Clarendon 1996, 25 years, Jamaica edition No. 3
The Clarendon distillery lies in the south of the island of Jamaica at St. Catherine’s Town. The rum has been made from local molasses since the 18th century. Nowadays, Clarendon is among the top-tier rum distilleries in the world, since it produces around 12 million liters of absolute alcohol.
This 25yo Clarendon rum was bottled from a single cask which yielded 253 bottles. It spent 22 years in the tropics, before spending another three in the Old Continent. Distilled in 1996 in a pot still, and matured in an ex-rum oak barrel, before being bottled at a whopping 67% ABV.
Jamaica 1996 edition no.3
Region: Jamaica
Distillery: Clarendon
Age: 25
Distillation: 08-1996
Bottled: 02-2022
Cask no: 435094
Cask type: Ex-American Oak
Still type: Pot
Maturation: 22 years in the tropics
ABV 67%
Vol. 700 ml
No bottles: 253
Tasting Notes:
“You mean sixty-seven percent alcohol? May I call my lawyer? Colour: deep amber. Nose: the magic of European aging. While I fully understand the rationale behind 'keeping added value to location', in your glass, these old European ones are simply superior. Extraordinary ointments and embrocations, oils, precious woods, balsa.. and, right, sixty-seven percent. With water: varnishes. There isn't much you could do; it was a little extreme in the first place and will never quite become approachable. Mouth (neat): stop stop stop stop, this is way too strong, while we need our palate. Attempted murder on poor whisky blogger, this will cost you dearly, Mr Colour of Rum. With water: I think we got it right, by chance. Pencil shavings, kerosene, varnishes, tobacco, ultra-green green tea… It's just that water would make it even tighter, moe extreme, and dry. Dead end, no exit. Finish: very long, very extreme, totally dry and extremely huge. Comments: frankly, it was tough. Your brain would think it's great, but you heart (or belly) will preach patience and prudence. Seriously, it's a very tough and very dry drop. “
Note: SGP:372 - 86 points.
Source: whiskyfun.com
