Saint James Royal Ambre 18-Mois

I was in a French ski resort and was at a loose end for some rum and really didn't want to shell out the exorbitant amounts asked for the likes of Zacapa 23, so thought at €15 a bottle that I would chance it. At that price in the supermarket in a town where restaurants charge €25 for an average cheeseburger, I knew what I was in for.

I drink all my rum straight up, even those - like this - that it probably is best to mix (maybe it is about time I move away from this!). This is a mass produced, fiery, unsophisticated rum but one that is easy to see as an Agricole. Given the choice between this and something equally priced like Mount Gay Eclipse, I would probably plump for this although I suspect many wouldn't.

Having said that, I didn't open it until I got home so might as well have save my money as the bottle now resides next to Bally Ambre, which is superior and not that much more expensive. However, I do think that it is useful to dip into these lesser Agricoles so that you can appreciate the finer rums in the cabinet. :)

Kein schlechter Agricole, dafür stark.
Frisch und fruchtig wie jeder Agricole aber auch nicht mehr.

No bad Agricole, but strong.
Fresh and fruity like any Agricole but also no more.

Ok rum, with harsh aftertaste. I'd go for the Saint James Vieux instead if I had the choice.

Really cheap rum, payed something around 6/7€ at market. Not a great rum, just the entry level to agricoles from St. James... good to mixing.

As one of the basic "models" it provides a good introduction to agricole rhums.

The color is light brown/gold, the nose is strong of alcohol (the rum has 45% alcohol, which you really feel), but apart of that you feel the typical agricole aromas of spices, sugarcane. In the mouth there is not much of a taste and the throat/afterburn is quite unpleasant. The Saint James 12-year is the one to go for ;)

Very synthetic smell and taste, hard smell, just good for mixed drinks It stinks.

Smell of tobacco. The hay taste is not too present. The finish is tobacco and sweet. It's better mixed with soda.

Je m’attendais au pire mais finalement ce rhum n’est pas mauvais. Il n’est pas remarquable non plus, il manque de saveur, il est trop fade mais au moins il n’arrache pas la gueule.

Un rhum bas de gamme de Saint-James. Il est fort sec et n'à pas énormément de goût. je l'utiliserais plutôt pour les cocktails!

This rhum agricole (Martinique AOC) is easy to find in north western italian supermarkets.
It is a very young spirit, now bottled at 40%/80proof while before it was 45%/90proof.
Normally people don't understand agricoles saying that they tasted like "bad cachaça" and prefer sweet spanish style rums.
This is a correct, standard product, in my opinion.
It's the only agricole that you can find under 20€ and it could be a good starting point if you want to explore this different category.