Aroma visualization from community tastings
Velier Nine Leaves Japoniani Pure Sugar Cane Juice Rum 2016
People who chase weird, one-of-a-kind bottles will get the most from this Japanese cane-juice rum. Expect an odd, hybrid profile: vegetal and earthy up front, walnut and hazelnut, dried plum and date, a whiff of sulphur and metal, plus a sake-like, whisky-ish grain streak. One taster called it "the best Nine Leaves" they've had; others admire it more than they enjoy it.
The community says- Truly unique profile
- Nutty and herbal
- Sulphur and metal
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The look inside the bottle
How does Velier Nine Leaves Japoniani Pure Sugar Cane Juice Rum 2016 taste?
Aggregated from 41 community reviews.
Strange, nutty, high-proof Japanese cane rum Divisive and genuinely unusual. Many find it fascinating — nutty, herbal, agricole-like — but several call it unbalanced, with sulphur, metal and heat that take patience. Worth trying, not always loving.
Adventurous drinkers who want an unusual, polarizing cane-juice rum
Anyone sensitive to high ABV or put off by sulphur and metal
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
15 of 41 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is Velier Nine Leaves Japoniani Pure Sugar Cane Juice Rum 2016 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.4 sits in the “Very good” band. 97% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
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Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Community voices
What does the community say?
20% rate it between 6 and 8. 14 selected write-ups from 41 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by TheRhumhoe
Most helpful positive review
A Japanese rum as strange as it is singular. At first, the nose is quite pleasant and varied, drawing on the Asian roots of sake and whisky, with rather original spicy notes of sesame and umami, before the roundness of the rum infuses a little roundness into a roasted, woody, dried and nutty profile. Then an odor that's hard to describe (akin to the musk or sulfur some might describe) assails the nostrils with a certain power. An atypical profile, to be sure, and a little unsettling. On the palate, the profile retains much of its eccentricity, with typical Asian alcohol and spiciness (umami, salty, ricey, earthy, spicy), roasted notes of nuts, prominent oak and fairly heavy dried fruits (prunes, dates). The alcohol is a little lively but well integrated overall. The finish is long, still very much imbued with this hybrid style of spices, herbs, nuts and Asian influence. A profile that's out of the ordinary, very special, even a little zany, and clearly not for everyone.
Review by Joachim Guger
Most helpful mixed review
First smell of fruit brandy and alcohol. Let it breathe a little... More balanced after a while. Definitely Agricole. Intense herbal notes, I've never had this intensity before. Spicy. In the mouth again fruit brandy and now nutty. Strong, not particularly balanced. Spicy finish, again fruit brandy, long lasting. Interesting rum, unfortunately somewhat unbalanced. Gargano has once again broken new ground. 🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵 Thanks to Bonn for this triple!
Review by zabo
Unfortunately, this rum doesn't suit my taste at all. You can drink it and it's round, but I can't do anything with it. As a mixer it would be good in a TiPunch or similar, but not for this price. Thanks to SaibotZtar for the split.
Review by Thunderbird
I'm somewhat ambivalent about this Nine Leaves. It certainly has an interesting profile, especially on the nose (earthy, acidic, herbal and sweet). It then loses something on the palate. I miss this variety of aromas. The finish is somewhat more multi-faceted again. Conclusion for me: a bottling with a new profile, but not quite my cup of tea.
Review by Leo Krüper
Great rum. Difficult for me to rate. Extremely many aromas. Needs a second tasting.
Review by mto75
Today the last of the Japoniani series. Root vegetables, earthy notes and nut nougat on the nose. Spicy and nutty on the palate, the high ABV burns a little on the finish. Certainly an interesting rum, but the Encrypted series (especially the IV) appealed to me more...
Review by Jarek
kleines Nine Leaves Cross Tasting - 2025-03-11: Das Sample habe ich schon länger und habe auf eine gute Gelegenheit für eine Verkostung gewartet. Passt jetzt wunderbar in die Verkostung der Cards-Reihe. In der Nase finde ich wieder das Nine Leaves Profil, aber mit weniger Frucht. Am Gaumen dann ganz viel Kräuter, Gewürze, Walnuss und ebenfalls kaum Frucht. Sehr interessant, aber insgesamt finde ich den RX21777 (2014) besser, runder, angenehmer. Nachtrag: ich muss mich heute nach einer zweiten Verkostung des Rest-Samples korrigieren. Das Dunkle, Malzige finde ich doch interessanter als das Runde des RX21777.
Review by Buddudharma
Tasted in the Rum & Whisky bar in Kyoto: Intense rum with a long finish, of high quality. But too "grainy" and whisky-like for my taste, so not a top rating.
Review by Mentalo
Ich fand die Encrypted Reihe schon interessant. Der hier ist nochmal komplexer und intensiver. Rotwein, Pflaume, Agricolenoten, Getreide und im Abgang eine schöne Nussnote. Muss ich zwar keine ganze Flasche von haben, aber bleibt eine spannende Destille.
Review by Frank
Somewhat muted on the nose. Dried and sulfured apricots and plums in the foreground. Behind it something musty, like plant remains pulled out of the water. But also something sweetly nutty from chestnuts and a slight caramel note, like cola.Oh, sweet, spicy and fruity on the palate. Cherry, plum and date. And then there's some tart nuttiness from hazelnut and pecan. But also caramel and sugar cane.On the finish, this own flavor remains fruity, nutty, grassy, slightly sugar cane.I like it.
Review by Guji Guji
Just the best Nine Leaves I've tried so far!
Review by Chateau Caroni
Waw, didn’t expect that, can’t say I loved it but really worth trying
Review by Michal Jurka
Despite the general opinion that this is the weak link of the series, I like this one very much. It is quite unique and specific and takes time to understand, I guess. Quite a scoop of sulphur and metal that overshadow anything else but when you manage, you get pleasant notes of honey coated nuts, spices, herbals, sugarcane, wood. Overall it is somewhat earthy, sour and oily at the same time. The more time I spend with this the more I like it.
Review by Olimpia1936
A very good Nine Leaves, in my opinion the alcohol pushes a bit
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Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Tasting Bro's
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Details about Velier Nine Leaves Japoniani Pure Sugar Cane Juice Rum 2016
A Pot Still Rum from Japan, bottled by Velier, at 66,60%.
Community purchases
30 bottles logged by 24 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
3% opened, 0 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Velier Nine Leaves Japoniani Pure Sugar Cane Juice Rum 2016?
Community paid 115–284 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
30 purchased · 42 tasted · 22 wishlist · as of
About the Nine Leaves distillery
The Nine Leaves distillery is located in Japan. Rums from Nine Leaves have been reviewed 828 times with an average of 8.0/10.
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