Caroni 1998, 25 years,
Impressions edition no. I
Region: Trinidad
Distillery: Caroni
Age: 25
Distillation: 01-1998
Bottled: 09-2023
Cask no: 8
Cask type: 11 years Ex-Bourbon & 14 years Ex-Whisky
Still type: Column
Maturation: 11 years in the tropics
ABV 60.1%
Vol. 700 ml
No bottles: 120
Tasting Notes:
We've already tasted an old Hampden 1990 in this new series, which was truly excellent (WF 93). Still, we do have a small complaint (wouldn't be French otherwise): how can you put a tiny hummingbird on the label of such a powerful and massive rum as Caroni? Even if it’s a 'light Caroni'? Well, we’ll get over it, I suppose… Colour: dark gold. Nose: it’s not extremely demonstrative, more like lamp oil, asparagus, teak oil, sweet almond oil, and fresh hazelnuts… It’s even quite delicate, but at 60% vol., one should avoid over-interpreting what one smells. With water: it remains a bit gentle but then shifts towards new plywood, new Ikea furniture, that famous new sneaker note we’ve mentioned today (likely due to the Olympic Games effect). Mouth (neat): superb and unusual composition, acidic, almost vinegary, very sharp, with miso, verjuice, liquorice wood, extreme salmiak, Arbois yellow wine, mustard, green walnut… You may need to brace yourself, but it’s spectacular. With water: it’s finally tamed. Ripe bananas and slightly crazy guavas, tar, ink, cedar wood, whelks, dry white wine, oysters… Finish: long, almost like seawater mixed with rapeseed oil. What a vinaigrette! Comments: a Caroni that shakes you up a bit. In truth, there’s little that could follow the incredible TDL without stumbling a wee bit.
Note: SGP:493 - 90 points.
Source: whiskyfun.com