Appearance

The color of the El Dorado 21 Year is a beautiful, rich and aged dark mahogany.

Aroma

Decadently rich and buttery. Flavors of caramel chocolate candy, Christmas cake, ripe plums, banana bread, with a faint smokiness lingering on the back end.

Flavor

There’s a lot going on with the flavor profile. There’s sweetness, spice, minerals, smokiness, you name it and one of the major groupings of a quality rum is there. Perfectly sweetened dehydrated plums, ripened plum jam, a hint of black pepper, pistachios, dark berries, semi-sweet chocolate chips, kitchen baking spices and a very slight level of soft smokiness.

Balance

The balance is supreme in between the sweet, spicy and wood centered notes.

Finish

The finish is very good, showing nutmeg, ripe plums and fortified wine. It’s quite amazing how long these notes linger.

Overall

Drinking the El Dorado 21 Year throughout the last 6 years or so has given me a sense of knowing I’m in for a special treat. Every time I pour myself a glass, I’m surprised by how amazingly complex and nuanced the rum is. The only let down is the high price tag of $110 when compared against other dark rums. For instance, at half the cost, you can obtain the younger brother El Dorado 15 year old (which is amazing in itself). But for me, being in a world of dominantly whisk(e)y, spending low $100 for a quality dark rum such as this is every bit worth the money, and I will do it over and over again.

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

9.92

Cost/Point

$11.09

Scoring System

Personal Spirit Review: El Dorado 21 Year