Aroma visualization from community tastings
Valinch & Mallet The Spirit of Art Jamaica Blend «Esters' Delight» 2008
Here's the surprise: at 56.3% this Jamaican pot-still blend drinks dangerously easy. Expect the full ester program — pineapple, banana, glue and varnish — softened by leather, caramel and tobacco. Several tasters pick out Hampden leading the blend, with Long Pond and New Yarmouth in the mix. Fruity, oily, well-balanced, and one member calls it a "Jamaikaner für jeden Tag" — a daily Jamaican.
The community says- Full ester funk
- Tropical fruit
- Wants more complexity
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The look inside the bottle
How does Valinch & Mallet The Spirit of Art Jamaica Blend «Esters' Delight» 2008 taste?
Aggregated from 50 community reviews.
Funky, fruity Jamaican blend that drinks easy A well-loved funky blend most people rate highly for balance and drinkability. The main gripe: a few wish it had a bit more complexity to reach the very top.
Fans of high-ester Jamaican funk
Anyone new to funky, high-ABV rum
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
15 of 50 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is Valinch & Mallet The Spirit of Art Jamaica Blend «Esters' Delight» 2008 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.5 sits in the “Very good” band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
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Community voices
What does the community say?
10% rate it between 6 and 8. 18 selected write-ups from 50 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Galli33
Ein toller Rum der Spaß macht mit tollen Ester Noten, Kleber etc.. gepaart mit überreifen Früchten, Citrus, Röstnoten…Das volle Jamaica-Ester Programm. Leider fehlt im die Komplexität um in Richtung 90 Punkte zukommen. Alkohol ist gut integriert.
Review by Tschusikowsky
Very solid blend. Even though I only really like Hampden. But what can you complain about 🤤 The overripeness is very well integrated in terms of taste. Top balance, great Jamaican that is dangerously drinkable.
Review by Leo Krüper
After 2 years in the glass still a revelation. Great craft to get a blend of this quality. Extren light and quaffable, a Jamaican for every day. Incredibly good PLV to the issue.
Review by Adrian Wahl
For me the best of the 2008 Jamaica Blends. I still go down a point from 86 to 85. Tasted against Esters Delight II and for me the Esters Delight I is better.
Review by BjörnNi 🥃
The best blend I've ever had. In Mai Tai it shows everything. Great cinema
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
This is a wonderful very funky rum living up to the ester delight. Very fruity and soft nose with ester, varnish and a touch of mint. The palate is even better. Fruity with leather, caramel and tobacco. Oily on the tongue giving it a long wonderfully balanced finish.
Review by SaibotZtar
Tried it again today in May Tai... here he plays his strengths to the full !!! See harmonious blend ... nice and fruity with the kick of wood it needs! Top !!!
Review by Mike H.
Elegant blend with a lovely nose. Nice on the palate as well: pineapple, mango, caramel, esters and a little wood.
Review by Mirco
Funky ester blend, very nice with lots of tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango and banana. Tart notes are not neglected here either, with leather, tobacco and caramel. The ginger that comes through here is also exciting.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
Very pleasant blend. I particularly like the nose, balanced tropical fruit blend. However, I could imagine that the individual ingredients could taste a little better separately on the palate.
Review by Djehey
Ester's delight. Il porte bien son nom. On sent les esters oui mais tout en finesse. C'est d'une belle élégance, ce qui n'est pas facile à trouver dans ces types de rhums.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
New Yarmouth and Hampden on the nose with cookie dough and dark chocolate brownies in combination with some olive, mint and tropical fruits with candied ginger. The taste is a little woodier and drier than expected but still very harmonious and round. dark cocoa & mocha... Banana, papaya, bitter grapefruit marmalade and lemon zest rounded off by roasted nuts, marzipan and lots of wood and finally again the note of raw cookie dough and baked bananas with honey that I love so much. very nice blend!❤️
Review by alex
Superbe 🤩 C’est funky, gourmand, pleins d’esters et d’arômes 😍 Quel bonheur des blends comme ça 🤩😍🤩
Review by Rhum Mirror 🇧🇪
The nose is complex and greedy. Very sweet, dried, overripe fruits are leading the pack (pineapple, mango, banana). A lot of esters, some wood, vanilla and milk chocolate. It's frankly nice and the Hampden touch is predominant. In the mouth, there is some pep but the alcohol is perfectly integrated. It's quite greedy with apples and bananas shaping the profile. Then also a little vanilla and pineapple here and there. It's both complex and very palatable, making it easy to sip on the couch. The finish is nice and tasty.
Review by Johannes
Great blend! Hampden stands out. I would also guess Long Pond.
Review by John Coffey
One of the best Jamaican blends I've ever tasted...
Review by Jonas
Überraschend süffiges Ding und gut ausbalanciert. Respekt!
Review by Jindrich Strobl
Exceptional rum!
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Expert reviews
2 critics scored it, averaging 8.6/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Single Cask Rum
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Expert review by Tasting Bro's
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Details about Valinch & Mallet The Spirit of Art Jamaica Blend «Esters' Delight» 2008
A Pot Still Rum from Jamaica, bottled by Valinch & Mallet, at 56,3%.
Community purchases
29 bottles logged by 22 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
20% opened, 5 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Valinch & Mallet The Spirit of Art Jamaica Blend «Esters' Delight» 2008?
Community paid 67–166 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
29 purchased · 53 tasted · 7 wishlist · as of
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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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