Aroma visualization from community tastings
DDL El Dorado 12
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Sipped neat or over ice, this drinks soft and sweet: brown sugar, toffee, vanilla and caramel up front, then a woody, lightly spiced tail with hints of coffee and dried fruit. Most people meet it early in their rum life and remember it fondly — "bit sweet but easy going." A few find it thin at 40% and one-dimensional, but it's a genuinely easy Demerara pour.
The community says- Smooth and easy
- Caramel and toffee
- Keep in mind: Tastes sweetened
Offers & prices
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Returns & cancellation Secure payment Sold by Urban Drinks
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Offers & prices
No shop currently delivers to Germany.
Auction results: 24–37 € (23 sales in 24 months, incl. buyer's premium, latest 09/2026). How the range is built ›
The look inside the bottle
How does DDL El Dorado 12 taste?
From community reviews · summarized with AI
Soft, sweet caramel-and-vanilla starter Demerara Loved as an easy, caramel-heavy starter Demerara. Reviewers agree it's smooth and pleasant; the recurring gripes are sweetness, a light body, and less depth than the 15.
Aroma profilePeople who like sweet, soft, easy sippers and newcomers moving from whisky into rum
Anyone wanting dry, high-proof, complex Demerara with pot-still funk
Style & occasion: Sweet & dessertSipping neatCocktails & mixing
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
138 of 544 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 sweet, dessert-like rums for sipping neat.
Similar in style and available now.
More intense
Bumbu XO7.0/10 (390)39.46 €
104 rated both: 23 scored it higher, 71 scored El Dorado higher, 10 gave both the same score.Fruitier
Dos Maderas 5 Years + 5 Years PX7.4/10 (578)43.85 €
170 rated both: 76 scored it higher, 77 scored El Dorado higher, 17 gave both the same score.Sweeter
Clarendon Canerock Canerock (Jamaica)7.5/10 (322)36.14 €
83 rated both: 36 scored it higher, 43 scored El Dorado higher, 4 gave both the same score.Rated better
Foursquare Wagemut PX-Cask8.0/10 (461)45.59 €
80 rated both: 54 scored it higher, 14 scored El Dorado higher, 12 gave both the same score.Similar rating, cheaper
Plantation Barbados 5 Years7.1/10 (281)28.56 €
86 rated both: 25 scored it higher, 46 scored El Dorado higher, 15 gave both the same score.
What does the community say?
544 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 544 ratings, including those without text.
Review by LukaŽiga
Most helpful positive review
8,2:The nose is relatively light with fruity notes, held together by a dry, toasty woodiness and warm spices , it begins to deliver its luscious nutty aromas after some rest.With aeration, the sweetness of pecans and maple syrup take over, very tempting indeed. The woodiness is combined with a caramelized, lightly roasted mixture, some vanilla, toffee, chocolate and an American oak notes, like orange peel, apricots and a pinch of smokiness, all very gourmand. 8,2:The palate is very smooth and thick, with juicy prunes and dried grapes, alcohol not felt at all. Nuts and spices then enter the scene, some coffee with caramel, vanilla conveyed by a gentle woodiness with notes of tangy fruit that bring a pinch of astringency. 8:The finish is light and spicy, a bit dry, smooth with some vanilla, exotic fruits are distant and smokiness.. Better than expected.Better than 15y. Edit:11.4.26
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Most helpful critical review
solid mediocrity. but much too sweet and syrupy, strangely bitter at the end
Review by Mitchell Kennedy
The smell is a little bit hot and starts off with a stongish leather and dusty varnish smell. Then a bit more butterscotch and dried fruit comes in. The taste is a little spicy with dark chocolate, caramel, and a bit of the dried raisin flavor along with some spice and wood from the barrel. A couple more sips give some apple and vanilla flavor and some tropical fruit, like pineapple. Finish is medium and taste lightly of dried fruit.
Review by Stefan Persson
It’s quite sweet, almost too sweet. The new 2020 release is therefore much better. It tastes a lot of Demerara sugar. But I believe it’s one of the better entries to the rum world if you still can get a hold of a bottle.
Review by Mirko Frosini 🇮🇪
Significantly lower than the 15-year-old.
Review by Luuzi
Beautiful rum. Makes the beginner want more.
Review by Insta: spiritofbernard 🇫🇷
It's still a must-have to offer to your friends even if the sugar takes over too much.
Review by BTHHo 🥃
Very sweet, soft and round, but with good depth and weight. Notes of brown sugar, toffee, vanilla and caramel.
