Aroma visualization from community tastings
T.D.L Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 52 2003
Sipped neat, this 22-year Trinidad TDL pours dense and oily: cherry, peach, mint and menthol over caramel, raisin and roasted-nut chocolate, with a faint tarry, earthy note underneath. The 53.4% is warm but tucked in well. Members split on the sweeter, chocolatey "Spanish" side — some love the balance, purists wanting a mint-menthol bomb find it too rounded.
The community says- Well-integrated alcohol
- Cherry and mint
- But: Leans sweet/Spanish
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The look inside the bottle
How does T.D.L Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 52 2003 taste?
Aggregated from 65 community reviews.
Balanced, cherry-and-mint aged Trinidad sipper Well-liked mature TDL with cherry, mint and soft sweetness over roasted oak. Most call it balanced and easy-sipping; some find it too sweet and under-complex versus other 2003s.
Fans of aged, sweeter-leaning Trinidad TDL with cherry and mint
Purists chasing a big mint-menthol, dirty TDL bomb
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
28 of 65 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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How is T.D.L Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 52 2003 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.8 sits in the “Very good” band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
98% rate it 8 or higher. 20 selected write-ups from 65 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
Most helpful positive review
At a first tasting, I found the rum to be extremely successful, not only for a February 2003 distillate, but also as a T.D.L overall. Initially, also on the nose, a pleasant, light sweetness, it develops again clearly with longer standing time, it becomes more and more palatable with recognizable T.D.L DNA with perfectly integrated alcohol. Tops the comparable T.D.L from the Wu Dram Clan (RX23227) and scratches the 90-point mark for me.
Review by Michael Schou
Most helpful mixed review
28-05-2025 - Rate 8.3 A decent TDL. Just tasted a COR TDL Edition 6, which is a better glass in my opinion. Missing some power. 07-08-2025 - Rate 7.8 Second time tasting this one. Not as found of it as the first time. Notes of wood, spices and nuts. Palate with oak, hint of fruit and spice. But a taste of dirt/earthy is what I taste the most. Medium finish also dominated by dirt/earthy taste Have tasted a few different TDL’s the past months and by comparison this one is the weakest. All still good though.
Review by Mirco
A top representative of the 2003 TDLs, but does not reach the top, the Spirit Gallery 2003 TDL. Round, complex and balanced. Tropical fruit and cherry with a pleasant sweetness. Leather and black tea are subtly perceptible.
Review by cigares
Spirits Museum Tasting 29th of March 2025. A beautiful, fruity nose with tropical fruit, berries and black cherry. A hint of dried herbs and a very light mechanical workshop add complexity. On the palate, there's a hint of marzipan and the fruit is still there, black cherry and red berries. The finish is long, balanced and all the aromas diminish in concert. A very fine, complex and delicious rum.
Review by Andi
A really pleasant and light sweetness on the nose and palate, paired with fruit and a little wood. A great complexity that is not overwhelming. You can tell it's a TDL, but it doesn't have those blatant minty notes. It's really very subtle. Which makes the rum even more approachable. It's really pleasant to sip. In my opinion, the alcohol is well integrated and doesn't stand out.
Review by mto75
There have been some really good TDL 2003s, I would highlight the Spirit Gallery, Single Cask Nation and Excellence Rhum, which all score between 86-87 points for me. The RC comes across on the nose with tropical fruits, caramel, tropical wood, sour cherry, herbal freshness. Passion fruit, caramel, plenty of mint and espresso on the palate. The finish is pleasantly tart (tannins). Not going to be my new 2003 champion, but still a very good bottling!
Review by Christoph
In some places I felt reminded of a 1998 Caroni from Bellamy, only here I'm wavering between cherry and raisin. Where with many other T.D.L.'s you feel like you've been cut through the dirt, here you're first served a strong fruit nose, but woody notes are also present in the nose. In the complex taste, which develops over time, the fruity notes alternate with a little wood and an espresso in between. I also sense a slightly earthy note. It is only in the finish that a little dirt appears, the typical scratching of sand that you get with so many rums from Trinidad. There is also a nice mint note that lingers on the palate.
Review by zabo
In the test WDC, RC Edt.52, Hunter Laing and the one from Spirit Gallery. The differences are clearly recognizable, the WDC and RC are more on the Spanish chocolate side, whereas the SG and HL are the absolute minty alcohol bombs. There's a little too much mint in both for me, which overpowers almost everything. Sorry, it's a little too much for me. But it's a matter of taste, unfortunately not mine. Otherwise they are all good bottlings, although I would put the WDC and RC more in the easy sipping category.
Review by Basti
Konnte mich sowohl bei der ersten als auch bei der zweiten Verkostung nicht wirklich überzeugen und landet im direkt Vergleich mit anderen TDL Vertretern aus 2003 eher auf den hinteren Plätzen. Insgesamt sehr spanisch anmutend mit viel Gewürzen, Karamell und Fass. Wenn man die Minze sucht findet man die auch irgendwo im Hintergrund. Aus meiner Sicht minimal "besser" als der WDC, aber die Februar Batches können mich nach wie vor nicht wirklich überzeugen.
