Head to the Depaz distillery for this cross-tasting of old vintages, cuvées and other carafes. We will dwell in more detail on the history in a future note, the opportunity to taste new things. Happy reading.

Depaz rhum vieux circa 80′ / 50°

A miniature from the 80s of old Depaz rum offered at 50° and which mentions the “Réserve Spéciale” which we will find on the more common and famous VSOP; the label is also the same as for the VSOP, with a back label mentioning a number (#076) and a stamp.

Beautiful amber/copper color, very bright and oily, with a beautiful fatty disc on the surface.
On the nose, we find a nice round and graceful jam, dried fruits (raisins, prunes) sprinkled with spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) and blond tobacco, vanilla and almond. The oak is tense and the cane is still very perceptible with a vegetal aura, fresh and swollen, on memories of damp undergrowth dotted with mushrooms. A pretty and seductive agricultural rum, which now becomes chocolatey with rest, but without ever losing its origin.

On the palate, the attack is oily and warm, very rich and superbly supported by the 50°. Better still, the rum builds and concentrates (fat/honey) in a melted whole mixing mature cane, dried fruits and spices, in addition to a tobacco that imposes its stature. The spices become spicier and the oak more present, in a long and tasty finish on dry notes of spices and chocolate. Good and long.

A very nice old rum from Depaz, vegetal and classy but which manages to offer delicacy for a very pleasant result. The mouth has kept its splendor and fat, and at 50° the result is perfect. Note: 87

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Depaz VSOP ‘ancien’ / 45°

An old rum from Depaz, old version: since then, the distillery has changed its packaging and swears that it is the same rum. The amateur, on the other hand, tastes it, and is confused. Who says VSOP, says at least an age of 4 years (3 years for a VO and 6 for an XO), even if it is mentioned here a blend of rums up to 7 years (aged in bourbon and cognac barrels). A second version, more recent in time and announced as younger (4 years), sports a golden capsule/collar.

The dress is yellowish amber, very oily and topped with many elegant and greedy legs.
On the nose, we are in front of a very classy and sensual nose, on a dried fruit (blond grape, prune) spicy and vanilla, relatively dry (exotic wood / sandalwood / tobacco) with a fresh smell of stone, almond. Chocolate with rest.

On the palate, the attack is oily and ample, rich and always elegant; the rum builds in power in a beautiful balance on dried fruits, licorice and blond tobacco and sandalwood, all coated with a beautiful vanilla and peppery notes that become more pronounced as the rum works. The rum dances in the mouth and it does it very well. The finish is long, warm and spicy, peppery, with a beautiful return of dried fruits.

A very well executed rum with an old-fashioned charm; the palate surpasses the nose with a very beautiful amplitude and a dazzling richness to lend itself to contemplation. A top-flight rum. Note: 88

Depaz VSOP ‘nouveau’ / 45°

The "new" VSOP (new bottle, new packaging), supposedly the same rum as above. Let's see.

After a slightly more intense color than the previous rum (and fatty), this VSOP offers a very different nose, much less complex than our bottle with a gray head, but really less. We are on gourmand, chocolate galore with the impression of comparing a prestige rum to an entry-level one to entice the customer. A different register and era, different morals and positions?

It's charming, but the scene is clearly not set in the same era, and the nose would even become sickening in the long run with a rather heavy chocolate/vanilla combo. Add to that dried fruits (which have the appearance of candied fruits), a bit of liquorice and a less well-worked woodiness.

On the palate, the attack is honeyed, quite concentrated but once again much less complex and even balanced than the previous one. Perhaps this chocolate that gives the rum an 'offbeat' mouth? We find the fruits (jammed), the vanilla and the spices that make the pepper speak, but with more roundness, sugar in the mouth, until a warm and dry finish, half sweet, half spicy.

A VSOP that is clearly rounder and less complex than its little brother, more in tune with the times and the 'sweet' palates. Too bad, because we lose all the soul of a product in the process without imagining finding it again one day. Is this due to the barrels used? Note: 81

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Depaz Millésime 1979 / 45°

A vintage from Depaz, like a few that exist, probably between 3 and 6 years old, unfortunately without much more information.

The dress is very amber, quite clear and always bright, fat and always topped with a beautiful fat disc.
On the nose, we are on a clearly more vegetal profile, with undoubtedly a younger rum than the one above, on a fresh cane and a basket of orchard fruits (apple, pore) mature and full of sugar, even passed. With rest, the vegetal profile returns, vanilla and slightly peppery. Opulent and fresh.

On the palate, the attack is honeyed and rich, fat; we find our fruits which bring a sweet mouth and spices which considerably warm the atmosphere, accompanied by a slightly astringent woodiness. A young but rich rum and a relatively long and pleasant finish, dry and fruity.

A more vegetal Depaz but which knows how to keep once again a concentrated and lively mouth, in a beautiful balance. Simple and effective Note: 83

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Depaz Grande Réserve XO / 45°

There are several versions of this XO Grande Réserve; this one is not the most recent and probably not the oldest either. We are talking here about a blend around 12 years old. We refer you to the excellent site Référence Rhum for more information (photo excellence rhum).

