Over 300 Guyanese sugar cane producers got a bit carried away and formed a co-operative.
El Dorado Rum is also known as the ‘Liquid Gold of Guyana’. Demerara Distillers started in 1670 when every sugar estate in Guyana had its own Rum still and a group of sugar cane producers formed an exporting co-operative. This early production of Rum for sailors was the beginning of the Demerara. Guyana had as many as 300 producers at any given time over the years.
El Dorado (the name of an Indian chief who founded the golden city, according to the legend) 21 Year Old Rum uses a selected blend of Rums from their World-famous stills, two of them – the Enmore (wooden Coffey still) and the Versailles (single wooden pot still) – are the World’s only functioning wooden stills. The El Dorado range is so distinctive because of this heritage.
All the Rums in the blend have been aged at temperatures of 30°C-34°C in oak at least 21 years, making this one of the oldest production Rums in the world. This age statement is quite different to those Rums which feature a solera style age statement which highlights the oldest Rum in the blend and usually includes a high percentage of Rum which is much younger in the blend.
What does El Dorado 21 Year Old Special Reserve taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in El Dorado 21 Year Old Special Reserve and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
A little bit of etymology; nobody really knows where the word Rum comes from. The most popular suggestions are Rum (the Romani word for 'potent'), Rumbullion (an uproar), Saccharum (sugar in Latin), and Rummer (a Dutch drinking glass).
For now - best rum, I've ever drunk. Without ice is very nice, but with ice it releases all of it's flavours and scents. It tastes like new leather jacket and smells like roasted hazelnuts.
Paulo,
It is rich and decadent both on the nose and on the palate with toasted nuts covered in burnt demerara sugar, dried fruits and caramel. That said, it is too sweet for me and I would really appreciate if they showed me the same product without any added sugar. After a quick bit of research it seems like this contains anything between 16 and 33 g/l of sugar solids, which is very unnecessary, spoils the experience and makes it be a pass for me.
Alistair,
One of the best rums out there. Dried fruits, especially figs and dates. Deep, rich and elegant.
Matt,
Smooth with deep and dark flavors. Dried fruits, tobacco, leather, and caramel, bend with spiciness and a deep richness. Quite nice this made me appreciate rum in a new way as I had not sampled many sipping rums in the past - I will now make sure to try more.
Simon,
Smooth and clean. Not too sweet. I prefer a bit more flavours but in it's cleaner style it is good.
Christopher,
Amazing deep rich flavor. Not too sweet and full of rich dark flavors.
Thomas,
Really great stuff. Fairly new to the world of high-end rum but tried a taster of this and it was magnificent. Well worth the try.
Adam,
Received this in a tasting box and it’s definitely a candidate for the home bar. I’m not usually a big fan of straight rum outside of cocktails but this was delicious. Very true to the flavor spiral, the tobacco, leather and caramel almost give the essence of a lighter whiskey (my drink of choice).
Mat,
Toffee, vanilla and dried fruit aromas.
Quite restrained sweetness on the palate which sort of reminded me of whisky. Toffee , dried fruit and a touch of smoke.
Delicious but not enough of a step up on the 15 YO (which was fantastic) to warrant the doubling in price
Matt,
Received this in the Liquid Gold tasting box, and I'll probably buy a bottle. I'm a scotch drinker generally, but this was outstanding. Deep, complex profile that, for me, matched the flavor spiral almost exactly - tobacco, leather, brown sugar, caramel, with a caramelized banana finish. Absolutely delicious rum.
Jeff,
Wow, I'm not a rum drinker, but this is very approachable. Has all my favorite dark complex and smoky flavors of a Scotch, but with a dense mouth feel and more sweetness. I may buy a bottle to have on hand for special occasions
KYRIAKOS,
Not what I expected! Tobacco and leather are very strong and overlay the rest flavors!
Georgios,
Nice rum, but pricy for its taste
Mirosław,
I'm not a big fun of rum, but this one is really great.
Simonas,
A lot of flavours with a lovely but strong taste. A bit too strong of a spirit taste for my liking, but still very good with a very nice aftertaste
Michael,
Fully bodied and rich. Intense flavors. A lot going on here. You can really taste a lot... Tobacco, chocolate, orange peel. I actually prefer the 15 year, but this is pretty awesome
darien,
Having enjoyed the 15 I decided to buy the 21 due to the high reviews. It is a bit drier, but the flavor is wonderfully complex. The very first sip made me saw “wow” and I have been enjoying it thoroughly. Well worth it for a special occasion, or if you can afford 100 dollars a bottle, all the time. That being said, I think I will stick with the 15 based solely on price point and no faults with the 21.
Andreas,
Love it! Rich and intense. Not too sweet.
Roope,
Tasted in a set. Very rich. The tobacco was exciting with dark chocolate and oranges. A great drink.
Santiago,
Great Rum. Smooth and easy to drink. Absolutely loved it
Jensen,
The rum I judge every other rum by. I keep a bottle on hand always. Simply sublime.
Joe,
Nose: Buttery, with chocolatey notes of Rolos behind it. Ripe banana and fruity Christmas cake. Hints of tobacco and sandalwood, leading into spent match smokiness.
Palate: Sultanas, dates, blackcurrant and macadamia nuts. A touch of rosewater, too. The mid-palate brings dark chocolate and nutmeg too.