Review by Boletus
Alle Marker, die ich bei einem 2003er T.D.L erwarte, wie Pfirsich und Kirsche, Minze und eine leicht dreckig-teerige Komponente sind hier vorhanden, jedoch sind sie in ein sehr gefälliges Gesamtpaket aus der tragenden, natürlichen Grundsüße von Karamell und Rosinen, milder toastiger Eiche mit Tabak und Leder sowie gerösteten Nüssen in Schokolade eingebunden und begleiten nur, statt zu dominieren. Wirklich sehr fein!
Review by FischeJ
A great TDL. And proof that the February batch can also be great. Beautiful sweetness and slight minty notes. Becomes extremely tasty with a long finish. The nose is mirrored in the mouth. Nice interplay between sweetness, fruit, wood influence and very subtle mint. Super bottling!
Review by Frank
Laaange Pause, aber im Urlaub findet sich die Zeit. Irgendwo in Süd-Norwegen in einer Hütte am See, ohne wasser, ohne Strom, aber mit Rum. Nase: angenehme Mischung aus Minze, Limette und Karamell. Hinter der vordergründigen Minze, finde ich etwas pflanzliches, grünes, zwischen Olive und Paprika. Wird aber gleich wieder dominiert von süßem Karamell und saurer Limette mit Papaya. Leicht rauchig hinten heraus. Letztes macht ihn etwas erwachsener als sonstige TDL. Gefällt mir. 8,7 Gaumen: Frische, süße und intensive, leicht bittere Minze mit Zitrone. Dazu süße, fette Tonkabohne und Amarena-Kirsche. Holzige Vanille. Tolles, gereiftes Trinidat-Profil. 8,7
Review by Master P
Intense aromas of candied fruit unfold on the nose, accompanied by fine wood and vanilla. On the palate, the rum is full-bodied and intense from the start, with candied fruit and a hint of mint. Delicate leather and dark chocolate notes reveal themselves as it progresses. The alcohol is perfectly integrated. Beautiful thing
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Sehr ausbalancierter TDL der sowohl die spanischen schokoladigen Anteile als auch die typischen Minze Aromen mit rote Grütze vereint. Sehr lecker und ausgewogen mit einem tollen trinkfluss! Vereint alles was man mittlerweile von einem guten TDL will!
Review by Werner Huber
T.D.L with pleasant mint. Alcohol perfectly integrated and an enchanting sweetness on the tongue and palate. Absolutely successful bottling.
Review by Joachim Guger
Zu Beginn sticht der Alkohol etwas, das hat sich aber nach wenigen Minuten gelegt. Sehr fruchtig (Pfirsich und Trockenfrüchte), Holz, Politur, Schokolade, Würze und Frische (Minze). Kräftig, warm und schön geschmolzen. Tolle Nase!! Im Mund sehr ähnlich und in Richtung Abgang kommt kurz eine unangenehme künstliche Note. Danach ein langer, schöner Abgang. Holzig, Würzig und Karamell. Toller Rum!! Interessant und gut trinkbar. Danke nach Bonn!
Review by Martin Spooner
The nose has a pleasant sweetness. For me, spicy, raisiny with beautiful wood. On the palate, it really is a wonderful wine. Already oily and sweet with mint and great complexity. I was pleasantly surprised in the evening.
Review by Alex Kunath
Finally the RumClub Edition 52 from Trinidad in a glass. Very pleasant fruity notes with a hint of wood on the nose. On the palate again slightly woody and above all beautiful Trinidad TDL mint notes are present. The alcohol is very well balanced, which makes this rum a nice daily sipper!
Review by Alexander Rasch
In der Nase schon klassisch Februar 2003 Batch. Viel Süße mit Karamell und Vanille. Aber auch Kräuter und Frucht. Am Gaumen öffnet der RC sich aber viel schöner als der WDC und zeigt eine höhere Komplexität mit Minze, Kirsche und kandierten Früchten. Gefällt mir hier sehr gut. Ähnlich wie der Tamosi. Eine gute Abfüllung.
Review by Jarek
So, jetzt habe ich den Rumclub Ed. 52 T.D.L. verkostet. Die Minze ist da, die Kirsche ist da, angenehm süß. Lecker und süffig, aber irgendwie unterkomplex. Das Sample werde ich gerne zu Ende trinken, aber eine Flasche brauche ich nicht.
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Market value
Avg. community purchase price 120 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about T.D.L Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 52 2003
A rum from Trinidad, bottled by Spirit of Rum, at 53,4%.
Community purchases
62 bottles logged by 49 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
20% opened, 6 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for T.D.L Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 52 2003?
Community paid 107–143 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
62 purchased · 65 tasted · 57 wishlist · as of
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