Aroma visualization from community tastings
Holmes Cay Savanna Réunion Island Grand Arôme Rum No. 3 2023
Most tasters land on "wildly interesting" rather than easy — this is olive brine, nail polish remover and salty herbs from the first sniff, and it barely reads like rum. One reviewer calls it "a dirty martini in a bottle" with a lemon twist. Behind the acetone there's overripe tropical fruit, mint and a metallic, sour edge. At 57.5% it's loud, savory and completely singular.
The community says- Olive-brine funk
- Loud and unique
- But: Very savory
View price history
10 more payment methodsShopping safely on RumX Returns & cancellation
- Secure payment. You pay via RumX with PayPal, Klarna or card. Your payment data is encrypted and we never store your full card details.
- Clear seller. Sold and shipped directly by the partner shop. And you're never on your own: RumX handles support and communication with the shop, so you always get excellent service, whichever shop you order from.
- Honest shop ratings. The stars show your service experience with the shop, not the rum score. They come from RumX users, and critical ones stay visible.
- Returns & cancellation. Your purchase contract is with the shop, so returns and cancellations run through them under their own policy and your statutory rights. If anything goes wrong, RumX helps you sort it out.
The look inside the bottle
How does Holmes Cay Savanna Réunion Island Grand Arôme Rum No. 3 2023 taste?
Aggregated from 34 community reviews.
Savory olive-brine funk, more curiosity than sipper Members agree it's a fascinating, one-of-a-kind pour that stretches what rum can be — the caveat being those olive-brine and acetone notes are savory enough to lose some drinkers.
funk chasers who want the strange stuff
anyone wanting a sweet, easy sipper
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
13 of 34 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Recommendation
Your next rum
One difference each to this rum.
How is Holmes Cay Savanna Réunion Island Grand Arôme Rum No. 3 2023 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.9 sits in the “Good” band. 82% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 2% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
47% rate it 8 or higher. 10 selected write-ups from 34 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Doctor Luke
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.
Review by Beancheese
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+
Review by Rob Balazs
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
Review by Ian Gilman
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.
Review by Martin Ekrt
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.
Review by Tomáš Jankovský
Velmi voňavý funky rum se zajímavou chutí a vůní. Příjemný na chuť.
Review by RumCzar
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.
Review by Kieron Wood
Rumfest 2023 tasting so notes were brief One of the best samples at the event
Review by Benjamin Campbell
Enjoyed with Eric at ORS event. Truly spectacular.
Review by Richard Colwell
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.
No reviews match this filter.
Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by The Auditor Reviews
Read full review →
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
Avg. community purchase price 48 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about Holmes Cay Savanna Réunion Island Grand Arôme Rum No. 3 2023
A White Rum from Reunion, bottled by Holmes Cay, at 57,5%.
Community purchases
36 bottles logged by 34 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
33% opened, 2 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Holmes Cay Savanna Réunion Island Grand Arôme Rum No. 3 2023?
Community paid 42–74 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
36 purchased · 34 tasted · 11 wishlist · as of
About the Savanna distillery
The Savanna distillery is located in Reunion. Rums from Savanna have been reviewed 8,349 times with an average of 8.3/10.
To Savanna →Read on in the RumX Guide
You may also enjoy
Rum enthusiasts who like this rum have also given the following rums high ratings:
Le Galion S.B.S French Antilles Grand Arome (Single Origin Rum) Grand Arôme 2021
Le Galion S.B.S French Antilles Grand Arome (Single Origin Rum) Grand Arôme 2021Wild olive-brine white rum, great in daiquiris
J. Wray & Nephew LTD. Appleton White Overproof
J. Wray & Nephew LTD. Appleton White OverproofFruity, funky Jamaican overproof mixer
La Maison & Velier Equalikor S.A. El Amparo Rum Carlos Baque Zorrilla
La Maison & Velier Equalikor S.A. El Amparo Rum Carlos Baque ZorrillaGrassy clairin-style cane rum, born for daiquiris
Velier Providence Haitian Rum Blanc „Dunder & Syrup“ 2021
Velier Providence Haitian Rum Blanc „Dunder & Syrup“ 2021Oily, funky Haitian blanc, best in a daiquiri
Velier Distillerie Bethel Romelus Clairin Le Rocher 2019
Velier Distillerie Bethel Romelus Clairin Le Rocher 2019Savory, smoky Haitian clairin, olives and bacon
Savanna 2022 Limited Edition HERR
Savanna 2022 Limited Edition HERRFruity, briny ester bomb from Savanna
Never miss a price drop.
Set a target price in the app, and we'll let you know as soon as the rum becomes available at that price from one of our partner stores. This works for any rum on your wish list.
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.
What began as my digital tasting diary is now the world's most comprehensive platform for rum fans, today carried by a small team with Jakob, Lukas and Katharina, with Robert supporting us as a freelancer. We combine the collective intelligence of our community with an integrated marketplace, so you can choose with confidence, without paperwork, detours, or expert jargon.
Oliver, Stuttgart
About RumX →YouTube channel (in German)
