Aroma visualization from community tastings
LMDW Saint James J. Bally Millésime 1998
Woody, spicy and deep, with sour cherry, dried fruit, tobacco, coffee and licorice, plus a streak of glue and varnish that fans of this profile love. Aged 17 years tropically at cask strength, yet the 59.1% sits beautifully integrated. Several tasters call it one of the best Bally vintages, though a few prefer the slightly edgier, more bitter 1999.
The community says- Alcohol perfectly integrated
- Deep, complex profile
- Long finish
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The look inside the bottle
How does LMDW Saint James J. Bally Millésime 1998 taste?
Aggregated from 50 community reviews.
Deep, spicy old agricole for sipping Loved almost across the board as a rich, complex old agricole — cherry, tobacco, coffee, wood — with heat that vanishes into the glass. The main debate is just whether the 1999 edges it out.
Agricole fans who like aged, spicy, cask-strength sippers
Newcomers or anyone wanting a soft, mild pour
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
22 of 50 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is LMDW Saint James J. Bally Millésime 1998 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 9.0 sits in the “Excellent” band. 98% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 2% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Community voices
What does the community say?
4% rate it between 6 and 8. 13 selected write-ups from 50 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Oliver
One of the best rums from Martinique!
Review by Jakob
The nose initially reveals one of the most intense notes of varnish and polish that I have ever experienced in a rum. This is gradually followed by fresh fruit notes with cocoa and nutmeg, paired with wood and roasted notes. Slightly milder and more balanced than the 99 Brut de Fut.
Review by DomM
Intense and rich on the nose with some glue adding to the JB profile. Dried fruits as well as cherries alongside vanilla and cinnamon. On the palate: brilliant showing of the JB profile. The high ABV is perfectly integrated and provides additional depth and a very long finish.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
Another lovely rum, fresh and woody with spices and dried fruit. There is a light floral note in the background. Medium dry with chocolate, tobacco and coffee. Would have loved one of these in my collection.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Ein absolutes Gedicht und ohne Frage einer der besten Agricoles die jemals gemacht wurden. Göttertrunk! Intensive Fass Aromen treffen auf die Bally typischen Aromen von Sauerkirsche, rote und gelbe Früchte, Zimt, Kaffee, schwarz Pfeffer, dunkle Zartbitterschokolade, Vanille und Tabak. Schwer, intensiv, leicht adstringierend, hoch-komplex und extrem lecker. Der Abgang ist sehr lang und der Alkohol top integriert. Hier würde ich echt gerne Mal ein Cross-Tasting mit den anderen Bally BdF vintages machen... Auf jeden Fall auf Augenhöhe mit dem ebenfalls fantastischen 1999! Wobei der 1999 nochmal eine Spur spannender ist.
Review by Johannes
Alcohol very well integrated, complex, balanced - great!
Review by Lawich Lowaine
Comparative tasting with the 1999. This one is finer, fresher and more complex, I'd say. The aromas tend towards yellow fruit on the nose. Also excellent. Simply exceptional bally.
Review by Émile Shevek
Al naso è stupendamente ricco e intenso di legno verniciato e frutti rossi, poi vaniglia, cioccolato, spezie calde e un po' di tabacco. A volte si percepisce anche una lieve nota di pelle/tostata molto leggera. Anche al palato mantiene i frutti rossi, il legno in una straordinaria corposità, poi albicocche secche dolci, tabacco, vaniglia e un poco di pepe nero. Il finale è bello lungo, persistente, appiccicoso, rotondo e ti coccola la bocca. Nel bicchiere vuoto pelle e legno. Una perla complessa e profonda, tra i migliori Bally in assoluto
Review by Serge
Absolute Granate. Wunderbares Profil, bei dem beben Holz, Vanille, Leder, Tabak, Lakritze, Rosine auch wundervoll etwas Klebstoff mitschwingt. Ein absolutes Brett und ein wahres Erlebniss in Mund und Nase.
Review by zabo
Was ein epischer Abend mit einem Flight nach dem Anderen, die unbeschreiblich waren. Ich erspare mir jeglichen einzelnen Kommentar dazu, weil mir teilweise die Worte fehlen. Vielen Dank an Jakob. Summasummarum waren alle ausgezeichnet wie man an den Bewertungen sieht und unterscheiden sich nur in Nuancen. Alles oberstes Level 🤤😋
Review by Simon Leroux
Très beau rhum, très complexe, dur à lire, mais ample et très bien fait.
Review by Piotr Ignasiak
Cross tasting with 99 and 06. While I enjoyed all, and seems agricole was a right call for today, I think this one is the winner. More delicate and finer then the other two, especially appreciate lighter, fresher and more fruit forward profile balanced by the darker, spicier barrel notes. I was looking a long time for a bottle of 99, but might need to do the same now with the 98.
Review by Buddudharma
Wunderbarer alter Agricole. Für mich einen Hauch vor dem 1999er, der mir schon etwas zu bitter ist. Hier gibt es etwas mehr Balance, dazu einen toll integrierten Alkohol und einen langen Abgang. Vorzüglich!
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Details about LMDW Saint James J. Bally Millésime 1998
A Rhum Agricole from Martinique, bottled by LMDW, at 59,1%.
Community purchases
59 bottles logged by 40 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
6% opened, 2 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for LMDW Saint James J. Bally Millésime 1998?
Community paid 177–418 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
59 purchased · 50 tasted · 63 wishlist · as of
About the Saint James distillery
The Saint James distillery is located in Martinique. Rums from Saint James have been reviewed 4,748 times with an average of 8.1/10.
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Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
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