flavors.
Review by Martin Švojgr
It's a great smell. Right from the start you are hit with a strong spicy aroma of prunes and old noble woodiness. After a sip, you're embraced by the woodiness, the nuts, the prunes, the cappuccino. The finish is very long strong wood, tannins...
Review by Buddudharma
Slightly sharper than the ED EHP 1996, but with a fruitier and for me more interesting profile, so I see it slightly ahead overall.
Review by Benoit Mahe
A bit spicy and alcoholic but very original and refreshing. A real chance to taste this rum in full tropical and high proof (maybe a bit too high though).
Review by Tropheus80
Really good nose. In the mouth it can't quite keep up, the rather high 63% could be better integrated. Still an interesting profile with a bit of licorice.
Review by Winetrader
The first impression on the nose is magnificent. This is a sexy and funky rum. On the palate, there’s an incredible explosion of aromas and huge density. A competition-level rum with great complexity. I love it.
Review by Pavel Ungr, RumRock
Vintage 2002. I rate it 8.5 out of 10, an excellent rum that ranks high even among my more than 1,300 ratings.
Review by Palo - V Poháriku
Gorgeous piece of history! ❤️
Review by Rhum Mirror 🇧🇪
The nose is very smoky-toasted-roasted. There is caramelized Guyana molasses, coffee, roasted nuts, ... It is like a gingerbread refreshed by a lemon zest. It is complex and intriguing. On the palate, it is very concentrated on licorice and prune. We have bitter coffee, empyreumatic notes ... and caramel to sweeten it all. The finish is very long on spices and burnt wood. The mouth does not leave indifferent. It is much more marked than the nose let it presage. This very marked finish makes this rum worthy of the name.
Review by Ondra RumRunner
Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG je výjimečný rum z řady El Dorado Rare Collection, známý svými hlubokými a výraznými tóny. Vůně přináší tóny lékořice, dřeva, kůže a dubového sudu. V chuti dominuje sudová zemitost, tóny dubu, slanosti a tříslovin, spolu s výraznými kořenitými a pepřovými akcenty. Dochuť je střední délky, dřevitá, s kávovým a lékořicovým nádechem, doplněná příjemným hřejivým závěrem. English: Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG is an exceptional rum from the El Dorado Rare Collection, known for its deep and bold notes. The nose reveals hints of licorice, wood, leather, and oak barrels. On the palate, barrel earthiness, oak, saltiness, and tannins dominate, with prominent spicy and peppery undertones. The finish is medium in length, woody, with notes of coffee and licorice, complemented by a pleasant warmth. Deutsch: Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG ist ein außergewöhnlicher Rum aus der El Dorado Rare Collection, bekannt für seine tiefen und kräftigen Noten. Die Nase offenbart Nuancen von Lakritz, Holz, Leder und Eichenfässern. Am Gaumen dominieren erdige Fassnoten, Eiche, Salzigkeit und Tannine, begleitet von ausgeprägten würzigen und pfeffrigen Akzenten. Der Abgang ist mittellang, holzig, mit Noten von Kaffee und Lakritz, ergänzt durch eine angenehme Wärme.
Review by Roman Lelek
I was very pleasantly surprised by El Dorado..for the % of alcohol it has in it, it is just drinkable this time. I don't taste typical Guyana this time...the aroma is wood, caramel a little leather, honey and a little citrus. I can taste those..the finish is medium...dryness, woodpecker and marmalade on the palate. I'd take the whole bottle.
Review by Martin Rasmussen
Great nose with alot of spicyness and wood influence. The palete however is pretty disappointing compared to the other Rare Collection El dorados. It has an Odd aftertaste that is Hard to describe. Its still a very good rum and the initial palate matches the nose
Review by JonasTh
Sweeter than El Dorado Port Mourant.
Review by Petr Andrysík
At the nose you can't really tell it's 63%, beautifully you can smell plums, wood. The taste is sharper and full of dried plums, sweetness of caramel and a sharper finish into licorice.
Review by Adrien B
Cocoa attack then fresh gray vegetal and mentholated freshness
Review by Olimpia1936
Only doubt about the addition of sugar (?) otherwise one of the best in the series
Review by Holger
Extreme alcoholic spiciness. Without water exorbitantly spicy and biting. Where should be the pleasure. With water quickly watery. A comparison with Poteen 90% vol. or Whisky 61%vol. is helpful. Where does this biting come from?
This selection contains no written reviews in this rating range.
Expert reviews
2 critics scored it, averaging 7.1/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review ›I can see how rums from this still may benefit from being blending with others. I don't even think that the possible added sugar has really impacted this rum. If it had come up clean on the Hydrometer Test I wouldn't have been at all surprised. It's just not complex...
Expert review by Single Cask Rum
Read full review ›
Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002 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
117 bottles logged by 106 collectors.
Both drunk and collected.
22% opened, 11 emptied.
What does Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002 cost?
Community paid 113–191 €.
Current best price: 175.57 € – within the typical community range.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 159 €. Price history with 14 auction results in RX+ ›
117 purchased · 124 tasted · 47 wishlist · as of
Details about Versailles El Dorado Rare Collection VSG 2002
A Pot Still Rum from Guyana, distilled by Versailles, at 63%.
What do the letters on a Demerara label mean? The RumX guide ›
About the Versailles distillery
The Versailles distillery is located in Guyana. Rums from Versailles have been reviewed 708 times with an average of 8.4/10.
To Versailles ›Read on in the RumX Guide
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Port Mourant El Dorado Rare Collection PM 1997
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