Aroma visualization from community tastings
HSE Réserve Spéciale VSOP
Oak, spice and vanilla lead here, with a peppery agricole kick and a touch of chocolate that softens things out. Members find the sweetness on the nose fades to a drier, woodier palate — the alcohol at 45% is present but well integrated. One reviewer calls it a "good entry agricole," light on the grassy side and easy to like without much study.
The community says- Woody-spicy balance
- Well-integrated alcohol
- But: Dry, bitter finish
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The look inside the bottle
How does HSE Réserve Spéciale VSOP taste?
Aggregated from 138 community reviews.
Woody, spicy easy-going aged agricole Most people rate it a dependable VSOP agricole — woody, spicy, lightly fruity and easy to drink. A few note the finish turns dry and bitter, and it lacks real depth.
Newcomers to aged agricole and cigar smokers
Anyone chasing depth and complexity
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
57 of 138 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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How is HSE Réserve Spéciale VSOP rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.8 sits in the “Good” band. 81% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 1% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
60% rate it between 6 and 8. 20 selected write-ups from 138 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Korkennase🥃
Most helpful positive review
Sehr schöner VSOP. Das Aroma füllt den Raum. Eine sehr komplexe Nase, mit Frucht, Holz und Schokolade. Der Eindruck setzt sich im Mund fort. Der Abgang ist lang, etwas bitter und trocken. Ein sehr schöner Rhum Agricole.
Review by AustrianOak
Most helpful critical review
Finition fût de bourbon, finish en chêne français. Très boisé.
Review by Stefan Persson
HSE Réserve Spéciale VSOP is just 4-years old an is aged in bourbon oak barrels. The nose is warm, rich, sweet, spicy, fruity and woody with an aroma of vanilla. At the palate the aroma from the nose is persistent with the woodyness dominating. The finish is long with everything persistent with the woodyness and dryness dominating.
Review by Timo Groeger
A beautiful HSE Reserve Speciale with 45%. It really surprised me in a positive way. Beautiful nose consisting of wood, spices and vanilla. The palate is also woody, but it's very spicy here too, with vanilla and chocolate adding a little sweetness. Really okay.
Review by Tim
This VSOP from HSE is also good: more discreet nose with chocolate, wood and caramelized fruit. In the mouth, the woody profile continues, adding spicy and earthy notes. Roasty coffee and chocolate on the finish to wood and spice and some sweet caramel.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
We had a go at several HSE today and I'm a bit tipsy from it.
Review by Eric Frechin
Rhum facile à boire qui peut convenir à beaucoup de monde, même des non initiés en rhum agricole. Odeurs et saveurs rondes de boisé caramel choco vanille avec une touche poivrée. Finale moyenne, mais tout aussi agréable.
Review by Christoph
Very well matured Agricole. Anyone who smokes cigars will love this rum. Doesn't really taste like matured agricole at first. Quite woody and spicy, few grassy notes.
Review by TheRhumhoe
A very pleasant VSOP rum. Woody, spicy and fruity notes blend well together. The palate continues in the same vein, very supple and smooth. The same spicy, fruity and woody notes return on the finish. A good reference for VSOPs.
Review by heckto🥃
In der Nase dezentes Karamell, Früchte und Schokolade. Am Gaumen entfaltet sich sein kräftiger, pikanter Geschmack nach Eiche, Holz und Vanille. Der Alkohol ist sehr präsent und er schmeckt wesentlich weniger süß als die Nase es vermuten lässt.
Review by Godspeed
Très bon et très savoureux vsop. HSE est devenu très actif dans le domaine du “special casks” comme port, sherry etc et je me régale de retourner aux origines de cette marque vénérable. Que de fûts de chêne cette fois. Beaucoup de goût, pas trop dompté mais pas trop sauvage non plus, malgré la jeune âge. Un très bon mélange qui fait aussi un ti-punch excellent (considération important dans ce segment d’agricoles vieilli mais pas trop). Bouteille versatile, aussi bon en cocktail comme a dégustation direct. Pas testé pour le moment mais il est fort probable que celle-ci fera un claque dans un Donga Punch.
Review by Vincent D
Je n'avais jamais eu l'occasion de goûter ce VSOP de chez HSE. J'aime particulièrement la patte HSE. Sur ce VSOP, on a déjà de belles notes de bois qui évolue vers du café et du cuir en fin de bouche, sans jamais perdre des fruits discrets et une rondeur qui le rend facile à boire. Pas de grosse surprise, on sait à quoi s'attendre mais c'est bon et bien fait.
Review by Julien Ries
Habitation Saint Etienne VSOP réserve spéciale. Un rhum que j'apprécie particulièrement pour son fruité Nez : assez discret au prime abord qui a besoin de temps pour s'exprimer. La canne fraîche est présente sur un relent caractéristique au terroir martiniquais de poivre. Un boisé délicat s'enrobe de vanille. En deuxième nez, il y a de l'abricot, très sucré et acidulé, avec un pain brioché aux amandes grillées, toasté, en fond. Ses 45° chatouillent les narines sans les agresser. C'est très plaisant. La bouche apporte beaucoup de fraîcheur sur ce jus de canne encore très présent malgré un passage en fût pendant 4 à 5 ans. S'en suit la chaleur de l'alcool très bien intégré. Il y a toujours ce petit piquant poivré bien marqué. C'est très marqué sur les fruits jaunes (abricot, pêche) qui enchainent une amande délicate en fin de bouche. Le final est suave, raisonnablement durable sans excès. Le boisé très léger reprend sa place sur un fond de gorge encore empreint de cette acidité du fruit.
Review by Sebastian Kornett
Toller Ruhm der im Abgang aber immer trockener, holziger und bitterer wird. Lieber nicht so lange ausklingen lassen und zeitig ein neuen Schluck nehmen.
Review by Christophe Milot
Son nez est vif de de fruits confits : abricots, pêche, melon, puis arrivent les notes d'amande grillée, de caramel au beurre salé et de girofle. La bouche est superbe et conforte le nez : une attaque large et chaude tapisse admirablement le palais. Son moelleux et sa viscosité accentuent encore ma longueur en bouche de cette cuvée. Source : HSE
Review by Lukas Jäger
Positiv überrascht von diesem Rum. Für den Preis ein guter Einstiegsagricole, mit dem man wohl nicht viel falsch machen kann. Nicht zu überfordernd, nicht zu grasig und nicht zu holzig. Was ein bisschen nach Langeweile klingt, ist für mich eine durchaus ordentliche Standard-Abfüllung, die mir irgendwie gefällt!
Review by Henry Davies
An interesting Agricole. Orange and vanilla on the nose. Mouth wise it is interesting as well with more peppery and floral notes ending in a short but pleasant finish with sweeter coconut and caramel elements. It’s a well made rum but is just missing something A less enjoyable finish for HSE to my tastes
Review by Carlitooo
Gutes PreisLeistungsVerhältnis
Review by Ben Armessen
Rhum épicé et relevé, agréable
Review by RumRhush
Glouglou un bonne entrée en matière pour ceux qui aimeraient se lancer dans l’agricole
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Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
Avg. community purchase price 47 €
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 HSE Réserve Spéciale VSOP
A Rhum Agricole from Martinique, distilled by Distillerie du Simon, at 45%.
Community purchases
364 bottles logged by 320 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
36% opened, 46 emptied and repurchased.
What does HSE Réserve Spéciale VSOP cost?
Community paid 20–52 €.
Current best price: 45.90 € – within the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
364 purchased · 150 tasted · 76 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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