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Velier Papalin Réunion 2023
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Strawberry, glue and toasted oak lead here, with honey and a herbal, grassy edge underneath — the Grand Arôme part of this Réunion blend shows up mostly on the nose and finish. Most tasters find the 50% remarkably well-integrated, drinking softer than the number suggests. The recurring gripe: it can feel a touch light on depth, more pleasant than deep.
The community says- Well-integrated 50%
- Strawberry and honey
- But: Lacks depth
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How does Velier Papalin Réunion 2023 taste?
Summarized by AI from community reviews.
Fruity, well-integrated Réunion blend, slightly light Widely liked as an easy, well-priced way into Réunion's Savanna style. The strawberry-and-glue nose charms; several feel the palate turns woody and grassy without quite matching it.
Aroma profilePeople wanting an easy entry into Réunion's Savanna Grand Arôme style
Those chasing maximum depth and punch
Style & occasion: Fresh & grassySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
66 of 159 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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What does the community say?
159 community reviews
49 selected write-ups on this page, all of them in the RumX app
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Positive from 8.0 · Mixed 6.0–7.9 · Critical below 6.0
Review by Paul Christiaens
Verdict: lovely blend of grand arome and traditional, with serious cask aging but beautifully balanced. There are quite some woody, earthy, spicy characteristics, but enough room for fruit, mainly pineapple and orange (with some dried fruit in the finish). Nose: initially rather roasted, oaky and one spice, but gradually more fruit: a combination of pineapple, orange zest, bergamot. Also some chocolate, toffee, tobacco. Palate: friendly and lighter than the nose suggests. There is more citrus (orange, grapefruit), still also pineapple. The roasted side is mellowed, bringing mainly cedar wood, clove, pure cinnamon, chocolate, dark sugar. The earthy side of tobacco is hardly present. Finish: rather long, lingering and soft, with just the right amount of spice. Ginger bread, baking spices, cedar wood, burnt sugar, date, orange marmalade, tobacco and just a hint of ester.
Review by Rodolphe
Most helpful positive review
I wasn't a fan of the Papalin range until now. But La Velier has come up with a very good Reunionese at a nice price. It's a perfect representation of the rhums trad found there, with the fruity side of the grand aroma, present but not overpowering. It drinks well, is pleasant, vegetal, floral, woody and fruity. A great success. In the end, it's what I expected from savanna's Le Must, which doesn't emphasize the fruitiness of the grand arôme enough. This is the case here.
Review by rumiub
Most helpful critical review
Someone got lost in Scotland here. Peaty, atypical rum. Funky on the nose and plenty of woody notes. Slightly fruity and not very sweet. Smooth in taste for 50% ABV. The earthy/peaty flavor is not my thing. A shame. Caraway in the finish.
Review by Leo Krüper
Super price for a solid molasses from Reunion. Still smells a little musty but the rum opens up very nicely on the palate. 83/100 Second tasting: Nose again strawberry, marshmellow. On the palate again this musty cellar note. Blindly I can only rate this rum 78/100.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Really delicious Grand Arome/traditional mix from savanna here with a surprisingly high proportion of grand arome flavor. Very aromatic, round and delicious. Very pleasantly surprised by this grand arome! At the 2nd tasting slight point deductions because the herbal flavors of the traditionel portion predominate overall.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
Blind tasting, therefore sensibly without the usual photo. Nice warm nose (Guyana?), but a fleeting first impression of gummy bears - that's it! Tip: The first impression is often the right one. Resolution: RX17322 (I wouldn't have guessed that it was a blend of rums from four different distilleries on La Réunion; I would have guessed a young Savanna traditionnel).
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#3856 12.10.2024 Romhatten Velier tasting. Had a nice afternoon with Danish rum friends at a Velier tasting. Nose Fresh, faint wood, light vinegar, light chocolate, overripe, fruits, light mango, light dried fruit. Palate Faint wood, oily, dried fruit, light sour, overripe, minerals, light coconut, light mango. Finish Medium to long, oily, light pear, light roasted, light chocolate, faint minerals, lightly salty. This is a pretty good release and the price to quality is really good in my mind.
Review by zabo
For the price, another nice Papalin. However, this one is more on the woody and spicy side. It lacks a little fruitiness, which is unfortunately too much in the background. You can drink it once in a while, but I wouldn't need a bottle of it right now.
