HSE Grande Réserve XO is an exceptional rum in many ways.
It is a blend of Habitation Saint-Étienne's finest reserves, aged for six to eight years in oak casks. To this precious composition is then added a small portion of the Grande Réserve from 1960, giving the rum incomparable elegance and assertive character.
Mild and charming, Grande Réserve XO from the HSE distillery won three medals at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris, including two golds.
Laurent's tasting notes
Its color is a deep, brilliant amber.
On the nose, there's a lot of greediness, well balanced by the relative strength of this rum. As is often the case with HSE, the influence of the cask is evident in the form of "fresh white" wood. Then come aromas of orange, pepper, fig and vanilla. The whole is very harmonious. After opening, sandalwood and tobacco aromas appear.
On the palate, the attack is relatively soft, and the alcohol then develops. Wood, vanilla and spices share the limelight.
The finish is long, with intense roasted notes. A gentle woodiness also develops alongside vanilla. The finish has three stages: cocoa, sweetness (almost creamy), then a slight tannic edge and tobacco.
