Aroma visualization from community tastings
DDL El Dorado 12 (2020 Release)
Newcomers and anyone who wants an easy Demerara sipper will feel at home here. Think caramel, toffee, raisins and dried figs with a light oak edge — sweet but, in this newer release, not the sugar bomb the old 12 was. Most find it mild and pleasant; a few wish the 40% wasn't quite so thin. One taster even catches a faint "model glue" note on the nose.
The community says- Caramel and dried fruit
- Smooth and easy
- Added sugar
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Buy DDL El Dorado 12 (2020 Release):
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The look inside the bottle
How does DDL El Dorado 12 (2020 Release) taste?
Aggregated from 91 community reviews.
Easy, caramel-and-raisin Demerara sipper Most people like this newer, less-sweetened 12 as a gentle Guyana sipper — caramel, raisin and wood, easy to drink. The recurring gripe is that 40% leaves it a touch thin.
People new to rum who want a soft, sweetish Demerara sipper
Anyone wanting bold, high-proof, complex rum
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
37 of 91 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is DDL El Dorado 12 (2020 Release) rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.6 sits in the “Good” band. 83% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 2% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
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Community voices
What does the community say?
82% rate it between 6 and 8. 20 selected write-ups from 91 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Tim
Most helpful positive review
Wahnsinn, was man hier für so wenig Geld bekommt. Von wegen ein typisch süßer Rum, nein! Leckeres Guyanaprofil ohne Zuckerzusatz, sogar mit Kräuternoten im Mund, das man von dem einen oder anderen Diamond kennt. Intensiv Süßigkeiten/Konfekt/Karamell an der Nase mit Vanille, Holz und etwas Frucht. Röstig, jedoch weniger röstig als der 15y. Dieses Gesamtpaket hätte ich nicht erwartet!!
Review by rum_sk
Most helpful critical review
I am not a fan. I do not like it very much. I would rather go with pusser's all the time. It is similar but there is something in the taste that I particularly do not like and cannot describe.
Review by Aussierumfan
Quite a nice rum and great value for what you get! I had a few glasses of this on ice with non-rum drinking friends and we all agreed that it was a great sipper. Not massively complex but not a sugar bomb like the previous version, I'm getting caramel, brown sugar and some wood on the nose, same again on the palate with some fruits mixed in as well. A good rum for those new to the spirit I would say.
Review by Joachim Guger
"Real" rum in Austrian supermarkets? 3 bottlings are available, this is one of them. Caramel, dried fruit and light spice. Very well balanced, not very complex and easy to drink. At 43%, you shouldn't expect a tour de force. The 15 is a lot spicier, but this one is more caramel-oriented. A reasonably priced introduction to the wonderful world of tropically matured demerara and a guest rum that I prefer to drink myself 😅😅😅😅
Review by Stefan Persson
Had 6cl of it after a better dinner at a local restaurant. It’s long time ago since I tasted the old 12yo with 35gpl sugar, but I’m pretty sure I like this new one with 6gpl sugar better. Overall an pleasant well balanced rum with a certain complexity.
Review by Decky Hicks Doughty
On the nose there's lots of plum, raisin and almond backed up with a good amounts of toffee, cocoa and oak. The palate is smooth and quite subtle. Cocoa, raisins and caramel. Lots of wood towards the end. The finish is medium in length and has herbal, eucalyptus notes along side the wood and caramel from the palate. Overall, this is a great rum. Something to sip with good company. A shining example of Guyanese rum.
Review by Rumpalumpa
A really lovely Rum. Without added sugar in the new bottling, but still a pleasant sweetness. and pobaply the best value for money in my opinion. the 15 yo is quite a bit more expensive but not much superior
Review by Strassi 🇦🇹
ausgezeichneter rum mit einem richtig guten preis-leistungsverhältnis. der verminderte zuckerzusatz hat dem gesamteindruck in keinster weise geschadet.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#5363 30.05.2025 Running a few samples at home while watching a TV series about American football murders. Nose Wood, light roasted, dried fruit, spice, orange, sweet, light honey, light caramel. Palate Oily, wood, faint smoke, light caramel, dried fruit, light orange, light vanilla, sweet, light apple. Finish Medium long, wood, raisin, light chocolate, light caramel, light orange. Empty glass Vanilla, chocolate, toffee, sweet, light honey, faint coffee. We usually use this over ice cream or when baking chocolate cake.