Review by cigares
A complex nose, not really typical of agricultural rums. With paprika, young wood, dried herbs and gooseberry. The palate is soft and dry herbal aromas develop with cedar wood and hard-to-define fruit. The finish is long on cedar and dried herbs. A darker side when the glass is empty, with light tar and old wood. A very fine rum, complex and evolving!
Review by Serge
Beautiful Réunion rum with a high Grand Arôme content and lots of strawberry, overripe fruit with wood, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and spice. Really very good for the price. I had actually expected it to be stronger in the direction of a normal traditional rum.
Review by DomM
Interesting and vibrant on the nose with quite some power and a mix of fruits and spices. Very nice. A little less vibrant on the palate. However, still interesting and complex on the palate. Focus is more on woody notes and spices from the cask with fruits taking a step back. This is very good value for money imo.
Review by SaibotZtar
Floral, somewhat woody nose with spices, caramel and light esters. Initially restrained on the palate, with strawberries, sugar cane, some cinnamon and bitter notes coming through. Alcohol is moderately integrated. Good rum without surprises.
Review by Eric Frechin
First tasting of a sample that I quite like. The nose carried by the fruits with some solvent residues and rather soft woodiness, an interesting smell of strawberry. On the palate it is easy, honeyed, a nice homogeneity around the fruity, light woodiness and a vegetal approach. I also like the finish that reminds me of violet and that I find in some Savanna tradition. Value for money more than good!
Review by Fred Tillac
A blend of Savanna molasses rums from Reunion (10, 12 and 15 years) and an 11-year Grand Arôme, aged on site in French oak barrels. It smells of chocolate, vinegar and ripe tropical fruit. The palate is woody and mineral, with good length.
Review by Boletus
A nicely crafted and smooth blend where the share of Grand Arôme provides a pleasant and fruity contribution including a subtle olive note, without overwhelming ester-sensitive palates. A relaxed sipping pleasure from Réunion that I really like!
Review by Michael Schillheim
Since the first nose 20 minutes ago, I'm not sure what to make of this bottling. The first impression is something between old, wet leather and a failed attempt in a chemistry lab. On the palate then fruity chewing gum notes, woody, leather, cinnamon, but more as a sharp spice. Still slightly chemical. In the aftertaste leather, slightly burning and a fuzzy mouthfeel. Interesting bottling, but nothing I need as a bottle.
Review by Dr.Django
From nose to finish, floral, vegetal, nutmeg and especially aromas of light fruits dominate the rum. Somewhat bitter/grassy, especially in the finish, which doesn't bother me much though.
Review by Thunderbird
I'm a bit ambivalent.... On the one hand, I like its lightness, but on the other hand, it lacks some complexity. Certainly a good rum from Papalin... which doesn't need to shy away from comparison with some much more expensive Savannas... but it doesn't really convince me. The aromas are not present enough for that. I'll give it a second chance in the next few days
Review by Jarek
Delicious. Very fruity on the nose. On the palate and finish, the spicy and woody notes take over rather than completely pushing out the fruit notes. I have no idea exactly what the blend consists of, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some HERR in it. Somewhere in the background, a strawberry note sneaks in...
Review by Mirco
Cool bottling. Already on the nose Grand Arome Savanna. Unfortunately, the taste does not follow the nose to the mouth. Feels a bit edgy and woody. Finish then a bit rounder again. Overall a solid rum with good value for money.
Review by LukaŽiga
8,3:On the nose, medicinal notes like glue, esters, oak, roasted wood notes, sweet, flowery molasses with honey and fermented, almost rotten, pungent tropical fruits, strawberries, vegetal notes, bump into our nosetrils. On aeration, roastedness is strong with smokiness, leather, cinammon arises, some citrus fruits. 8,2:On the palate, the attack is strong, pungent with overripe, fermented red and citrus fruits, hints if sugarcane, honey, vegetal molasses that on oxidation goes grassy, herbaceous, flowery, even dark with black tea, the wood is roasted/toasted, sweet with pastry, caramel, leather, spicy with cinnamon, nutmeg, salty. 8,3:The finish is long, furry and tannic, with tons of fermented fruits, vegetal notes, smoky and spicy roasted wood, grassy and sweet molasses with honey.
