Aroma visualization from community tastings
Berry Bros & Rudd Versailles Finest Demerara Rum 1985
Anyone chasing the old Versailles wooden-pot-still profile will feel at home here. Think dry oak, pencil shavings, herbs and a farmy-mineral edge, with prunes and molasses giving a hint of sweetness. One taster called it "pure VSG essence," and that's fair — distillate-driven, no cask makeup. A few find the palate a touch too woody, but most call it beautifully balanced.
The community says- Balanced aromas
- Oily mouthfeel
- But: Can read too woody
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The look inside the bottle
How does Berry Bros & Rudd Versailles Finest Demerara Rum 1985 taste?
Aggregated from 18 community reviews.
Dry, woody old Versailles Demerara Old-Demerara lovers rate this highly — dry, oily and full despite only 46%. The main quibble: a couple find the palate leans a little too heavily on wood.
Fans of old, dry, distillate-driven Demerara from the wooden pot stills
Anyone wanting a sweet, soft or fruit-forward rum
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
6 of 18 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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Highlights from the community
How is Berry Bros & Rudd Versailles Finest Demerara Rum 1985 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.7 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?
6% rate it between 6 and 8. 10 selected write-ups from 18 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by zabo
Genauso stelle ich ihn mir vor und genauso schmeckt er auch. Trotz des geringen ABV ist er denoch genial und braucht auch wirklich mehr wumms. Rundum ein sehr gelungener Tropfen, von dem ich sehr gerne eine Flasche besitzen würde.
Review by Galli33
Ein sehr sehr guter Vertreter der alten Demerara 😍 Dieser hier hat ein Profil das mir sehr gut gefällt. Die 46% sind nicht zu flach, ganz im Gegenteil passen perfekt zu diesem sehr runden, komplexen Rum.
Review by Thunderbird
GRF13: Stand Catawiki: Emilé hatte mal wieder ein paar schöne alte Rum dabei. Dieser Demerara hat mich dabei am meisten überzeugt. Er bringt herrlich ausbalancierte Aromen mit, die sich mit dem perfekt integrierten Alkohol angenehm verteilen. Schön, dass man so etwas noch probieren kann
Review by cigares
Un rhum dégusté au GRF en 2024. Un nez classique de vieux Demerara, avec du vieux bois vernis, des fruits secs mais aussi un côté végétal, herbes sèches. La bouche est très boisée avec des fruits compotés, des pruneaux et de la mélasse qui donne un léger sucré. Malgré le bois une bouche équilibrée. La finale est longue, sur le bois et un côté thé très infusé. Je sens comme un côté Porto tout à la fin. Le nez est ici envoûtant, la bouche un petit peu trop boisée à mon goût. Malgré tout un très beau rhum où les arômes s’équilibrent.
Review by Jakob
VSG-Essenz, satte Mineralik, Bleistiftspähne, Holz, Bergamotte-Zitrusnoten, dezente Gewürze, erdig-pflanzliche Töne…eine exzellent ausgewogene Aromatik, die richtig Freude macht. Hervorragend.
Review by Benoit Mahe
The nose is a little full-bodied. The mouthfeel is very pleasant, especially at this alcohol level. The profile is not my favorite, but I must admit that it's a very good spirit.
Review by DomM
Pure VSG essence
Review by Alex1981
Whisky Fair 2023 tasting. Typical Versailles profile with herbal/farmy/woody notes. Still powerful for the old age with a medium long finish. Oily mouthfeel with strong notes. Really enjoyable and distillate driven without any cask influence to distract.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
05.03.2016 Finally back in Kolding again after some years at Messe C in Fredericia. Much easier to get home when it's within walking distance. Had my good friend from Singapore visit for a month and that ended up in a lot of tasting 😊 Notes: Nose: wood, light smoke, orange, raisin, licorice. Palate : oily, wood, light smoke, orange, plum,licorice. Finish: medium to long, plum, herbs, licorice, light chocolate.
Review by Leo Krüper
Alter Stil. Hintenraus etwas Bleistifte. Erinnert an 90er MEV.
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Expert reviews
2 critics scored it, averaging 8.9/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Single Cask Rum
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Expert review by The Dunder Hut
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Details about Berry Bros & Rudd Versailles Finest Demerara Rum 1985
A Pot Still Rum from Guyana, bottled by Berry Bros & Rudd, at 46%.
What do the letters on a Demerara label mean? The RumX guide →
About the Versailles distillery
The Versailles distillery is located in Guyana. Rums from Versailles have been reviewed 690 times with an average of 8.4/10.
To Versailles →You may also enjoy
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The Duchess Caroni Nautilus 1991
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Valinch & Mallet Diamond Single Cask 2001
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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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