Swell de Spirits Isautier Wild Nature Series 2011 13yr 59,4%

"A great rum in my eyes. I love the Velier Isautiers and this one goes in exactly the same direction. Hardly any grassy agricole notes, more a hybrid of molasses and sugar cane juice. The cognac cask comes out positively and provides the sweetness. For me, this is one of the top bottlings from Swell."

"Parallelverkostung RX19571 und RX20906 Nehmen sich beide nicht viel und beide nicht überragend. Kommen nach meinem Eindruck nicht an den Klassiker von Velier (RX10631) ran. Wenn ich mich entscheiden müsste, hätte der Le Gus't die Nase vorn, weil der Alkohol besser eingebunden ist als beim Swell und er auch etwas mehr nach Holz und Cognac schmeckt, wofür ich immer zu haben bin."

"Significantly fruitier and more intense than the Isautier from Velier. Great exotic profile with a lovely sweetness!"

"Isautier once again demonstrates its emergence among the great names with this particularly well-selected cuvée. The nose is greedy, pastry-like and caramelized (toffee), accompanied by dried fruits (dates) and exotic fruits (coconut), lots of spice and a woodiness that blends with the influence of cognac. Well-crafted, elegant and very pleasant. The attack on the palate confirms the impressions of the nose. The cognac cask has had its effect, bringing many spices that jostle on the palate and add a dry edge. The sweetness comes on pastry notes, honey and fruit, notably walnut and coconut. The whole is very homogeneous and well controlled, with character and finesse. The alcohol is very well integrated. The finish is long, intensely dry, with a long, tannic, bitter woodiness and spicy oak. Dried apricots and aromatic herbs are also discernible. Isautier has pulled off a fine operation with a cuvée that gives value for money, while at the same time moving upmarket and gaining public recognition."

"Wie sooft bei Isautier scheiden sich auch bei dieser Anfüllung die Geister. Ich bin diesmal wie sooft auf der Seite pro Isautier. Ein weiterer toller Rum, tolle Balance zwischen Früchten aller Art, frischem Holz und Gras. Am Gaumen sehr trocken, begleitet von dunkler Schokolade getrockneten Früchten. Sehr lecker, gerne mehr davon."

"Encore un superbe Isautier ! Cette distillerie est vraiment en train de réaliser un superbe travail et pour avoir eu la chance de goûter quelques samples issus de leurs chais, ça ne va faire que continuer. Cette bouteille est très agréable. Un nez superbement boisé avec un côté pâtissier apporté par de la vanille et du caramel. Des épices également. C'est complexe et évolutif à souhait. La bouche est d'abord très sèche et piquante avant que ne se développent des notes fruitées et pâtissières. Des épices toujours. Une belle longueur avec du tabac, du cuir et des fruits compotés en fin de bouche. Très joli rhum."

"A very successful bottling from Isautier that knows how to please! A beautiful, pleasant sweet and sour fruit aroma accompanies you from the nose to the finish. Spicy and slightly bitter aromas are added on the palate. The alcohol is not perfect, but just about well integrated. A harmonious whole."

"Lots of bourbon barrel and roasted nuts on the nose, plus gingerbread spice, dried fruit and dark chocolate. The taste is much drier than expected, bitter, woody and roasted. Also somewhat reminiscent of camomile tea, plus gingerbread confectionery, dark roasted nuts and tannins. Overall, the alcohol could be a little better integrated and for me personally there are too many bitter roasted aromas and tannins in the finish... Blindly, I would suspect an overproof bourbon with a high rye content rather than a rum from Reunion!"

"The first sip says: put me on the shelf and make sure you try me again in winter. Gingerbread, pepper, a pronounced spiciness and rather dry apricot and redcurrant, making me wish for the first frost. The taste is very broad, perhaps lacking a little depth, but simply a great rum, which already tastes very good in summer, how should it be in winter?"

"A very fine agricole from Reunion that has absolutely nothing to envy of the rums from the French West Indies, so gourmand and well-made is it. Another superb product from Isautier, which confirms its move up the range with brut de fûts, and as always, a barrel carefully selected by Swell de Spirits. A superb release."

"Should be an Agricole. Rather young, grassy taste. Has nothing to do with the tropical Velier."

"In direct comparison to the Velier Isautier Agricole, the Abfplkung loses out, but still a great bottling from Swell . Subtle grassy notes. Lots of spicy notes, fruitier (apricot) and sweeter than the Velier bottling. The alcohol could be a little better integrated."

"After I had the Isautier from Velier in my glass yesterday, today the Isautier from Swell due to the bottle sharing. A great agricole that definitely shows the ageing in an old cognac barrel. I like that. Much spicier than the Velier, which was more floral on the nose. I also like the slightly roasted note. Much spicier on the palate than the Velier, with lots of cardamom. The alcohol is a little better integrated than in the Velier, but also almost 6% less, maybe that's why. I'm slowly getting a taste for Agricole."

"Schöne dunkle Noten, etwas Kaffee, Gewürze und Holz. Mit längerer Standzeit ist der Alkohol dann auch gut eingebunden. Das Ganze wirkt rund und harmonisch und damit schon etwas langweilig. Der Rum ist gut trinkbar, hinterlässt aber keinen bleibenden Eindruck."

"Notes taken at Rhum Fest 2024, Quick notes and a bit heavy palate, sorry :) Here we have: beautiful fruit, gingerbread, a little varnished wood A rum: in cognac casks, well marked Finish: long and super-satisfying. Clearly a bottle I could buy VS a Savanna 8+, for example."