Review by Rumbaer
Foreword: my review is from 21.03.2025. At that time, it was a rum. It no longer has the 35g sugar stated in the description above. This was reduced to zero with the EU regulation of 2022. The old version with lots of sugar has the red logo on the bottle. The new bottling has the black one. The smell is pronouncedly woody, followed by spices and vanilla. After some time in the glass and even in the empty glass, really great tobacco notes. I’m a non-smoker, but the smell totally grabs me. I’ve never had such a feeling in the mouth before. I felt like a soft pillow laying on the tongue, spicy, soft and warm notes. Really tastes good to me. Great rum.
Review by TheJackDrop
"One of my first crushes, a sure bet. Vanilla, tobacco, fruit, licorice and very accessible. To sum up, my tasting notes: On the nose: Caramel, Glue On the palate: Caramel, Tobacco Finish: Coffee".
Review by zabo
Edit: great for baking. I made rum balls with dark chocolate. Great addictive potential for baking Was one of my first purchases in the rum world. But I don't regret it. But the taste is now a little too sweet for me.
Review by FabiDram
Tasting 22.12.2023
Review by Vincent D
Not much to say about this rum, too sweet. Caramel and vanilla. Maybe a slight woody note on the palate but honestly very discreet.. A profile without much interest in my opinion. No depth, too smooth. Meh.
Review by Marcus Ekornes
I've tasted the newer unsweetened El Dorado 12, and I absolutely love it.
Review by Timo Groeger
Mmmmmh, a relief from rum after all the garbage of today. Anyway, every point counts :-) Here we have a pleasant sweetness on the nose and palate of vanilla and caramel. Very tasty in any case :-)
Review by Dunzi
I like it more than the 15YO Eldorado
Review by Godspeed
Been using the 15 as a cocktail rum for a while but many swear by this one so I figured I’d try a bottle. Noticeably lighter body than the 15, quicker to dissipate and less dark in tone, but still very burnt and dark compared to most other rums of course. Versatile cocktail rum but when mixing I notice myself adding extra to get the same bite from the burnt notes compared to the 15.
Review by David Bonner
Chocolate and treacle
Review by Rumclub Latvia
Demerara distillers have huge amount stock of rums in they wherehouses, from this point this is one of reasons why this brand are so available and for decent price versus honest age statement. If you like this, you can go to try Diplomatico reserva exclusiva.
Review by primus
Quite a classic, the rum tells a story about its cask, chocolate, coffee and caramel. Dried fruits set the right accents. Perhaps a cigar to go with it? I think this rum belongs in the basic equipment of a collection.
Review by Andi
The El Dorado 12 belonged to one of my first rum bottles, great sweetness with wood flavors and dried fruit.
Review by Philipp W.
(Ported review from Rum Ratings) I'll always be biased about this drop. The El Dorado 12 (Pre 2020) was my entry into the world of rum. Even though the 31g/L was really something, maybe that's exactly why it caught me. Actually, I even found a photo of it.
Review by Righrum
A solid entry level rum
Review by rum_sk
Can't remember the details but I was not impressed. Raisins in the taste with dried prunes and wood. Medium finish. That one was not the one for me. Comparison with 15YO they are very similar but 15 is more subtle, better balanced and less harsh otherwise they are almost identic.
Review by Trinkfluencer
In the finish slightly spicy. At the front of the tongue for it very little
Review by Serge
Ok flavours but too thin and missing a lot. Also the sugar is clearly there. Maybe for mixing. Besides that not what i am looking for in a Demerara … no typical wooden pot flavours, as both heritage pots are not part of the blend.
Review by Rick Meyer
Personally liked this better than the 15.
Review by AlPhilipo
For this price, a really great Demerara rum with 12 years under its belt. It's obviously not a total experience and feels quite watery at 40%, but the flavor profile is really good and you can tell the Guyana origin.
Review by Abrahan Reyes
There was another version of this one a few years ago which was sweeter, pretty good if you like sweetened rums. This one is more complex and definitely a better sipper than the previous 12 year expression. Caramel and toffee notes are present.
Review by Andrew Mainprice
Nice sipping rum but not too sweet
Review by Lutz Lungershausen
06.2024 First impression: beautiful mahogany color Nose: raisin, barrel, roasted aromas Palate: dried fruit, wood, chocolate, coffee, all the complexity of Demerara, Guiana ... Finish: again the whole program down the throat Overall impression: very powerful and spicy, as a Jamaica fanboy I wouldn't put ED12 in my cupboard again, but I'm looking forward to some nice spicy mixers with it. 201? I tried the ED12 on my pleasure trip through Dave Broom's "Rum - the Manual" and it has been sitting on the shelf for a few years now.
Review by Alexander Rasch
My RumRatings review from 6 years ago: On the nose, the rum is surprisingly sharp at first. Alcohol is prominent. If you give the rum time, vanilla and some wood come through. Sweet notes make some space. On the palate, I don't find much interesting. Lots of sweet notes with some wood and leather as well as caramel vanilla. I also don't quite get what is supposed to be super mild about this rum. The finish has some nuts and bitterness. For 30 euros, the rum is really okay. Definitely a mass product. The emptier the bottle got, the more I could appreciate it, as it became milder. But it's just not my preferred profile.
