Holmes Cay Savanna Réunion Island Grand Arôme Rum No. 3 2023

"What a wild ride this rum is. Right away the nose hit me with olive brine and nail polish remover, so much so that I almost couldn’t get past it. I could try to find other notes hiding behind there but it was just so overwhelmingly true to those two items that it felt like I was ‘trying’ to find something more. Both of these notes hold true and dominate on the palate as well, although this funky rum has a bit more going on. Behind the salty olive brine and acetone there was also permanent marker, a bit of something peaty or smoky, some mild licorice like spice. This was a wildly interesting way to sample my first rum from Reunion but I would never catch myself drinking this as a regular sipper. I think an imaginative mixer could make great use of this in a cocktail however and it is perfect for nerding out. I will score it 6.5 because it’s just not my palate if I was looking for something to enjoy sipping - but it’s so curious and fun that the ‘experience’ of trying it could be 8+"

"A very wild scent, I'd guess some Haitian Clairin. Olives at first, meaty saltiness, later downright herbal schnapps. Taste-wise, it's wild, too. Full of herbs and vegetable elements, saltiness. Very interesting stuff for lovers of weirdness."

"Velmi voňavý funky rum se zajímavou chutí a vůní. Příjemný na chuť."

"My second Grand Arôme (after the Aficionados Le Galion) and my first taste of Savanna. I do prefer the meatier profile and finish of the Le Galion to the cough syrup-y notes of the Savanna. I love the intensity and that you can smell this bottle across the room, but upon revisiting this bottle, the medicinal and industrial notes are overwhelming. I like when those flavors compliment something else but aren’t the focal point. Not a bad price point but doesn’t compare to La Galion."

"This rum was a huge disappointment. I heard great things about the Grand Arome, and I thought it would compare favorably to Jamaica hogo, but the Grand Arome is way to savory for me. It's flavor reminds me of hot dogs and pickles and witch hazel. That's not a flavor I want from my rum. Sorry folks! I won't rebuy."

"A beautiful rum, one of the most beautiful and unique bottles in the US market. Incredibly loud olives and brine - almost a dirty martini in a bottle, but with a lemon twist. Indeed I've gone through two of these bottles by having it made into a martini by skilled bartenders. Yes, a rum martini. But this is the one you can do it with without being completely insane. It expands your imagination as to what rum can be."

"Strong nose with notes of olive, brine, solvents, varnish, leaning in the sour direction. The palate is similar to the nose with mild sweetness and intense chemical notes and sourness. Finish is lasting, towards a metallic aftertaste. Definitely an opinionated, interesting rum, but not for everyone."

"So nice to see a Grand Arôme in the states! Nose is fruity, tropical, with a funky, nutty(?) note that is hard to place. Palate is full of overripe tropical fruit, and fleeting mint or menthol? I could very much see adding this to a Jamaican rum for a Mai Tai"

"Enjoyed with Eric at ORS event. Truly spectacular."

"Rumfest 2023 tasting so notes were brief One of the best samples at the event"