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Saint James Les Ephémères - N°1 2001
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Sip this one neat and give it 20-30 minutes to open. It's a heavy, cask-strength Martinique agricole: roasted wood, dried apricot, prunes, nutmeg and leather, with fresh cane cutting through the oak. After 20 tropical years the wood is dominant but rarely tips into bitter. Many members call it the best of the Ephemeres series, and the alcohol sits well integrated for 55.2%.
The community says- Roasted wood, dried fruit
- Integrated alcohol
- Keep in mind: Very woody
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10 more payment methodsLive auctions
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No shop currently delivers to Germany.
Auction results: 124–174 € (11 sales in 24 months, incl. buyer's premium, latest 07/2026). How the range is built ›
Buying advice
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Yes, if you're after bold, mature, oaky rums for sipping neat.
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Fruitier
Saint James Les Éphémères - N°6 20068.5/10 (160)139.89 €
110 rated both: 13 scored it higher, 89 scored Saint James Les Ephémères - N°1 2001 higher, 8 gave both the same score.Drier
J. Bally Brut de Fût 20048.5/10 (98)196.36 €
61 rated both: 8 scored it higher, 47 scored Saint James Les Ephémères - N°1 2001 higher, 6 gave both the same score.Milder
Saint James Les Éphémères - N°5 20058.5/10 (123)137.86 €
85 rated both: 7 scored it higher, 74 scored Saint James Les Ephémères - N°1 2001 higher, 4 gave both the same score.
The look inside the bottle
How does Saint James Les Ephémères - N°1 2001 taste?
From community reviews · summarized with AI
Deep, dry, wood-driven old agricole The clear favorite of the Ephemeres series for most tasters: deep, dry and woody with dried fruit and spice. A few find the oak too present, but praise is nearly unanimous.
Aroma profileFans of old, wood-forward cask-strength agricole
Anyone wanting fresh, fruity agricole or an easy sipper
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
93 of 221 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Which glass for which rum? The community guide ›
What does the community say?
221 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.
49 selected written reviews
The distribution above includes all 221 ratings, including those without text.
Review by Oliver
Most helpful positive review
Very horny nose - really great Agricole essence! On the palate, despite its long, tropical aging, still drinkable and not too woody. Quite dry. Great mouthfeel. Absolutely recommended for all lovers of Agricole at cask strength. And that too at an unbeatable (issue) price.
Review by Stephane Soudier
Most helpful mixed review
At the opening, the woodiness is very present.after aeration, it lets discover woody notes, and of reglisse, the nose is very pleasant.in mouth, that explodes but quickly it is the bitterness takes the top and the woodiness is always present.the final is more delicate with a beautiful length.
Review by Dr.Django
For me, this is by far the best of the St. James Epheremes series. As with the others, dried fruits, wood, spices,... dominate here. Mint is also very present here. The whole rum is very dry, but that fits here. A really cool ageicole!
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
For 20y tropically matured this Agricole is surprisingly light, fruity and fresh after menthol, apricot compote and winter spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and some cocoa. Wood is of course also very dominant taste but just long not as extreme as I would have expected. Really nice old cask strength Agricole!
Review by Jakob
Powerful Saint James, complex aromatic profile with nougat, present dark spices, bitter wood influences and dried fruits. Very good representative of the 2001 Saint James and a successful entry into the Les Ephémeres series.
Review by Leo Krüper
Very nice round Agricole. Everything is very coherent and harmonious without any major rough edges. The age gives a light eucalyptus and tea note without becoming special. Also great value for money on release.
Review by Thunderbird
The nose I find initially surprising and good! In addition to the classic wood and spicy notes I had perceived grated almonds!On the palate it then loses something, the spicy wood notes predominate , fruit is almost not recognizable!In the finish it is then classic Agricole!Had somehow expected more
Review by RumTaTa
Second tasting: Great stuff! I find the nose surprisingly sticky! Much more edgy and fruity on the palate than RX7259. The finish is consistent with a taste sensation.