Finish: It just keeps going! There's fried banana and handfuls of raisin notes right through to the end, with just a little hint of spicy cinnamon.
Andreous,
I tried this from one of my tasting boxes. I absolutely love the notes of this rum. I will have to add this rum to my collection.
Robert,
Smooth
Jamie,
Completely unique from any rum I’ve ever tasted. The flavor is immediate and long lasting. While I can’t afford the bottle, it would be nice to get used to it. Otherwise I would prefer what I’m used to.
David,
This is phenomenal
Antti,
It is a classic, rich, Dark Rum in which the solera styleaged for at least 21 years with a rich birth; while a dry & mellow life that leads to a long & rich death.
Giovanni,
was amazing
Johanna,
Divine rum
Preston,
Amazing Rum. By far the greatest tasting rum I have ever had and definitely on my to-get list for the New Year.
Kelly,
Did not like the tobacco taste
Harold,
Really smooth.
Tyson,
Best rum I’ve ever had.
Jonathan,
This rum can buy it’s own rum! Definitely get the leather and tobacco on the front and a good bit of brown sugar flavor. I couldn’t use this big-bodied rum as a mixer. 21 years is mature enough for its own glass.
Chris,
Rum that was fairly smooth, tasted more like a whiskey, good neat or a splash of water to temper the strong tobacco flavor.
Jordan,
Best rum I've ever tried
Kathryn,
almost as good as whiskey
Keara,
Rum's not really my thing, but I really like this. Definitely a bit on the sweet side if that's not your thing, but if it is this rum is very, very good.
Mark,
Smooth complex beautiful finish
Nick,
a very good rum it is a little sweet but has nice spice, perfect to drink neat as I prefer. worth the price
Michael,
The best rum I've ever tasted! A must have for every stocked bar. The smooth sweet finish leaves the palate wanting more.
Michael,
I am not a rum drinker, but this was enjoyable without being overbearing in any direction. Not too sweet; not too sharp; not too dry; not too bitter. It was almost a bit too smooth, which may be something that rum drinkers enjoy. I don't know that I'd purchase it for myself, but I would definitely keep it in a well stocked bar, or purchase it for my brother, who enjoys dark rum.
Joseph,
Overly sweet
Michael,
One of the best Rums I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy!
Nicki,
Yummy! I’m not a rum fan but I loved the buttery brown sugar sweetness of this rum. Nice to finally find a sipping rum. On my list to purchased.
Alon,
This is an outstanding rum - complex nose and palate, lingering aftertaste. Particularly loved the dark chocolate notes. This is rum for scotch lovers!
Patrick,
Though I'm still learning how to truly enjoy spirits, this one was well worth the money and will be enjoyed for quite a while. I will be enjoying this during the summer, sipping on some while just sitting around.
Roy,
Very smoky. Almost like scotch
Michael,
A bit harsh but delicious.
Dan,
Think I just found a good sipping Rum to pair with a cigar
Rogerio,
Perfect top of the line rum. On the tradition of the always impressive El Dorados. Mandatory on any respectable (tiki) bar. To be sipped neat, with a pipe.
Michael,
Love it! One of my favorites. Definitely meant for sipping.
Joseph,
Not bad
Ross,
Not a huge rum fan, but, it was sweet and rich. Went very well after dinner.
Jens,
Rich, bit spicy and bit sweet.
Andrej,
I would agree that this one is so rich that it might be a bit over. Definitely for very special occasions. Might be that one should have it in hot and humid season better than in dry and cold. Just guessing. Very very rich.
Zachary,
Caramel, leather, and dreams of paradise. This rum caused me to exclaim an explicative out-loud. It’s that good.
Byron,
Rich, dark and flavorful.
Jacob,
Best there is. Neat with a mild cigar.
Joseph,
Spicy with a hint of chocolate. A good sipper neat.
Matt,
Excellent straight up or on rocks
Devlin,
Very flavorful rum. Light on the tongue and has a nice spice that lingers.
Timothy,
This is the best rum I've ever had. Has a toasted sugar/caramel flavor that really comes through. Way too special for rum & cokes, all you need is a clean glass and some time to waste.
robert,
one of the best rums I have ever had. extremely smooth with light sweetness. if you don't watch out this could become an expensive habit.
Wade,
Smooth delicious caramel flavor. Not recommended with Coke. The caramel flavor clash. It's best neat or on rocks.
Enoch,
Sweet but "masculine," this is a delicate and smooth glass with just the right amount of spice, and the finish is gentle but leathery. A great drink to share with the guys during poker night.
Sean,
Sweet and smooth. Flavor lingers a long time.
Brian,
Will be purchasing a bottle! Absolutely delicious!
Michael,
Delicious! Smooth slightly sweet, very drinkable! Best rum I have ever had the pleasure of drinking!
Joseph,
Hands down the best Rum I've ever tried. Neat all the way.
Pierce,
Sweet, smooth, and very, very dark. Has a little burn going down almost reminiscent of a whiskey, but the brown sugar sweetness of a truly great rum.
Don,
A bit too "fruity" in taste for me. It was smooth but as the drink extended- the fruit taste (apples) came through more and more.
guest,
Excellent pure taste
Vladimir,
A perfect blend of sweetness and wood. Really specific and rich tasting.