Caroni 1998, 24 years, Trinidad edition No. 3
Legendary Trinidad-based rum distillery Caroni closed its doors in 2003. Since then, the distillery’s distinctive, heavy rums have become some of the most collected.
This Caroni rum is a 1998 vintage. Aged for 11 years in the tropical weather and 13 years on the continent, the edition was bottled in 2022 at a full alcohol content of 62,9%.
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