Review by Johannes
Very good, wonderfully balanced, yet intense and complex Agricole!
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
Just got two bottles of this limited release which is the first of a series of four if I have understood it correctly. From opening the bottle the flavours just come at you and there was no doubt this was a good one. The nose is well balanced with wood and fruits from the start followed by spices and a wonderful roasted note. The palate is complex and also very well balanced, warm and woody with dried fruit, spices and spices and again this wonderful roasted note. The finish is long and woody with dried fruit and spices. Now this has me hooked on the next two releases supposed to be released in September 2022 (No. 2) and the final two (No. 3 and No. 4) in 2023.
Review by Frank
St. James, 20 years old, over 50%? This must be tasted.Nose: nice spicy-woody-fruity. Very intense and concentrated. There's the oak first, dry, almost dusty. In addition, dry vanilla powder and pleasant tobacco scent. Now comes a restrained sweetness of cherry and dried apricot. If you smell a little stronger into it there is some vinegar. Reminds then also of red wine. Palate: wow, decent acidity at the start, towards wood acidity. Immediately followed by a slight bitter note, which quickly turns into Agricol's typical grassy, raw sugar cane. Besides that, a lot happens... nutmeg and clove come together with aromatic cherry wood and strong sandalwood, again slightly the impression of red wine.Yes, this is a good one!!!
Review by TheRhumhoe
The quintessential spirit of Saint James. This is a very well-balanced rum, juggling notes of aged precious woods, spices, chocolate, tobacco, as well as floral and pastry notes to create a complete aromatic palette. A beautiful complexity that carries through to the palate, with roasted, woody and spicy flavors, dried fruit and red berry notes, and a vegetal freshness. The whole is very harmonious, round and aromatic. The very long finish continues with the vegetal freshness previously felt, notably eucalyptus, floral and vegetal notes that brilliantly accompany the rest of the profile, fruity but drier, woody and spicy. A rum of unprecedented quality for an indecently low price.
Review by lukasdrinkinghabits
Whew! This is heavy stuff 20 years of tropical aging brings a lot of wood. A lot of wood, charred wood and with it dark spices, coffee, tobacco. Amazing: the vegetal aroma of the fresh sugar cane remains although we are more with the roots than the young shoots. There is no room for much fruit. Some sour cherry and a few dried fruits round out the profile.In the mouth, it is precisely these restrained fruits that are fully there! Fresh fruit continues to be sought in vain, but the wood soup becomes fruit compote with cherries and dark berries - which was forgotten too long in a cigar box 🤷♂️. The wood brings ample tannins and bitterness. Surprisingly light in contrast, the finish brings no new facet. A good rum, but not my profile.
Review by BTHHo 🥃
This is the first rum in Cellar Master Marc Sassier's series, which celebrates the distillery's best vintages. After distillation, the rum was aged in November 2001 in 190-liter American oak casks, where it matured for 19 years in Sainte-Marie's cellars and was bottled on 13/04/2021. The taste is slightly sharp, woody and herbaceous. The aftertaste is resin and lots of burning wood with tannins. Long and very bitter.
Review by LukaŽiga
8,9:On the nose, the first impression we get is a pure agricole rum with mineral, waxy and honeyed sugarcane, dried, yellow fruits, some solvents and nutmeg. The wood is quite roasted with some chocolate, nougat, nuts and buttery with pastry. As we air it, vegetal flowery come out, dried fruits are caramelized, there is some creme brulee.The cane, fruits and wood are nicely balanced. Later we notice some more charred notes with coffee, darker chocolate and citrus with an orange. 8,8:On the palate,the sugarcane is mineral, spicy, the wood roasted, dry.There are strong nutty notes, dried fruits and ripe banana. They are quickly joined with yellow and red fruits, the notes of sandal wood come out after nice rest, as nice spectre of vegetal notes like an olive, eucalyptus and flowery with geranium.Some confectionery with vanilla and pepper add to the variety and complexity of this tasty, balanced rum. 8,7:The finish is long, the sugarcane is mineral, juicy, spicy, wood dry and charred with dark chocolate. The fruits are yellow and dried, some vegetal notes flowery, with some eucalyptus..
