Aroma visualization from community tastings
Saint James 12 Ans Reservée Privée
Sipped neat, this is a wood-forward aged agricole: prunes and dried yellow fruit on the nose, then pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and a toasted, leathery core. Several tasters find it smooth and well-balanced, but a few say the oak flattens the fruit and, at 43%, it can read a touch thin. One member simply called it the "first Saint James that is not sour."
The community says- Balanced and round
- Prune and spice
- But: Wood can dominate
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The look inside the bottle
How does Saint James 12 Ans Reservée Privée taste?
Aggregated from 88 community reviews.
Woody, spiced aged agricole with prune notes Most find it round, spicy and pleasant with prune and dried fruit, though some wish it had more depth and body — the wood and tannin can dominate.
Fans of woody, spiced aged agricole
Anyone wanting a bold, full-bodied pour
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
36 of 88 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Recommendation
Your next rum
One difference each to this rum.
Rated better
J. Bally Art Déco #2
8.5/10116 €
More intense
Saint James 15 Ans
8.1/1078 €
Similar rating, cheaper
Saint James Cuvée 1765
7.5/1042 €First choice: 29 of 29 tasters who tried both prefer it.
How is Saint James 12 Ans Reservée Privée rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.7 sits in the “Good” band. 81% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 2% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
59% rate it between 6 and 8. 19 selected write-ups from 88 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Jarek
Nach langer Zeit erneut verkostet, zusammen mit paar anderen Agricoles aus Martinique. Alle fast eine Stunde im Glas atmen lassen. Etwas mehr Alkohol täte hier sehr gut, aber ich muss meine Bewertung etwas nach oben korrigieren. Schöne Nase und am am Gaumen lecker, auch wenn etwas zu dünn.
Review by LukaŽiga
8,1:On the nose, well, a juicy, tangy maracuja. The spices are peppery, there are pink berries and coriander seeds, a burnt edge, quince paste, and acidic fruitiness. The sugar cane is juicy and vibrant. Aeration brings out plum with dark berries as blueberry and blackcurrant. Some tannins also come through, then we go towards to a more vanilla-like woodiness. After a nice rest, brandy and prunes could be noticed... Complex and quite balanced. 8,4:On the palate it is soft, tempting. There is honey and prune, juicy and mineral sugarcane. The sensation is mellow and a bit tannic. There are some spices as pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon, lime peel joins in the end, rounding up the palate. 8,4:The finish is tasty, with dried fruits, wood, lime peel, juicy cane, pepper..
Review by Tupiaz
Very very smooth. Very pleasent and easy drinking. For my taste all most to easy. I woild have like a bit more depth and nuances. I think Saint James XO has more to offer in this direction. I find the after taste to be relatively short in the sense it doesn't develop a lot.
Review by TheRhumhoe
A rather surprising Saint James, especially for a permanent range rum. The nose is fruity, carried away by prunes, yellow fruit and dried apricots, before being overtaken by a touch of sugarcane, refined wood, spices, leather and coffee. A very pretty nose on olfaction. The attack on the palate is delicate. There's a fine balance between woody, spicy flavors on the one hand, and more chocolatey, toasty and fruity notes on the other. Leather adds a slight bitterness to the profile. A pleasant, round rum. The finish, of medium length, returns to the dark tones typical of Saint James, tobacco and prunes. The finish is dry and bitter, but well integrated with the elegance of the profile. A very good cuvée, offering the perfect compromise between flavor, complexity and affordability.
Review by BnBrt
Très bon rapport qualité prix a mes yeux, très agréable et une bonne pioche pour faire découvrir aux moins connaisseurs. Un bon rhum agricole facile, le nez est attrayant sur la canne, un attaque agréable avec du boisé et un côté toasté. Finale courte sur le fruit confit.
Review by Eric Frechin
It's not exceptional, but it's not bad either. I don't find it easy to drink, only 43° and the alcohol is quite present. A little too woody/tannic for my taste, which prevents it from gaining roundness. Lovers of woody agriculture will like it.
Review by Kieron Wood
11 year old rum Agricole from Martinique's St James distillery, matured in small oak casks. Nosing Grassy, petrol, nail varnish, aniseed Tasting Olives ,grass , typical Agricole notes , pepper ,cardamom Delicious representation of an aged Agricole....
Review by Fasen
Une belle structure un rhum élégant . Malheureusement trop léger pour moi...
Review by zabo
Ein Standard Saint James, leider nicht ausgewöhnliches. Aber für den Preis durchaus ein angenehmer Sipper. Trifft nur leider nicht so meinen Geschmack. Für den Preis kann man ihn aber durchaus mal mitnehmen, wenn man das Profil mag.
Review by Korkennase🥃
Die Nase ist einladend mit Frucht, Gewürzen und etwas Süße. Der Geschmack ist eher trocken und wird durch die Gewürze dominiert. Der Abgang wird von einer angenehmen Schärfe und Bitterstoffen begleitet. Eher was für Kenner.
Review by Christian Rudt
In der schönen ausgewogenen Nase Pflaume und schöne gelbe Früchte, am Gaumen eher Zitrusfrucht aber dominiert von nussigen und holzigen Noten, die dann auch bleiben etwas Tabak und eine nicht unangenehme Bitterkeit gesellen sich hinzu.
Review by TheJackDrop
"Plus complexe mais sans longueur ou presque dommage à ce prix En resume, mes notes de degutation : Au nez : Boisé, Cuir En bouche : Boisé, Cuir, Tabac La finale plutot orientee vers : Boisé, Tabac, Épicé"
Review by Stefan Persson
Tested it together with the 15yo, and I think this is the better one because it’s smoother and more balanced. The nose is woody, fruity and vegetal. At the palate it’s fruity, round and balanced with flavors of oak, grass and vanilla.
Review by Tim
Round and smooth agricole with lots of caramel sweetness. A mixture of fruit, wood, chocolate and peppery spice. Floral notes are more in the background. Very pleasant with delicious aromas despite its spiciness.
Review by Jean Louisss
A nose that hints at beautiful fruit with a certain lightness and good spice. On the palate, however, the wood overwhelms most of the other aromas and there's not much else to be felt. That's a shame.
Review by Cyril Caussinus
Bien équilibré. Des notes de fruits confits et d'épices. Très rond.
Review by Richard Krupa
dřevo, švestky a spousta koření, které blíže nespecifikuju. Z koření to lehce přehází až do květinova. Dnes výhra
Review by Renato
Un nez de fruits mûrs. Une bouche très boisée et toastée. Une finale qui ajoute du végétal.
Review by Pavel Spacek
First Saint James that is not sour!
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Expert reviews
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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Market value
Avg. community purchase price 56 €
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 Saint James 12 Ans Reservée Privée
A Rhum Agricole from Martinique, distilled by Saint James, at 43%.
Community purchases
173 bottles logged by 163 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
35% opened, 27 emptied and repurchased.
What does Saint James 12 Ans Reservée Privée cost?
Community paid 36–69 €.
Current best price: 60.90 € – 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+ →
173 purchased · 92 tasted · 50 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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