Caroni 1998 20 Year (Ultimatum)

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 a friend 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.

This could easily be my first five-star rum. I've sampled a few, but rum has always struck me as excessively sweet, akin to artificial sweeteners or simple sugar. This particular one drinks like whiskey. Upon opening my sample, I was immediately met with scents of brown sugar and oak. It feels thick and syrupy in the mouth, with notes of green olives (seriously?!), cinnamon spice, and an almost herbal finish—like thyme. If tasted blind, I would have sworn it was a very well-made American craft whiskey (perhaps something like Balcones, Stranahan’s, or Westland), but superior. Significantly better. The cask strength contributes a fiery cinnamon finish, but a tiny splash of water quickly softens it to a lingering aftertaste. This is the first rum that has made me think, "I have to buy a bottle." How on earth did this distillery cease operations????!!!!