Review by Filip Šikula
My favorite yellow papalin is apparently beaten. This is simply a bomb for the price. Already on the nose, it's pleasantly fruity. A bit of glue and grass. A bit of Jamaican sharpness and the same appears in the taste. Perfectly integrated ABV. Awesome.
Review by Johannes
Must be a Grand Arome. I like it very much!
Review by Michael Schou
04-04-2025 -Rate 7.7 Easy drinkable reunion rum. Nice nose. Frites and barries. Easy to drink. Good integrated. 23-01-2026 - Rate 6.9 Forms an extra sample of this one in the back. Must admit I have changed by view a bit. It has a blend like quality. Not as single cask Savanna. Would call this a Plesner rum but not a good rum.
Review by Banana Joe
My first Papalin and also my first rum from Reunion. What can I say, exciting. The aroma is balanced between fruit and spice, but I've never had strawberry like this before. I like it. On the palate, the spiciness is clearly in the foreground, lots of allspice. Fermented strawberry and tannins again on the finish. I can't say whether this is typical of Reunion, but I definitely like it. Definitely worth getting yourself a bottle.
Review by Mentalo
Ice candy, menthol, strawberry, honey, some wood and herbal notes. Has a pleasant sweetness. However, it lacks depth and the finish seems a little thin. Nevertheless, a successful bottling that can provide a good introduction to the Savanna distillery.
Review by Timo Groeger
A very good rum. It also has a slightly fruity note on the nose and palate, but at the same time drifts into sweetness where you can taste caramel and honey. Overall very balanced, but I just find the alcohol not so well integrated.
Review by Bavarian Rum Lover
Too bad I had hoped for more from Papalin La Réunion. As noted in another review, the bottling feels like a Savanna light. The base with well-integrated alcohol is there, but unfortunately the rum lacks the expressiveness and independence to lift it to higher regions. As I have liked and enjoyed all Papalins to date, I had high hopes for this bottling. Thank goodness I had taken part in a sample sharing (thanks again!), my buying reflex has been curbed again...
Review by TheRhumhoe
Blend from Réunion Island, this Papalin is versatile and accessible. The nose presents the grand arôme style of its elders with strawberry, quite dominant, but also floral and medicinal notes (glue) that give this chemical side to the nostrils. There is a beautiful toasted wood that goes towards a more honeyed, more caramelized side that softens everything. The spices (pepper, vanilla) balance the debate with their power. A nice rum, not the most complex but varied and pleasant. The attack on the palate is a bit more aggressive, more biting on the spices, roasted notes and leather. The fruits support the profile with strawberry and tropical fruits. The palate is supported by nutmeg and aromatic herbs, then softer flavors arrive later (caramel, honey). We find the DNA of a traditional Savanna, balanced and quite complete. The alcohol is a bit noticeable but holds up with the aromas. The finish is very dry, tannic with the barrel and brings out espresso, herbs and red fruits (strawberry, berries). We find the profile on the palate but more grilled, drier and maybe a bit more assertive. A good rum for those who want to discover the heavier Savanna rums in an affordable way both in price and overall quality.
Review by Nivius
On the one hand, I am enthusiastic about this rum, but I was expecting something different - unfortunately I have not yet been able to try the "good" grand aromas from Savanna. This one tastes like a mixture of Herr, LeMust and wood. What I miss with this rum is depth - it tastes like there's a lot of flavor that just doesn't come out. The Hubbabubba Herr aroma is omnipresent, but much weaker than in the unaged Velier bottling - otherwise it would also be overkill. It also has a lot of bitter, astringent wood notes. Definitely enjoyable and is particularly good in drinks - in addition to the astringent bitterness, the artificially alcoholic, sweet chewing gum aroma remains in the finish.
Review by Jakob
On the nose, gentle but recognizable associations with the Grand Arômes from Reunion. Notes of fermented fruit on the palate, demanding, intense. Spices, wood, leather, subtle salty licorice and vegetal hints of tea and mint. Aromatically complex, beautiful depth, tart and bitter with intense, heavy fruitiness.
Review by Johnny Rumcask
Herbs dominate mouth and nose, alcohol could be better integrated. For me, not a particularly exciting rum, as I don't like the herbal profile and besides herbs there isn't much, a bit of vanilla at the end from the cask, that's about it.
Review by Martin Augustin
Good and affordable Grand Arome. Very fruity bouquet.