The color is amber, tending towards bronze, fat and dressed in beautiful plump legs.
On the nose, it is very classy in the Depaz style, with this dry and very harmonious blend of dried fruits (prune, banana, papaya), vanilla and very fine and warmly spicy wood (cinnamon, nutmeg). It is of a certain sweetness, heady, very fine and seductive. The rest brings notes of tobacco and cocoa which mix superbly with the more exotic fruits.

On the palate, the attack is soft and silky, as seductive (if not more) than the nose. The vanilla fruits are melted and become one with this oak, more virile than on the nose, still spicy (cinnamon and clove) and even peppery. It is quite rich and the concentration increases; the spices then take over, as does the oak (licorice) and now notes of tobacco that darken the mouth a little more and give it liveliness.
The finish is moderately long, quite dry on these last notes that persist, before finding some dried fruits.

The nose shows Depaz's mastery and offers us a very beautiful harmony, very fair. The mouth offers a very spicy and woody length, drier but lively and concentrated. A beautiful well-mastered rum that undoubtedly makes you younger than your advanced age. Note: 84

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Depaz Cuvée Prestige / 45°

A "very old rum" in a "prestige" carafe; beyond this rather vague information, we unfortunately know too little about this rum. Perhaps one day, like other houses, we will learn more, perhaps even up to the asking price?

Beautiful amber color, old gold and oily dress. It shines and it's beautiful.
On the nose, more vegetal and floral than usual, maybe even younger? It is once again quite fine and delicate, rather dry: on the usual dried fruits (prune, date, citrus fruits), spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), and a slightly toasted and vanilla oak (licorice). It almost lacks power or at least concentration to make the difference, to the limit of falling into the boring.

On the palate, the attack is sweet and syrupy, round and warm. There is clearly more concentration and depth here than the nose, it is even quite ample and above all very pleasant: spices, oak and fruits mix and blend in a honeyed/jammy and sweet whole (brown sugar, licorice), but also with tobacco and spices that grow (pepper, nutmeg), and even a beautiful menthol freshness. Beautiful balance and beautiful concentration. The finish is rather gourmet, between dried fruits (exotic, pineapple), spices (cinnamon) and licorice.

A Depaz with a more pastry and buttery profile, more accessible and pleasant than the average without doubt. It has everything to please (understand very accessible) and make you fall in love with Depaz, at least in the mouth. Note: 87

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Depaz Vieux circa 80/90′ / 45°

A miniature that probably dates from the end of the 80s, beginning of the 90s, of an old rum at 45° .

Amber/mahogany color, very bright and oily (beautiful surface disc).
On the nose, we find a deeper and much darker Depaz than usual: on liquorice, very black molasses (tobacco, leather) and spices (cinnamon). We imagine a sort of mixture based on fresh herbs (cane) and molasses with a brown of freshness (mint) and grilled nuts. The prune is also quite present, very black.

It is very pleasant but ultimately quite far (very far indeed) from the current finesse (or at least those of the 90s, early 2000s), even if agricultural rum is never far away. Warm and thick.

In the mouth? it is oily and even greasy quite quickly: concentrated, always on this liquorice/molasses, over-vitaminized and spicy, woody. It heats up in the mouth, always in the same atmosphere as the nose, on a background of spices and toasted oak, tobacco and burnt cane; dried fruits (prune) and burnt sugar.
The finish is quite long and above all will persist on the molasses and liquorice, again and again, and for a very long time… Note a nice freshness which avoids falling into the too dark .

A Depaz at the antipodes of today, and surely in the spirit of the times (of the era) with a darker and stormier profile. Licorice dominates, and with it the memory of the first VSOP. Note: 86

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Depaz Cuvée Victor / 41°

A 'tribute' rum to the great Victor Depaz, in the form of a blend of different vintages matured for 3 to 4 years in small American oak barrels (Bourbon) . Why 41°? Why not.

Old gold amber dress, bright and oily.
On the nose, we are once again in this Depaz 2.0 spirit, much easier on fruits in syrup, exotic fruit paste (pineapple, citrus fruits, peaches), more on the gourmandise than on the cerebral. A swollen and candied exoticism, honey, sweet spices and a woody of a beautiful finesse which pulls more and more on chocolate. Soft and seductive, just lacks response…

On the palate, it is soft and slightly oily, melting and…with a response! Where the palate suggested a sluggishness, the palate knows how to reawaken the ardor, the exoticism blends harmoniously with a more teasing woodiness, peppery spices and reminds us of the origin of the rum in a beautiful vegetal bitterness and a citrus freshness. A fat and gourmet palate, on the dried fruit (prune and always exoticism). The finish will persist gently and very faithfully at the beginning of the tasting, with a bonus of chocolate at the very end.

A very gourmand and quite fat Depaz, on the fruit paste, and with a mouth that offers enough interest to avoid falling into boredom. In the end, here is a very easy-to-access agricultural rum that would still lack more complexity. A quiet homage. Note: 82

To help you (and me) find your way around, regarding the notes:

90 and + : exceptional and unique rum, it is the best of the best
between 85 and 89 : highly recommended rum, with that little something that makes the difference
between 80 and 84 : recommendable rum
75-79 POINTS : above average
70-74 POINTS : in the low average
less than 70 : not very good

Review courtesy of DuRhum.com.

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