January 10, 2016

Tasting six Ardbegs of rum

Some say that Caroni was the Ardbeg of rum. Except that Caroni’s closed! Not saying there’s any virtue in that… What’s sure is that I’m very happy to be able to do a little Caroni session today. We’ll have them by ascending strengths instead of descending vintages. Some are tropically aged while others were matured in the UK, so indeed ages do not matter that much in this case. And watch the last one!

Caroni 10 yo (43%, Bristol Spirits, sherry finish, Trinidad, +/-2015)

This is a recent bottling, but since the distillery was closed in 2000 – or was it 2001? 2002? – this baby could be older. Or kept in some inert container. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s not very heavy Caroni, and the sherry seems to have been a sweeter one. That makes this Caroni rather fruitier and rounder than usual, but the tar and even the smoke are well there in the background. Plenty of raisins, some raw cane juice, whiffs of beef jerky, burning fir wood, and above all, our beloved fermented plum sauce that the Chinese serve with Peking duck. Ah, yes hoisin sauce. This nose keeps improving, becoming extremely aromatic, fat, and rich. Mouth: bang for your buck! I don’t think you could imagine any richer spirit at 43% vol. Hoisin sauce again (don’t we learn fast), raisins, black olives, caramel, a touch of mustard, this beef jerky again (fat free!), the tar, the smoke… It just tends to become a notch ‘less big’ after a little while, but that’s more than normal. Finish: medium, on the same flavours. Including hoisin sauce, of course. Tarry aftertaste. Litres of lapsang souchong. Comments: another session that starts extremely well, me happy, me buy bottle(s). SGP:463 - 89 points.

Caroni 1996/2014 (46%, Bristol Spirits, Port finish, Trinidad)

It was matured in Trinidad, then moved to the UK, where it ‘enjoyed’ a Port finish, according to the label. Colour: gold. Nose: ooh, this is something else, around maraschino, bigarreau cherries, and even, guess what… Young Chambertin! Bursts with black cherries indeed, while the brine, the smoke, the olives and the tar are getting a little more discreet than in the 10. Because the cherries are taking up all the room – but on the other hand, I’m a cherry lover. Is that all the Port? Mouth: rich and tarry, and subsequently more ‘Caroni’, but the Port’s still waffling on, this time with floral notes, especially peonies and geranium (flowers, not stems, so not a flaw at all). The Port may work better than on Ardbeg, but you’ve still got a wee feeling of ‘premix’. Gets saltier over time. Pink grapefruits? Finish: long, rich, a tad oak-driven perhaps. Comments: loved the nose! But on the palate, it was a little hard after the very fantastic 10. SGP:552 - 83 points.

Caroni 15 yo 1998/2013 ‘Extra Strong’ (52%, Velier, Trinidad)

Entirely tropically aged, first for 10 years in Trinidad, then for 5 years in Guyana. Colour: amber. Nose: this one’s rather more phenolic, and brinier, but I wouldn’t call it ‘a bomb’. Starts with some seawater and some fumes, but tends to become fruitier. Overripe bananas, then rather roasted nuts. Pecans, peanuts… So rather lovely, but not quite ‘extra-strong’. So far. With water: same. Smoked bananas with a drop of truffle oil. Italian truffle oil, of course. Alba truffles, that is. Mouth (neat): very good, not quite heavy, starting with more overripe bananas, certainly bananas flambéed, then a tarry side indeed, but without being sensationally tarry. If you see what I mean… With water: perhaps was the batch a little too large? Some parts may be a tad too ‘melted’ – there must be a better word for that. But it remains high-class, no doubt about that. Finish: medium, always on smoked bananas. A little more oak in the aftertaste. Comments: just very, very good. Perhaps just a tad soft for Caroni… SGP:552 - 85 points.