Review by TheJackDrop
Notes taken at Rhum Fest 2024, Quick notes and a bit heavy palate, sorry :) What we have here: a truly typical Reunion style A rum: very fine, with fruit, cask and beeswax. Finish: long, greedy A real pleasure, 2 friends left with the bottle under their elbow!
Review by Jonas
Beautiful rum! Best Papalin so far. The Grand Arome part comes out well and there are smoky strawberries ala Savanna. Considering the price, an absolute bargain in the Savanna universe. I would only wish for 5% more ABV.
Review by Richard Krupa
Still my favorite is the blue papalin. The first sip seemed quite flat to me, but then the aroma beautifully unfolds. A successful gentle sample.
Review by Schnubbii
Nice round, uncomplicated sipper with the classic Savanna aroma profile.
Review by Stefan L
- Got myself a bottle of this one.
Review by F.L.O.
Savanna light sends its regards! Very well integrated alcohol, slightly spicy, honey touch and some wood. For whom some "unshared" was too strong may find a better approach here. But it doesn't need to be more than a sample.
Review by itay
Not a bad rum, i just don't like it. Weird taste, that makes it interesting on the one hand, but not drinkable enough on the other hand. Would recommend to try before buying a bottle.
Review by Stijn Zino
Brussels Rhum Festival 15/03/2025 One of the more interesting rums at the Hampden table. Can't go wrong with the Papalin series. This one really evolves. Successful blend.
Review by Buddudharma
Nice blend with surprisingly strong Grand Arome influence. A bit more punch wouldn't have hurt, but still very successful.
Review by kondgab
Chocolate, mango, strawberry.
Review by Dávid Kempl
Silky and very smooth and round Bubble gum and glue raisin cherry Honey Herbal Short to medium finish with lasting alcohol A bit methol aftertaste
Review by Gil Firth
Bottle A very good release, an addition to the 'Papalin' blended series from Vallier. After coming out of Jamaica. From Haiti. Now also Reunion. Interesting profile. A combination of acidity of sour fruits, citrus and candies. A bit of grass. Sweetness. A bit of polish/lacquer. Blend of Traditional molasses rum aged 10 Grand Arôme rum aged 11 Molasses rum aged 12 Molasses rum aged 15 Savanna, Isautier or however you spell it and apparently there are even more distilleries😵💫. How many distilleries can there be on such an island that it comes to rum. Recommended.
Review by Joel Segerstav
Overall interesting and tasty, was a bit sharper than expected(could be one of those days). The Grand Arome shines mostly in the nose and finish and is a bit shy in the taste. Will pour another and let air for longer than my first pour. I experience that it gets better and better as it was aired. The taste felt at first mostly woody and grassy where sweeter elements was in the background but got more room with time. I feel that the taste could have been fuller, nevertheless worthy of a place by the other Papalins. Edit: more balanced after 30+ minutes of airing, sweet notes in taste more pronounced.
Review by Александр Иванов
Nose: medium intensity. Dry fruits, wax, camphor, old wood, little bit of spices & medicine, glue, esters. Really round & cpmplex. Taste: round, tasty, lot of pineapple, ripe pears, melon, some rubber, glue & medicine. Complex. Aftertaste: Long & juicy. Really good.
Review by Leslie Haigh
I like this rum very smooth 50% easy to drink A blend of 4 rums 10 to 15 years old very easy to drink I shared with family and they nearly killed the bottle highly recommended
Review by Yann
Discreet nose at first that expresses itself after aeration. The palate is round, fruity almost sweet, roundness, grilled coconut, a bit of wood and spices that tickle the tongue. The finish is average but bitter, I'm less a fan of that.
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Expert reviews
2 critics scored it, averaging 8.3/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by The Dunder Hut
Fresh cooked strawberry jam next to open olives and a tub of iodine. A really smart blend and a good portrait of reunion. I really like how this is the same aroma from start to finish. Super nice value
Expert review by Rum nagykövet
Read full review ›
Community shelf
175 bottles logged by 154 collectors.
Both drunk and collected.
26% opened, 13 emptied.
What does Velier Papalin Réunion 2023 cost?
Community paid 60–95 €.
Current best price: 79.50 € – within the typical community range.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 83 €. Full price & collection history in RX+ ›
175 purchased · 164 tasted · 88 wishlist · as of
Details about Velier Papalin Réunion 2023
A rum from Reunion, bottled by Velier, at 50%.
Read on in the RumX Guide
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