Aroma visualization from community tastings
HSE Grande Reserve XO
Sip this neat with a cigar and you get the picture: a Martinique agricole that goes dark and toasted rather than fresh and grassy. Expect lots of wood, vanilla, nutmeg, tobacco and roasted coffee, with the 43% well tucked in. Several tasters call it a reliable everyday agricole, though a few find the body thin and the oak heavy-handed.
- Well-integrated alcohol
- Tobacco and coffee notes
- Good with cigars
+10
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How does HSE Grande Reserve XO taste?
Aggregated from 176 community reviews.
Dark, woody Martinique agricole for cigars Most see a well-balanced, wood-forward agricole that's an easy entry to the style. The recurring catch: some find it too dry, too oaky, or a touch thin and young for an XO.
People wanting a dry, wood-and-tobacco agricole, often paired with a cigar
Fans of sweet, molasses-driven rum or fresh grassy agricole
How is HSE Grande Reserve XO rated?
RumX's 0–10 scale is strict , 8.0 lands squarely in the "Very good" band. 89% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 1% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
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Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Rum reviews
Selected write-ups from 176 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Based on 176 ratings
Review by Yannick D.
Excellent je recommande
Review by Philou
Excellent. Toujours un bonheur à déguster!
Review by Benoit Mahe
Un bon agricole XO
Review by Galli33
This is a super delicious Agricole from the start to the finish! The Alcohol and wood is integrated very well. This is a good rum to pair with a cigar! I use this always as a agricole starter in a tasting for beginners and advanced drinkers.
Review by Boletus
Hervorragend ausbalanciert und elegant, dabei sehr lecker und gefährlich süffig. Ich möchte mir gar nicht vorstellen, was dies für eine Geschmacksbombe in Fassstärke wäre, wenn der Rhum mit 43% schon so gut schmeckt...oder eigentlich will ich es doch wissen und werde wohl oder übel in der nächsten Zeit mal wieder etwas tiefer in die Tasche greifen müssen.
Review by TheRhumhoe
A well-crafted HSE that focuses on a particularly dark, roasted profile, including tobacco, roasted nuts, coffee, chocolate, spice, oak, roasted notes and a hint of leather. More fruity and floral aromas are felt in the background, broadening the aromatic spectrum. The attack in mouth is quite greedy and pleasant, very concentrated on the empyreumatic aromas, with also woody notes and dried fruits. The finish is long, dry but just as elegant and drinkable. A nice XO profile and a nice standard for the classic HSE range.
Review by Adrien B
Un très bon des classiques. Edit boisé trop marqué convenu putassier. Ça marche mais c'est pas délicat
Review by Patrick 79
Excellent rhum agricole au rapport qualité prix inégalé. Une bouteille à avoir dans sa cave.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
18.11.2023 Yet another retasting and I still like the profile. --------------------- Retasting at the German Rum Fest and I still like it. ----- We had a go at several HSE today and I'm a bit tipsy from it.
Review by Tim
This rum is very complex and round, you can find something of all Agricole notes. In the mouth dry and spicy with leather and wood. Here, however, must also be particularly emphasized the roasty coffee flavor and spicy tobacco. Therefore, overall a little better than the other XOs.
Review by Bob Boby
Un bon rhum avec du peps en entrée, du boisé bien maîtrisé et facile. Se laisse boire tout seul
Review by benoit burger
Reste dans la trame HSE . Un agricole avec un boisé bien présent, épicé avec des note de café torrifié de chocolat de cuir et tabac. Bonne longueur en bouche
Review by Oliver
Very nice Agricole. Harmonious and tasty. I like!
Review by Eric Frechin
Rhum bien équilibré, on retrouve tous les marqueurs classiques des rhums agricoles Martiniquais comme le parfum de canne à sucre, le poivré , la vanille et ici il y a en plus des notes de boisé un peu toasté, du tabac et un leger chocolaté. Un rhum qui glisse plutôt bien
Review by Nicofr
Ce rhum HSE XO est très gourmand et très doux, l'alcool est très bien intégré. Il est facile à boire avec une douce saveur de vanille et un fond de caramel. Le seul bémol est la finale que je trouve trop courte.
Review by Jarek
Nach langer Zeit erneut verkostet, zusammen mit paar anderen Agricoles aus Martinique. Alle fast eine Stunde im Glas atmen lassen. Schöne Note von Kokosnuss, die sich komplett von Nase, über Gaumen, bis zum Abgang durchzieht. Liegt vielleicht an Tagesform oder längerem Entzug durch Dry January, aber auch hier korrigiere ich heute nach oben.
Review by Renato
The wood is very present, very round. Aging transforms this wood into musky, animal notes.
Review by Djehey
Goûté au rhum fest. Un rhum rond et équilibré. Une valeur sûre.
Review by Rhum Mirror 🇧🇪
Nez : cacao/banane mûre/compote de Mamy/café et tabac Bouche: sec sur des notes de café - tabac Finale : longue sur le boisé/toasté/cuir Perso je préfère la gourmandise du nez que le boisé/sec de la bouche sur ce standard des rhums agricoles. Un digne représentant des Rhums AOC de Martinique, une valeur sûre en soit ...
Review by Thunderbird
Ein Anfangs sperriger Rum, der aber so nach und nach sein volles Aroma entfaltet! Er hat einen leichten, zum Ende, torfigen Geschmack, der mich stark an einen Whisky erinnert! Für mich gelungen, aber nicht zu jedem Anlass
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Details about HSE Grande Reserve XO
A Rhum Agricole AOC from Martinique, distilled by Distillerie du Simon, at 43%.
Community purchases
484 bottles logged by 414 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
34% opened, 66 emptied and repurchased.
What does HSE Grande Reserve XO cost?
Community paid €32–€67.
Current best price: €62.00 – 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+ →
+8 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months.
484 purchased · 189 tasted · 150 wishlist · as of
About the Distillerie du Simon distillery
The Distillerie du Simon distillery is located in Martinique. Rums from Distillerie du Simon have been reviewed 4,970 times with an average of 8.0/10.
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Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
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