This time I was in an Air France lounge while awaiting my flight. Lots of French wine and brandy (Cognac, Armagnac… some of which was also good), and, of course, their rum was a French one as well. Alas, not Planteray. Instead, they had HSE agricole.

Review

Smell

It smells quite grassy, like a typical agricole. Briny, cactus, seabreeze aroma, with maybe a hint of brandy or white wine.

Taste

I don’t have agricole very much, but it’s unique to me. It has that grassy taste, kind of like green olives, and it’s reminiscent of tequila. It’s very smooth, not hot or bitter at all. It’s quite vegetal and has notes of licorice, and the aftertaste reminds me exactly of starfruit. I tried it in a daiquiri and mixed with coke zero, and it doesn’t taste good with either. It actually tastes better neat than anything that I have mixed it with.

Verdict 5/10

(Edited from 6/10 on 1/4/26)

I can’t say it’s my favorite, but it’s a lot nicer than Holmes Cay Reunion Island agricole, though I don’t like it as much as Copalli white. Once again, take it with a grain of salt, because this rum really feels like a mixer that I simply haven’t found the right cocktail for. Overall, this tastes like an in-between agricole, where Holmes Cay Reunion Island agricole was very briny olive forward, and Copalli was very fruit forward with barely any brine, this expression from HSE was like a mix of both, and it likewise deserves a medium score. 6/10.

January 4, 2026 Update:

This rum is controversial for me, because it’s interesting, but also, I just never find myself reaching for it. I can’t honestly score it worse than Bacardi, because it’s better than Bacardi, but I just am not a fan. 5/10.