Review by mto75
decidedly delicious nose, with nougat, dried date and apricot, wood barrel and something that reminds me of butter croissant, framed by an unobtrusive floral freshness. The palate is very spicy, with caramel and sandalwood. This harmonizes very well with the already somewhat higher ABV for St. James standards. For 115 EUR here is a fantastic Agricole! Grab it!
Review by Giorgio Garotti
Kudos to Saint James who pulls out a great rum here! Alcohol perfectly integrated, the sugarcane blends very well with the toasted wood notes.. One of the best bottles from the distillery released recently! Fabulous!
Review by Korkennase🥃
If the rhum is in the glass, it also immediately exudes its aroma. The rhum has a great color in the glass, which radiates warmth and conviviality. Beautiful how the rhum unfolds its full aroma with time and time should be given to him. Very fine bubbly in the glass. The nose is fruity, nutty, woody, you can smell vanilla, sugar cane, baking mix and some nail polish. The taste is dominated by spiciness, fruit, spice, grass, nutmeg, clove and wood. On the palate, the rhum is rather woody, earthy, grassy, spicy, nutty and rather dry on the way. A great bottling, harmonious, elegant all components support the taste and not least the overall impression.
Review by Rene Pfeiffer
Cross-tasting of the 4 Ephemeres Saint James: The 2001 is by far the best. Great balanced Agricole, which is the oldest in the group at 20y, but after the 2007, which is the youngest, tastes the least woody and bitter. 2007: nice, rather fruity, 8.3. 2006: bitter and woody in comparison, 7.9. 2005: balanced (8.5), but not as fine as the 2001 (8.9).
Review by Mike H.
Second tasting: Reducing my note from 85 to 84. A nice agricole that leans towards less vegetal and more woody notes which is a big plus for me. But I don’t get the hype about this series. This one certainly is the best of the three that have been released so far but I really regret running all through town to find a bottle.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
For me, the best Agricole I have ever drunk (apart from a 51 Clemént). 😍
Review by MarcT
I had no idea what to expect, but have been very keen to try a sample of old Saint James Rhum. The nose was really hard work, aside from wood and spice I had only a slight grassy note and very few hints of dried fruits. The first taste however gave me a hard kick, I did not expect the dryness combined with lots and lots of wood. Thus, giving it a looooong time to open up in the end this rum complied, and I found more notes I remembered from other aged Agricoles. Not a Rhum for easy sipping! (However, on a side note fruit flies from our drying of apple rings in the kitchen seemed to be attracted heavily to this, and tried to drown themselves in the last drops of my sample.)
Review by Mirco
A powerful agricole with a clear woody note, accompanied by dried fruit and spices. The palate is pleasantly dry, supported by roasted aromas and a hint of eucalyptus. The 20-year tropical maturation gives it depth and complexity without being overloaded.
Review by Tschusikowsky
Delicious wine, good balance despite its age.
Review by Rodolphe
Very dark and woody as usual with St James/Bally. If you know what to expect, it's still really very good. Lots of indulgence on the nose, cocoa, licorice, nougat, brown tobacco. Very inviting. On the palate, it's always those woody aromas that structure the tasting without leaving too much room for the rest. So it's a great rum but reserved for those who like very marked woodiness. (That's why I prefer the HSE 2003 and 2006 that I tasted recently, more complex and really top-notch)
Review by Tim
Within the first 15 minutes, the nose has changed from strong dried fruit, to nail polish and then to dark aromas. Finally, the following aromas sit on the nose: fruit (pear/apple), leather, cocoa, roasted aromas, freshness, spices and wood. Very dry, spicy, woody and leathery on the palate. Herbs, sugar cane, roasted aromas and vanilla complete the profile on the finish. The rum is not quite on my wavelength.
