Aroma visualization from community tastings
HSE Grande Reserve XO
Sipped neat or paired with a cigar is where this Martinique agricole makes sense. Expect a wood-forward XO: oak, vanilla, nutmeg, tobacco, roasted coffee and a bit of dried fruit, with the 43% tucked in well. Several tasters call it a reliable everyday agricole; a few find the wood too dominant and the body a touch thin.
The community says- Well-integrated alcohol
- Tobacco and coffee notes
- But: Very woody
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The look inside the bottle
How does HSE Grande Reserve XO taste?
Aggregated from 180 community reviews.
Dry, wood-driven Martinique agricole Most call it a well-balanced, wood-and-tobacco agricole that works neat or with a cigar. The catch: it leans dry and oak-heavy, and some find it thin or too young.
People who like dry, oak-forward agricole and cigar pairings
Fans of sweet, molasses-driven rum or delicate profiles
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
57 of 180 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Recommendation
Your next rum
One difference each to this rum.
Rated better
HSE Single Cask (MEB 2022) 2006
8.5/10125 €
Milder
Clément Vieux 15 ans
8.1/10120 €
Similar rating, cheaper
Clément Single batch (Chauffe extrême)
7.7/1045 €First choice: 19 of 21 tasters who tried both prefer it.
How is HSE Grande Reserve XO rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.0 sits in the “Very good” band. 89% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 1% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
65% rate it 8 or higher. 43 selected write-ups from 180 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Galli33
Most helpful positive review
This is a super delicious Agricole from the start to the finish! The Alcohol and wood is integrated very well. This is a good rum to pair with a cigar! I use this always as a agricole starter in a tasting for beginners and advanced drinkers.
Review by zabo
Most helpful mixed review
Another very fine rum, but unfortunately only good. Edit: After another tasting, the rating remains the same. Solid, delivers what it is made for. But unfortunately nothing more. I definitely wouldn't need a bottle.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
18.11.2023 Yet another retasting and I still like the profile. --------------------- Retasting at the German Rum Fest and I still like it. ----- We had a go at several HSE today and I'm a bit tipsy from it.
Review by Oliver
Very nice Agricole. Harmonious and tasty. I like!
Review by Jean Louisss
The nose is round with woody notes but also a buttered and caramelized side quite present which gives a rather soft whole. On the other hand the mouth is very toasted, very animal and brings us on a much darker register with this oak present all along. The final confirms once again that the wood is present with rather dry notes. This rum is globally pleasant to taste but it remains rather simple.
Review by TheRhumhoe
A well-crafted HSE that focuses on a particularly dark, roasted profile, including tobacco, roasted nuts, coffee, chocolate, spice, oak, roasted notes and a hint of leather. More fruity and floral aromas are felt in the background, broadening the aromatic spectrum. The attack in mouth is quite greedy and pleasant, very concentrated on the empyreumatic aromas, with also woody notes and dried fruits. The finish is long, dry but just as elegant and drinkable. A nice XO profile and a nice standard for the classic HSE range.
Review by Stefan Persson
A favorite with fantastic flavors. The nose is fruity, woody, spicy and round with aromas of vanilla and anise. At the palate it’s fruity, woody and spicy with flavors of anise, black pepper, sugar cane, caramel, tobacco and vanilla. The final is long and goes on as at the palate.
Review by Rodolphe
The first in a series of agricultural products this evening. Smooth and pleasant, really nice. A little thin on the palate, lacking a little length.
Review by Eric Frechin
Rhum bien équilibré, on retrouve tous les marqueurs classiques des rhums agricoles Martiniquais comme le parfum de canne à sucre, le poivré , la vanille et ici il y a en plus des notes de boisé un peu toasté, du tabac et un leger chocolaté. Un rhum qui glisse plutôt bien
Review by Tim
This rum is very complex and round, you can find something of all Agricole notes. In the mouth dry and spicy with leather and wood. Here, however, must also be particularly emphasized the roasty coffee flavor and spicy tobacco. Therefore, overall a little better than the other XOs.