Review by Jakob Deiner
Very smooth, mild rum with rather dark aroma and flavor notes. Wood/oak combined with minimal fruit and sweetness. Drinks: - Neat: 4.5/5 - Rum Old Fashioned: 4.5/5 - Rum Cola: 4.5/5 - Rum Mule: 4.5/5
Review by Arjan91
My first rum. This El Dorado 12 made me switch from mainly whisk(e)y to rum. Very nice rum, a little too sweet, but definitely worth repeating.
Review by MarcT
Good sip, but a bit one dimensional.
Review by Henry Davies
You can certainly see why such rums developed such a following and at the same time with modern unsweetened rums now more common how naive we were to think this was natural! It is stupid easy to drink and lacks complexity, the nose is brown sugar and banana, mouth sweet and slightly peppery, finish syrupy and sweet with some coffee notes. There are many more authentic rums which achieve much more without dosage. At the same time it is in isolation not a bad rum and for those who aren’t used to strong natural or cask strength rum it’s a good gateway rum (and I don’t believe in artificially low scores for dosed rum despite my preferences)
Review by Anonymous Dee
Can’t really go wrong with the Eldorado range however a significant difference between this and the 15. A beautiful entry level decent rum very well balanced and great value for the price.
Review by Johannes
Very good, honest Guyana rum! Ideal for beginners of unsweetened rum!
Review by Jack M
Nice but a little dull.
Review by Stijn Zino
Rhumtour 2025 Didn't expect much but this was a nice surprise. Wouldnt mind having a bottle. Next time i'm going to try the 15 and 21 as well.
Review by JonasTh
Less full-bodied flavor than 15y
Review by Montana
A smell of toffee, nut, some molasses, spicy, very pleasant.The taste is also slightly spicy and sweet (but only restrained), becoming slightly bitter in the medium-long finish, but also pleasant.Very pleasant rum.
Review by Mateusz
Very interesting taste. I was surprised with intensity of alcohol burn, which was slightly disappointing. In my view the 15 is significantly better. I have read about reducing sugar in those rums and never tried those “sweet” ones in the past, but I have a feeling that the alcohol burn was mellowed down by sugar and that now it’s gone (which is great) it still needs some refining.
Review by AlanElGalan
An elegant and enjoyable pour even at its low ABV. For its price, it works well neat or in a cocktail. It’s vanilla sweet and enjoyable as a beginner rum or a more experienced sip. This is one of my preferred rums to sip on when I’m doing other things. A good background rum. If only it was 10% higher in ABV.
Review by kudzey
Quite watery but at higher proof could be great
Review by Thor66
A perfect introduction to the world of unsweetened Guyanese rums. Dark, woody smoky tones combined with sweet vanilla and caramel notes. At a price under 40 €, you can't go wrong here. I enjoy it neat and sometimes pour it for rum newcomers as well.
Review by TheTobias
A bit overwhelming with all the sweetness, oiliness and barrel notes. I would love a bit more freshness and fruitynotes to counterbalance. One glass is ok but I don’t feel like having another just after that one.
Review by Mark Leggett
Smells of Demerara sugar, butterscotch, vanilla and hints of tobacco. Flavor follows the smell with touches of wood and spice. A sweet week rounded finish. Excellent.
Review by ordogh
Great rum for beginners, round and fruity with nice spices. Bit thick and not too complex, but safe bet even for outsiders.
This selection contains no written reviews in this rating range.
Expert reviews
5 critics scored it, averaging 6.8/10. 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 ›Which means that this is probably a rum which not many Rum Enthusiasts will be buying or raving about. It will remain very much for the more casual consumer. It's pleasant enough and creeps into being classified as good but only just.
Expert review by Single Cask Rum
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Expert review by RUMprobiert
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Expert review by Rhummer
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Expert review by RumRock
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Expert review by Rum Diaries Blog
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DDL El Dorado 12 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
1,369 bottles logged by 1,250 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
39% opened, 229 emptied.
What does DDL El Dorado 12 cost?
Community paid 25–45 €.
Current best price: 32.00 € – within the typical community range.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 32 €. Price history with 23 auction results in RX+ ›
+64 additions in the last 3 months.
Additions per month over the last 12 months; dark bars: the last 3.
1,369 purchased · 608 tasted · 461 wishlist · as of
Details about DDL El Dorado 12
A spirit drink on a rum base from Guyana, distilled by Demerara Distillers Ltd, at 40%.
Which of the wooden stills is behind this rum? The RumX guide ›
Read on in the RumX Guide
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