Review by cigares
A dense and clear nose, woody (a fragrant wood), dried fruits and camphor. The palate is generous with roast, fragrant wood and apricot. The finish is long and very balanced, a marvel. A complex, deep and balanced rum. Wow! Agricultural rum at its best. Thanks Rodolphe for the sample.
Review by Timo Groeger
Oh wow. At first glance/sip I really didn't expect such a top rum. We definitely have maybe wood, as well as tropical fruits. Really okay, but unfortunately not for rum nerds :-) Exactly 200 :-)
Review by Quentin Rum
Precious wood, campher, red fruits, waxy, fresh cane. So classy, so balanced, so Saint James 😍
Review by Joachim Guger
Great wood maturity, strongly roasted mocha, fat and buttery. This is balanced by a freshness typical of Agricole and then dried fruit, especially apricots. Alcohol perfectly integrated. I love this smell!!! Very woody in the mouth, lots of spices (pepper, allspice). Dust-dry and crispy. The finish stimulates the salivary glands again, is strong and harsh, but short. A great rum and the one I have enjoyed the most of the Saint James I have tasted so far. In terms of quality, the distillery is slowly catching up with the big names (Neisson, Rhum Rhum, Chantal Comte). But it is already austere...
Review by Benoit Mahe
A very nice nose with wet wood, walnut, yellow fruits and a hint of smoke. It's fresh and complex. The palate is more woody, quite vegetal. The fruits come back more in the finish which is pleasant and quite long. The nose and finish pleased me more than the palate, which was too focused on wet wood and vegetal for my taste. Still a very good rum, with an excellent quality-price ratio.
Review by MJ97
On the nose, a lot of spices. Alcohol well integrated on the nose (but bottle bottom). There is woodiness and it remains round. On the palate, there is a round and damp wood side like RQL but much less cloying and better made. The spices remain super present. Syrupy side typical of very old ones but with power. The finish is super pleasant with fruits and wood.
Review by Maxime Clr 🇫🇷
A bomb, simply. A great value for money, way above the ephemeral 7.
Review by DosenZorn
Now I finally get to try the sample of the highly praised Saint James 2001. The nose is a bit more woody than other Saint James I've tried so far. With some time, the fruit note becomes clearer. The smell is super intense and very pleasant. On the palate, a real bomb hits. Super intense woody, a bit astringent, followed by a really fruity aroma where at the end a nice sweetness remains together with typical Agricole/sugarcane notes. Feels like everything is there, but nothing overwhelms. Wow, this is a great rum.
Review by HenryL
Wow, awesome piece! I like it surprisingly well The woody notes are not too strong but harmonize perfectly with apricots and fresh notes that develop into eucalyptus in the finish. Agricole at cask strength as it should be.
Review by Tendero Pablo
Very nice selection st James un grand agricole....
Review by Lukas Jäger
A rum with a hard-to-pronounce name and even more confusing meaning, but with exciting background data. Old, relatively high proof for Agricole and affordable price, worth a try. While it breathes, I perceive a gentle smell of apple from afar. Very confusing, because the direct nose (right at the glass) makes one thing clear: Here we have Agricole and an old one at that. On the palate this impression continues: acidity, especially from wood, roasted aromas and various spices, combined with nutty notes leave no doubt that this rum spent a long time in the barrel. To be honest, the woodiness is already too present for me. Since it is highly praised, that surprises me. Maybe just a daily form, further tests are probably needed.
Review by Jarek
Surprisingly, after twenty years in the barrel still a clear grassy note. Addendum: Finally tasted all four Ephemeres together today. All four are very good and I can hardly pick a favorite. I like No. 6 very much on the nose, with its clear orange notes. On the palate, it would be No. 1.
Review by Maxence
Excellent agricole ! Nose is perfectly balanced between round and fruity notes. Palate is even fruitier and almost funky. Alcohol is perfectly integrated throughout the whole tasting. A very good rum overall and the best Éphémère so far.
Review by Serge
Very tasty and nothing bothers me from the nose to the finish. Wood very present, but without disturbing anywhere. Wonderful dried fruit and marmalade, smoke, eucalyptus and fantastic wood.