Review by Lukas Jäger
Tried on the 11th GRF: weak and rather too thin standard Agricole. Could not convince me.
Review by Nicofr
Ce rhum HSE XO est très gourmand et très doux, l'alcool est très bien intégré. Il est facile à boire avec une douce saveur de vanille et un fond de caramel. Le seul bémol est la finale que je trouve trop courte.
Review by Jarek
Nach langer Zeit erneut verkostet, zusammen mit paar anderen Agricoles aus Martinique. Alle fast eine Stunde im Glas atmen lassen. Schöne Note von Kokosnuss, die sich komplett von Nase, über Gaumen, bis zum Abgang durchzieht. Liegt vielleicht an Tagesform oder längerem Entzug durch Dry January, aber auch hier korrigiere ich heute nach oben.
Review by Fasen
A lovely, well-wooded agricole with a surprisingly fine gourmandise.
Review by Boletus
Superbly balanced and elegant, yet very tasty and dangerously drinkable. I don't even want to imagine what a flavor bomb this would be at cask strength if the rhum already tastes this good at 43%...or actually I do want to know and will have to dig a little deeper into my pocket again in the near future, for better or worse.
Review by Renato
The wood is very present, very round. Aging transforms this wood into musky, animal notes.
Review by Michael Schillheim
Auf dem 11. GRF probiert: Leider durchgefallen. Sehr dünn und und geschmacklos.
Review by Benoit Mahe
Un bon agricole XO
Review by VitaliiZaichuk
For 1200 UAH (23 euro) breaking all the patterns)) 🥃 we are still sipping this rum in honor of the flag 🇺🇦🥃😆 a lot of tobacco, a lot of vanilla, a little fresh figs, a lot of wood in the taste, a mixture of nuts, nutmeg, a lot of nutmeg, vanilla, a lot of tobacco, cocoa and chocolate, a lot of chocolate on the nose too)) straight fire, the grassiness is well felt, normal, there is still mint here, such a cooling effect gives it a straight shock, with depaz xo it goes straight 8.1 against 8.1, the difference between them is that depaz xo has more figs, and in hse xo there is more nutmeg, parents are in shock, they said they need to go to Martinique 😆, at first they didn’t understand the shock a little 😱, then when it started to open up they said that it was the most delicious thing they had ever drunk in their lives 🔥🥃👍😆
Review by Vincent D
J'ai longtemps cherché ce que je sentais dans ce rhum avant de conclure qu'il n'y avait pas grand chose à sentir. Puis j'ai goûté, forcément avec un a priori pas très positif. Là encore, une déception. C'est léger, trop fin et peu expressif. Du bois, quelques épices, une amertume (pas désagréable) en fin de bouche, mais rien de plus. J'espérais mieux pour un XO Martiniquais. Ce n'est pas mauvais, mais j'en attendais plus.
Review by Djehey
Goûté au rhum fest. Un rhum rond et équilibré. Une valeur sûre.
Review by Rhum Mirror 🇧🇪
Nez : cacao/banane mûre/compote de Mamy/café et tabac Bouche: sec sur des notes de café - tabac Finale : longue sur le boisé/toasté/cuir Perso je préfère la gourmandise du nez que le boisé/sec de la bouche sur ce standard des rhums agricoles. Un digne représentant des Rhums AOC de Martinique, une valeur sûre en soit ...
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
brutal trocken, brutal viel Muskatnuss und Tabak. für mich einer der ungewöhnlichsten agricoles überhaupt.. muss man drauf stehen! lecker aber nicht meins...
Review by F.L.O.
Ein sehr gut und bodenständiger Agricole. Sowohl für Einsteiger als auch für gewohnte Trinker :-) An der Nase dominiert das Holz und der typische Agricol- Duft. Am Gaumen geht das Holz ein wenig zurück. Top Agricole mit super PLV
Review by benoit burger
Reste dans la trame HSE . Un agricole avec un boisé bien présent, épicé avec des note de café torrifié de chocolat de cuir et tabac. Bonne longueur en bouche
Review by BnBrt
Un rhum facile et agréable mais qui manque un peu complexité. Je n'hésiterai pas à le faire goûter à des amis moins connaisseurs pour les faire entrer. Né léger sur la vanille, gourmand et attrayant. Doux en bouche, la vanille encore là, un peu de bois (me fait penser aux boîtes à cigares de mon père uans j'étais petit). Il est agréable. Finale discrète avec un peu de longueur.