So, more power…

Caroni 1995/2015 (63.1%, Bristol Spirits, Trinidad)

A little frightening, I have to say… Colour: pale amber. Nose: take some lovage, wild thyme, ramson, and perhaps even garlic. Put into a masher. Add a little liquid clay, and some pitch. Some liquid liquorice, a pinch of salt, some olive oil, and a drop of natural vanilla extract. Push the button. To your good health! With water: some oranges, old oils, diesel oil, perhaps a few pencil shavings, black earth… Mouth (neat): it’s a very citrusy Caroni this time, interestingly zesty and narrow, without much oiliness at this super-high strength. A funny feeling, you’d almost think you’re having some very young Rosebank at cask strength. Finished in a Caroni cask ;-). With water: swims like a champ, for it becomes fatter, richer, more ‘Caroni’, with tar, pineapples, brine, tapenade… Truly excellent. Finish: long, rather fruitier than others, balanced… Tropical fruits and liquid liquorice. Comments: I’m still liking the humbler 10 a little better, but no doubt this is a great bottling by Bristol. SGP:653 - 87 points.

So, even more power…

Caroni 16 yo 1998/2014 ‘Full Proof’ (64.5%, Velier, Trinidad, 18 bourbon casks)

Tremble, mere mortal, tremble… Colour: amber. Nose: it’s even nosable at such a strength! But you have to be careful, one sniff too deep and you get burned. It seems that there are aromas similar to those of the 15, with fumes and lapsang souchong, plus bananas flambéed and cigar smoke. Some fresh sawdust as well, but let’s add water… (S., you sissy!) With water: as often, it’s the earthiness that comes out, and that would come with some chocolate, banana cream, sandalwood, and drops of that famous sauce that comes with Peking duck, what’s the name again? Mouth (neat): very strong, it almost peels off your oral mucosa. Not such a good idea as long as this little session isn’t over. So… With water: it got much gentler, almost mellow, with more ripe bananas, cassata ice cream, and even some sappy honey. Crystallised pineapples. A little peppery oak roaring in the background. Finish: long, much drier, oakier, tannic… It’s funny how it changed. Strong black tea. But the aftertaste is more Caronian again, with some tar, olives, and brine. Comments: excellent. Bristol’s 1995 was a notch more phenolic. SGP:652 - 86 points.

It seems that the cheapest one won it today! But this session isn’t over, because we’ve also got this possible beauty…

Caroni 20 yo (46%, Moon Import, The Birds, Trinidad, 900 bottles, 75cl, +/-1989)

A funny label that calls it ‘rhum agricol’. Yes, no ‘e’. Were Caroni distilling fresh cane juice in the 1960s, and not molasses? That’s not impossible, I should ask rum experts, but it’s what’s inside the bottle that counts. I believe this was a 1969 bottled in 1989, but I’m not 100% sure. In any case, it’s a thrill to be able to taste such an old Caroni. Colour: dark amber. Nose: much more complex, smoother, mellower, rounder… It’s a dry nose, but there are totally lovely notes of dandelions, roasted hazelnuts, praline, green tea, linseed oil, old books, hand cream, asparagus… And then plenty of milk chocolate and cappuccino. The whole’s very delicate, subtle, and in a way, totally un-Caroni. Perhaps was it ‘light’ Caroni? Mouth: indeed, it’s rather light and dry, kind of carbony, papery, ashy… The salt is there, the tar is there, and there are olives and even kippers, also lemon… It is gaining a little strength over time, but it’s true that we had genuine monsters just before. Let’s take our time… zzz… (Ten minutes later)… It got even smoother, with more and more raisins. Finish: medium, sweet, rounded, raisiny. Leafier aftertaste, with hints of artichokes and asparagus, but that could be bottle aging. Comments: great, but perhaps not quite ‘Caroni’ by today’s standards. Or did they ‘push the phenols’ in the last years? Or is it the distillery’s lightest style, given that they did make both ‘light’ and ‘heavy’? SGP:541 - 86 points.

Check the index of all rums I've tasted so far