Isla del Ron 1988
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Sip this slow and neat — it needs time in the glass to open. Old Guyana with pencil-shavings and dark wood up front, then espresso, dried plum and raisin, a bit of leather and dark chocolate. Most tasters agree it's an Enmore, dry with a "nice bitterness" that stays in check. Alcohol sits well integrated. A long, creamy finish.
The community says- Espresso and dark wood
- Dried plum, raisin
- Keep in mind: Slightly musty for some
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Buying advice
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Yes, if you're after bold, mature, oaky rums for sipping neat.
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The look inside the bottle
How does Isla del Ron 1988 taste?
From community reviews · summarized with AI
Dry, woody old Guyana with espresso bitterness Most call it a lovely aged Demerara — wood, coffee and dried fruit, well-balanced. A couple find it slightly musty or a touch light and less complex than sibling 1988 bottlings.
Fans of dry, aged Demerara with wood and coffee
Anyone wanting sweet, easy sipping or who dislikes bitterness
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
12 of 17 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Which glass for which rum? The community guide ›
What does the community say?
17 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.
13 selected written reviews
The distribution above includes all 17 ratings, including those without text.
Review by Thunderbird
Most helpful positive review
I was really curious about this Guyana... and was not disappointed. The nose is initially quite an acquired taste. I perceive an aroma of Maggi/fermented fruits and slightly sour artichoke... On the palate it spreads wonderfully creamy with an initial sweetness that very quickly gives way to spicy/woody/espresso notes. Dark chocolate joins in. The alcohol is perfectly integrated. A bitter note is also definitely present. The finish continues in the same way! Top rum.
Review by Nico Köppe
Most helpful mixed review
Mmh, a very controversial bottling. To my knowledge it is Enmore, especially since different styles with their marks originated from the 1988 vintage. Throughout the tasting I was accompanied by a certain mustiness. The alcohol is not disturbing, yes it is good to feel the wood and then this dark color of the rum comes into play.... Whether all this was intended, one can probably only guess... Short summary... It is not my favorite from 1988, there were more pleasant candidates.
Review by Leo Krüper
Dry Enmore. But not overaged yet. Nice rum. Great chocolate notes and lots of dark wood. Fits perfectly into the pre-Christmas season.
Review by Serge
A very well-aged and tasty Versailles with the corresponding markers. The wood or bitterness is far less than you would think. Needs a while in the glass but then it becomes really great.
Review by Frank
Sitting again in the ICE, I use the time for a few samples. Here a wonderfully old, matured Guyana. The key data promise something very tasty: Nose: intense spicy-woody-fruity. Pleasant molasses-Maggi-licorice note. Also bitter orange, sour passion fruit or kiwi, gooseberry and cassis as well as cherry. Dried fruits like dried plum and raisin I also perceive. Plus great dark and malty roasted aromas with slight tobacco hints, also heading towards black tea. This must be an Enmore. Fantastic nose. 8.9 Palate: dark-malty-roasty, slightly burnt (but not as strong as old PMs), somewhat musty but not unpleasant. Bitter-salty at the start with pepper and nutmeg, followed by tobacco and roasted pecans. Mocha with a slight licorice note. Then again dried plum. Woody-molasses at the back. Very tasty. 8.7
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
31.07.2024 Enjoying some samples with Sönke on Black Tot Day. Nose Wood, light roasted, spice, faint coffee, light leather, dried fruit, light citrus, faint mint. Palate Light oily, wood, light tannins, light leather, light coffee, raisin, faint chocolate, light mint, medium dry, naturally sweet. Finish Long, medium dry, naturally sweet, light coffee, dried fruit, wood, light tannins, faint chocolate.
Review by cigares
A broad, woody nose, Enmore with graphite (pencil lead), dried fruits (prunes) and stewed fruits. A very balanced nose. A broad palate marked by wood with a bit of sawdust. Dried fruits, tropical fruits and very bitter caramel. A beautiful finish, long and broad.
Review by lukasdrinkinghabits
I tasted Isla del Ron 1988 MEC alongside Nobilis KFM 1991. Like the Nobilis, the IdR is clearly oxidized. On the nose I get notes of old wine or mulled wine with cinnamon and orange. Also wet wood, dried plum, leather. The palate is full of the typical old Demerara compote of dried plum, red fruits, raisin. Plus some spices from the wood, leather and dark chocolate. Very, very tasty but also a bit too light and not very complex. The finish continues the Demerara compote. The bitterness never takes over and the finish stays pleasant. A nice MEC, but not on the level of the great 1992 Vintage.
Review by Steffmaus🇩🇰
Finally time for a dram after a busy Birthday. Barreled at my birth-year so of course it had to be this one today 🥃 Heavy in the nose, where I got oak, sweetness and tropical fruits. Taste of fruits, tobacco, wood and a long ripeness in the aftertaste
Review by zabo
Randomly pulled blind from the endless samples. Seems like a very good pick. Overall the markers are nicely recognizable. Everything very well balanced with good complexity, as well as very well integrated alcohol.
Review by SaibotZtar
It comes very dark.... On the nose I have pencil, chocolate and blackcurrant, alcohol not really noticeable. Taste-wise nice light spicy sweetness with chocolate, blackcurrants and wood, a bit of coffee and raisins.
Review by Johnny Rumcask
Very nice Guyana, but it should be given a good amount of time to breathe. Wood, great espresso notes, bitter but still drinkable, spices, after some time also caramel notes. Alcohol is well integrated, long creamy finish.
Review by Alex Kunath
Auch wenn es nicht drauf steht, muss es Enmore sein.
This selection contains no written reviews in this rating range.
Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by The Dunder Hut
The first nose gives you all you need to know.. glorious pencil shavings yellow fruit and young wood. On the palate it has got a nice bitterness and spices. With wood and spices it finishes extremely long.
Isla del Ron 1988 at live auctions
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All live auctions ›Community shelf
5 bottles logged by 5 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
40% opened, 1 emptied.
What did the community pay for Isla del Ron 1988?
Avg. community purchase price 149 €.
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
5 purchased · 17 tasted · 1 wishlist · as of
Details about Isla del Ron 1988
A rum from Guyana, bottled by Isla del Ron, at 52,6%.
What do the letters on a Demerara label mean? The RumX guide ›
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