Aroma visualization from community tastings
Velier Arawaks Clairin Ansyen Vaval 39 Mois Julian Biondi (ex-sherry) 2017
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Most tasters land firmly in the fan camp, but a few think the sherry cask overwhelmed the raw Vaval clairin. Expect wood, herbs, sour cherry and a faint anise note over grassy cane spirit at a punchy 50.3%. Give it air — it comes across "rather pungent" straight from the bottle, then the sherry and cherry open up. A long, sticky finish is the highlight.
The community says- Very long finish
- Sherry-cherry note
- Keep in mind: Pungent when poured
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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 Velier Arawaks Clairin Ansyen Vaval 39 Mois Julian Biondi (ex-sherry) 2017 taste?
From community reviews · summarized with AI
Herbal Haitian clairin under a sherry cask Most love the cask-and-cane combo and its endless finish; a couple feel the ex-sherry barrel buried the vibrant unaged clairin underneath. Needs air to shine.
Clairin fans who like a sherry twist on grassy cane
People who want pure unaged clairin, or beginners
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
10 of 29 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Which glass for which rum? The community guide ›
What does the community say?
29 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.
11 selected written reviews
The distribution above includes all 29 ratings, including those without text.
Review by Dr.Django
Most helpful positive review
Great combination of funky Haiti-Clairin and sherry cask, with the finish clearly in the foreground here. These Clairins are just fun and very easy to drink. In my opinion, all these short cask maturations from the series are recommendable.
Review by Rob Balazs
Most helpful critical review
I think that the barrel takes more than it gives in this case. Definitely get the wood, which is nice, but the vibrancy of the unaged Vaval is significantly diminished.
Review by Mirko Frosini 🇮🇪
Great rum! Marked sherry and grape aromas with woody notes. I initially underestimated it then began to appreciate it. In my opinion the former sherry cask affected the rum too much, a bit like what happens with former whiskey casks.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
This rum needs to rest for a while because it is rather pungent once in the glass. One of a kind in my mind in the flavour profile and a very, very long finish. The flavours just stick to your palate for a very long time.
Review by Richard Krupa
Menthol and shaken, disappointing for me
Review by Johannes
Wow, I am thrilled! The sherry finish is more noticeable with a sweet cherry. Something different for a change!
Review by F.L.O.
Update after 3 years. Clairin has meanwhile become my favorite style. Vaval therefore plays a big role. This one here is absolutely superb. Alcohol perfectly integrated. Slightly creamy, woody, mature and full-bodied! Almost can't get better.
Review by Rumclub Latvia
Amazing experience
Review by antonino fedele
Another guarantee in the wide range signed Velier. Clairin is art in the form of sugarcane distillate, the long fermentations with indigenous yeasts and ancestral methods give this product barrel notes accompanied by a nice alcohol content. On the palate, notes of licorice, herbs, toasted, spicy and round that offer a truly interesting drink. A nice vegetal finish with medium/long duration. I love distilled and bottled Clairins but this Arawaks aged 39 months is truly something spectacular. Highly recommended for lovers of this style!
Review by Kedyns1
Needs air, when the alcohol has evaporated a bit the sherry note comes out much more.
Review by Olimpia1936
For me the best Clairin Ansyen in the series, clear that the wood and sherry do their job, but what a great ending, it never ends!
This selection contains no written reviews in this rating range.
Velier Arawaks Clairin Ansyen Vaval 39 Mois Julian Biondi (ex-sherry) 2017 at live auctions
A bid is not a final price: the house sets the buyer's premium, shipping and any customs duty.
All live auctions ›Community shelf
28 bottles logged by 20 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
42% opened, 8 emptied.
What did the community pay for Velier Arawaks Clairin Ansyen Vaval 39 Mois Julian Biondi (ex-sherry) 2017?
Community paid 52–79 €.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 79 €. Full price & collection history in RX+ ›
28 purchased · 29 tasted · 17 wishlist · as of
Details about Velier Arawaks Clairin Ansyen Vaval 39 Mois Julian Biondi (ex-sherry) 2017
A Clairin from Haiti, bottled by Velier, at 50,3%.
About the Arawaks distillery
The Arawaks distillery is located in Haiti. Rums from Arawaks have been reviewed 549 times with an average of 8.0/10.
To Arawaks ›Read on in the RumX Guide
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