Photo courtesy of @tipples_and_drams on Instagram
Brand: Caroni 17 year
Distiller: Caroni, Trinidad
Proof: 110
Age: 17 years (15 in Trinidad)
Label Notes:
- Distilled in 1998 at Caroni Distillery – Trinidad – from Trinidad Molasses
- 100% Trinidad Rum aged 17 years
- Extra Strong 100 proof
- Distilled at Caroni Distillery Trinidad in February 1998
- Aged in Trinidad until September 22th, 2015
- Bottled in Scotland in November 2015
- Imported by Velier, Genova Italy
- Founded in 1923, in the heart of the Caroni plain’s sugarcane plantation, this famed Trinidad distillery was renowned through-out the world for producing one of the very best Heavy Rums, receiving high praise from the British Navy. In 2003, with the closing of the nearby state-owned sugar refinery, the Trinidad sugarcane production ceased and the distillery was inevitably shut down shortly after. Caroni 17 year old contains rum from the 1998 vintage, distilled and matured for fifteen years on the island. The tropical conditions result in a 80% loss of the distilled spirit due to evaporation: the angel’s share. To perfectly capture the unique Heavy Rum character of this closed distillery, Caroni 17 year old has been bottled at 55%. Furthermore, the label is a reproduction of an original from 1940 to commemorate the golden age of Trinidad Rum.
Color: Amber
Nose: A fairly pronounced nose dominated at first by black pepper, smoke, and new tire rubber, with an undercurrent of vanilla, graham cracker, caramel, a delicate tropical fruit (banana?), and gasoline. A hint of lime zest. Burnt caramel, just a tiny bit of burnt rubber.
Palate: Oily mouthfeel – the black pepper jumps out right at the start with new tire rubber, then petroleum and burnt rubber comes in, followed by a dark caramel, and fruity funk that is hard to describe – like brown banana, raisin, and lime zest.
Finish: A long finish – my entire mouth is alive – tingling with sweet caramel well balanced by spicy black pepper, campfire smoke, and a hint of fruit and dark molasses. Dark chocolate. Cola. Lime zest.
Overall: I was very excited to try this rum. It was at auction and went for way more than I could afford. Come to find out, a friend bought it! He then traded it to another friend, who traded a sample of it to me! Cheers gents!
This one stands out for me as authentic, pure, stout, well aged, complex, and balanced. None of the sickly sweet artificial flavors you might imagine in a Ron Zacapa or Kirk and Sweeney. More “heavy” dark flavors than a what you might get from a Barbados or even Jamaica rums. The funkiness level is mild but present, and the complexity level is high. Am excellent treat.
Caroni Distillery was sold to Angostura in 2001, and shortly after that was closed permanently. Located in Trinidad, Caroni rum had a very distintive profile. Though the distillery was closed, of course left behind was a reserve of aging rum! Those barrels were acquired by Velier, and some of those ended up in this bottle. This Caroni 17 was distilled in 1998, aged for 15 years in Trinidad, and finally bottled in Scotland in 2015.
Rating: 9
Rating Overview:
1: Gross I can’t even drink this crap.
2: Poor I would force this down in good company
3: Bad I wouldn’t have to force it down, but it’s not good either.
4: Not Bad But still not good.
5: Just OK Average.
6: Good Above average, but not special.
7: Very Good Well above average.
8: Excellent This is a favorite of mine for sure.
9. Amazing I would bathe in this if I could afford to.
10. Life Altering Nothing could be better than this.
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