VSOP Réserve Spéciale from the Depaz distillery is a very old rum that has been infused with the abundance of Mount Pelée, its spring waters and the radiant Caribbean sunshine. Its aromatic intensity also comes from seven years spent in oak barrels previously used for aging cognac and bourbon.
Depaz VSOP Réserve Spéciale has twice won the gold medal at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris, in 2009 and 2012.
Laurent's tasting notes
Its color is a light amber gold.
The nose is very lively and expressive. There's the vesou, wood and freshness characteristic of old agricultural rums. The whole is quite raw, finished with notes of sweet spices and vanilla.
On the palate, we find the same elements as on the nose, with a predominance of vesuvius and woodiness. Alcohol is present, but not overly so.
The finish is long and relatively dry. A vanilla woodiness dominates. A slight orange note appears in retro-olfaction.
Thomas Solinski
My second VSOP agricole, after tasting the Saint James. My impressions are those of a neophyte:
On the nose, it's initially greedy, with ripe, sweet fruit; then comes light wood, nut paste and leather, sweet spices, vanilla and light roasting (cocoa). The sweetness is gradually overtaken by wood, a few esters, and the fruitiness turns to apple-pear-raisin. The cane is ripe. The wood is present but mellow. The whole is very harmonious!
On the palate, it's quite dry; light wood on the attack, fresh, lively cane, nuts, gray pepper and cinnamon.
The finish is long, on fresh cane and rather damp wood.
I found the nose particularly successful, harmonious and classy. The palate is a little less rich and rather dry, but with an interesting balance between a fresh cane and wood that gradually moistens.
Sophie Vaillant
A little strong in alcohol at first taste, but otherwise very good.
amandine telliez
good rum.
Louison
A surprising rum: you can smell the cane but there's a very smoky side that recalls certain Irish whiskies ...