Review by Abrahan Reyes
More complexity and definitely a better sipper than the previous 12 year expression. Caramel and toffee notes are present.
Review by HenryL
Great with a cigar, somewhat flat on its own due to the low alcohol content. Edit: Now tried again on its own. A simple and pleasant rum that is not boring. Even a newcomer can probably be seduced by it, even if the alcohol is a little too present for the 40%.
Review by fortepian
Incredible nose, incredible taste. Just perfect :)
Review by Timo Groeger
Überraschend das mir der echt nich gefehlt hat. Ist zwar überwiegend süß, aber noch einigermaßen erträglich. Viel Vanille, Karamell, Zuckerbund Toffee, am Gaumen auch noch etwas Holz. Kann man nicht jeden Tag trinken, aber ab und an ok.
Review by Jakub Kula
had to try this i would say one of the best basic worth to buy rums. tasted it as it was and i liked it tasted it in icy drinks as cuba libre and also with pink tonic, lime and rapsberries and it was pretty solid too and also with ginger beer and lime
Review by Serge
Today a small comparison of the two newer, less sweetened El Dorado standard bottlings 12yo (rx9644) and 15yo (rx9643) Both benefit from the reduced sugar content ... you can now taste some of the rum - although unfortunately not much, as both are quite heavily (too heavily) diluted. The robust pot characteristics of the 15yo may come across a little better on the palate. Nevertheless, I like the 12yo better, as the Diamond Column profile appeals to me more and the nose is thin but nice. A high proof of the 12yo would certainly be a great niche.
Review by Goodoboy30
This rum is sweet but not too sweet. Very good. Definitely not a mixer. Only sip.
Review by Chrischi78
Ganz angenehme Nase mit den typischen dunklen Noten. Am Gaumen wird es dann aber schwierig. Zwar hat man die schlnen Guyana-Notem von dunkler Schokolade und Leder, aber dem Knaben fehlen die Prozente wodurch er zum einen dünn wirkt und die vorhandenen wenig komplexen Noten leicht ins stumpfe bittere und unangenehme umschlagen. Mixer? Guyana-Sipper? Für mich ein Fehlkauf
Review by Áron
Very nice rum. I get this "model glue" note in the nose, interesting but pleasant. It drinks smooth with a loong finish. I never tasted the oldder, sweet version but I wouldnt want sugar in this one. Quite smooth as-is.
Review by paulgi86
Another sample to get through! One of many so will have to blitz through them over the next couple of months so that room for full bottles can be made! For a rum, it tastes awfully bourbon like to my palate - heapings of caramel, brown sugars, caramelised sugars, touch of vanilla and the faintest touch of oak. Not really much in the way of fruitiness - if there’s fruitiness then it’s very well hidden as my palate has been blasted with caramel! I don’t dislike it - in actual fact I do like it! I do feel however it doesn’t scream “rum like” to me - would probably have to try a high or cask strength version to really understand the DDL signature if there is one Enjoyable sipper - I wouldn’t be annoyed if either someone gave me this bottle as a gift or if I even bought it myself Revised score after sampling other DDL rums
Review by Tyler L
This is nice. Comes through on the nose with very strong fruit forward notes. Raisins and dark wood with a bit of orange at the tail. There is a strong pastry/confection vibe as well. More brown sugar sweet notes take over as the glass sits. Tasting reveals that dark fruitiness tempered by toffee and wood notes with some pepper through the middle. Well balanced for me. This balances sweet and dry quite nicely. The finish is on the dry side and rather short. Some more wood and some underlying herb/spice that fades into a bitter mocha like quality.
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Expert reviews
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Details about DDL El Dorado 12 (2020 Release)
A rum from Guyana, distilled by Demerara Distillers Ltd, at 40%.
Community purchases
157 bottles logged by 140 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
45% opened, 28 emptied and repurchased.
What does DDL El Dorado 12 (2020 Release) cost?
Community paid 27–44 €.
Current best price: 31.52 € – 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+ →
+22 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months — dark bars are the last 3.
157 purchased · 95 tasted · 87 wishlist · as of
About the Demerara Distillers Ltd distillery
The Demerara Distillers Ltd distillery is located in Guyana. Rums from Demerara Distillers Ltd have been reviewed 3,576 times with an average of 7.8/10.
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