Caroni 1998, 24 years, Trinidad edition No. 3

Trinidad 1998 edition no. 3

Region: Trinidad

Distillery: Caroni

Age: 24

Distillation: 01-1998

Bottled: 02-2022

Cask no: 10

Cask type: 11 years Ex-Bourbon & 12 years Ex-Whisky

Still type: Column

Maturation: 11 years in the tropics

ABV 62.9%

Vol. 700 ml

No bottles: 251

Tasting Notes:

“Eleven years in the tropics and thirteen years in Europe (what they call 'the continent'). Isn't the strength a little frightening after twenty-four years of aging? Colour: full gold. Nose: not heavy Caroni? Not sure. Mutton suet, polishes, drawing gum, hay and garden compost, umami sauce… I'm sure water is needed (Einstein!) With water: just litres of fresh paint, plus an old toolbox (in an old garage, in an old house, and so on). Mouth (neat): no, extreme and brilliant. Good, no, this is all excessive, you'd almost believe you're eating a cigar. Not too sure, after all, it is not a beverage for humans. Very extreme stuff. With water: you'll need a lot of water to tame this Caroni. Drinking diesel oil and oak juice. Finish: long, on last week's black tea forgotten in the teapot, and lamp oil. Comments: not an ounce of sweetness. Look, me poor whisky drinker, me not accustomed to these whacky extremes, me not even know how to score this, me ask for your comprehension. Very good, notheless, perhaps just not the best ever within this wonderful and pretty prestigious series.”

SGP: 273 - 86 points.

Source: whiskyfun.com

Nose: nice wood polish up front, alongside brown sugar, roasted nuts and dried fruits. Hints of coffee and black cherries as well, nice. Then a subtle tarry note and rusty metal tools. Really good, but like most of the Caroni bottlings I’ve had in the past few months, it seems a little more rounded than we’ve come to expect.

Mouth: wait, it’s getting more powerful now. Dark fruits, including sour berries and dried fruits, bitter marmelade and raisins. Then varnished notes and lamp oil. Olives in brine, tarry notes, liquorice and hints of cough syrup.

Finish: long, on black tea, dark fruits and herbal extracts.

Note: 91/100
Source: whiskynotes.be