Review by Djehey
Beautiful nose, beautiful mouthfeel, beautiful finish, here is a beautiful rum! Woody and fruity profile with nice liveliness. After 19 years, the wood hasn't taken over. Update: Oxidation gives it aromas of red fruits (blackberry, grenadine, cherry) and candy. However, I find the wood a bit too present.
Review by Filip Šikula
More interactive than the five. Less fruit and more technique which is to the benefit of the cause. A perfect agricole that says "drink again, drink again". And so you drink and it's an on-again, off-again experience. Perfect. :-) Edit, bottle kill 30.5.2024 - still perfect
Review by Chrischi78
Great agricole. Wonderfully round enjoyment of hay, herbal hay, sugarcane. Really great. Alcohol nicely integrated. Nice long finish like a summer day on a hay meadow. One sample is almost too little...
Review by Alex1981
Great Agricole full of power, aromas and complexity! Woody, but less than expected for its age. Fruit, spices & wet grass alternate constantly and create a great mouthfeel. Really good!
Review by Alexander Rasch
A very heavy, concentrated Agricole with a lot of barrel influence. 20 years tropical are noticeable but very finely balanced. The tannins are never too strong and the Agricole is in tact, but not as present as in younger bottlings. Those who like old long aged rums will like this one very much. Those looking for fresh Agricole notes may not be 100% happy here. I celebrate this bottling and the only downer is not getting a bottle to OVP. Will enjoy the 5cl but for dignified and conscious.
Review by Felix Reiber
On the nose, this Agricole is extremely fruity, spicy, and intense. I briefly thought of a fruity Caroni. Dried fruits, apricot, wood, tobacco, and nutmeg lead the way. The sweet fruity impression swings on the palate into an intense, full flavor explosion. Besides the freshness of the Agricole, many wood notes and spices come forward. Then some acidity, like you know from a powerful Armagnac, and some sharpness. Dried fruits, clove, leather, vanilla, and roasted aromas lead into a long finish. Pleasant cask notes, vegetal tones, spices, dark chocolate, and eucalyptus create a great powerful profile. Cherry wood and apricot linger. I've probably never tasted such an intense, powerful Agricole. On the palate, it practically clings to the tongue and fills the mouth with aromas. A great experience. Thanks for the interesting sample.
Review by Insta: spiritofbernard 🇫🇷
Bombe! Edit march 2023: maybe of the best agricole vieux I ever had
Review by Godspeed
A tremendously good brut de fût rhum agricole that has been tropically aged a whooping 19 years. Tested side by side with the Les Ephemeres no.7 and the no.1 is in my opinion the superior expression. It is extremely well integrated, powerful yet controlled. So well integrated in fact that it takes a while before any identifiable rhum tones make themselves known, before which it reminded me of an extremely high-end scotch whisky. But in the palate mixed nuts comes through as well as a slightly oaky and dry almost sandy taste that is nevertheless extremely agreeable. The no.1 is already getting difficult to find and I can’t wait for the next release in this highly anticipated series.
Review by TheJackDrop
Comparison of Ephemera 1 and 6 I had the bottle of the 6 and a sample of the 1, so I was happy to be able to compare them. Although not exactly my taste, and a little tired of the 6, I found the 1 to be much more balanced, pleasant, with a hint of fruit and light notes on the finish (but nicely peppery on the palate). Superb length, nice balance, a good pleasure.
This selection contains no written reviews in this rating range.
Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by Préférence Rhum
Read full review ›
Saint James Les Ephémères - N°1 2001 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
434 bottles logged by 281 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
14% opened, 21 emptied.
What did the community pay for Saint James Les Ephémères - N°1 2001?
Community paid 115–153 €.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 139 €. Price history with 11 auction results in RX+ ›
434 purchased · 226 tasted · 61 wishlist · as of
Details about Saint James Les Ephémères - N°1 2001
A Rhum Agricole AOC from Martinique, distilled by Saint James, at 55,2%.
Read on in the RumX Guide
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