ScotchingHard
Caroni 1998 20 Year (Ultimatum)
Aged Rum — Trinidad & Tobago
Reviewed
April 13, 2019 (edited October 5, 2021)
Rum from Trinidad and Tobago
Distillery: Caroni
Bottler: van Wees
Ultimatum Single Cask Selection
Distilled: Jan 1998
Bottled: Nov 23, 2018
Bourbon Barrel
64.1% ABV
Many thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for providing this 3cL sample of a distillery I can now cross off my bucket list. Caroni is the Port Ellen of Caribbean rum. I split the sample with my wife, who is born and raised in Trinidad, but unfortunately only started enjoying aged spirits after Caroni shut down, and Angotsura took over everything.
The nose was the best part of the experience. Instantly, you realize this is not the overly sugary and watered down stuff from Angotsura. This is a welcomed assault on the nose. Deep notes of caramel and vanilla, accentuated by a harmony of spices: cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. But there is also some green stuff in there: pine needles and menthol. If not for the rich molasses, I would mistake this for whisky. The age and cask influence dominates the palate. There is a resinous, leathery American oak that is powerful and mouthcoating. The ABV was a little too high for me, and some water definitely improved things. The spirit re-asserts itself on the long and delicious finish, full of dark fruits and a confident ruminess.
I will hunt a bottle of Caroni down when I visit Europe this summer, as these are almost impossible to find on U.S. shelves. If Port Ellen bottlings are now starting at around $1000, Caroni starting at around $200, is a steal. I’m not going to give this a real rating, as it was a small sample. But I am going to start using a new fickle rating system for samples, similar to how some reviewers judge color with Amber minuses and pluses. So, if average (0) is a completely average, inoffensive, forgettable dram…
I give this average +7.5.
I don’t know what that means yet, but it feels pretty high above average, don't you? I think I’ll translate it to 5 stars.
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@PBMichiganWolverine yeah, this is definitely rum for whisky lovers. I’m having Scarlet Ibis after this, which is an actually half decent IB of Angostura at 49%. But this is sugared rubbing alcohol in comparison.
@ScotchingHard glad you liked it. Normally I’m not a fan of rum, but this wasn’t the usual sweet stuff. After having this, I bought a bottle of Caroni.