Review by Philou
Excellent. Toujours un bonheur à déguster!
Review by Yannick D.
Excellent je recommande
Review by Wynton Mangakahia
I personally like more molasses driven styles of rum and found this a touch too dry. But, I enjoyed the complexities of this expression.
Review by Thunderbird
Ein Anfangs sperriger Rum, der aber so nach und nach sein volles Aroma entfaltet! Er hat einen leichten, zum Ende, torfigen Geschmack, der mich stark an einen Whisky erinnert! Für mich gelungen, aber nicht zu jedem Anlass
Review by Adrien B
Un très bon des classiques. Edit boisé trop marqué convenu putassier. Ça marche mais c'est pas délicat
Review by RumRhush
Jolie rhum pour celui qui aimerait découvrir l’agricole
Review by Bob Boby
Un bon rhum avec du peps en entrée, du boisé bien maîtrisé et facile. Se laisse boire tout seul
Review by Patrick 79
Excellent rhum agricole au rapport qualité prix inégalé. Une bouteille à avoir dans sa cave.
Review by Mc Pirate
Nous tombons dans un tonneau bien brûlé !! Effectivement du bois, du bois et encore du bois. Pourtant la bouteille était ouverte depuis longtemps ! Je n’imagine pas une bouteille neuve ! La bouche est moins astringente que le nez et laisse paraître des tannins qui se fondent comme du bon vin. Il fait attendre quelques secondes pour découvrir le rhum derrière le bois. Assez atypique mais finalement bonne expérience !
Review by Alain DARNAN
une valeur sûre en agricole
Review by CHILL PRODUCTION
Douceur équilibré
Review by Christoph
Für einen XO Agricole schmeckt er tatsächlich sehr „jung“. Hab davor den Depaz VSOP verkostet der allerdings länger als dieser XO gelagert ist. Die Alkoholnote dominiert hier zu sehr. Der VSOP von HSE gefällt mir ebenfalls besser.
Review by Pierre TTn
Un must have pour ma part. Boisé et épicé, belle longueur en bouche.
Review by Tomáš Jankovský
Krasne harmonicky rum. Postrádá ostrost agricolu a klidně muže byt jako startér dobrého skupiny rumu. Sušené ovoce a dřevo v chuti
Review by gali jo
Basic agricole in hse style, too woody / dry for me
Review by Tupiaz
Langt mere blød end lillebroren. Har dog stadig et fint bid af fad. Søde blomster/flora er den drivende kraft.
Review by ElReyTristan
Nez moins expressif que le VSOP, on retrouve le chêne et la vanille mais c’est moins gourmand et moins « sucré » au nez. C’est plus doux en bouche presque liquoreux, le côté boisé ressort plus. J’ai une sensation de whisky écossais. J’ai des notes végétal de tabac ou cigare. Je pense que ce dernier s’accorderait volontiers avec un cigare. L’alcool est bien équilibré aussi peut être qu’il manque un peu de peps. La finale est plus longue mais plus apre. Le café / expresso torréfié que je retrouvais dans le vsop est remplacé par un café brûlé voir clairement un goût boisé pas forcément génial.
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Market value
Avg. community purchase price 51 €
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 HSE Grande Reserve XO
A Rhum Agricole AOC from Martinique, distilled by Distillerie du Simon, at 43%.
Community purchases
494 bottles logged by 421 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
34% opened, 67 emptied and repurchased.
What does HSE Grande Reserve XO cost?
Community paid 33–66 €.
Current best price: 62.00 € – within the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
+6 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months — dark bars are the last 3.
494 purchased · 193 tasted · 157 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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