Tomatin 2009 10 Year Caribbean Rum

I spotted this at the LCBO and purchased it without hesitation; the selection in Ontario isn't as extensive as in other Canadian regions, although it is improving. The bottle indicates this is a limited edition, 10-year age statement from Tomatin. It spends 9 years in Oak barrels, followed by the final year in a Caribbean rum barrel. Sounds fantastic, but why, oh why, must these limited releases be reduced to 700ML? On the nose: red wine and apples. A deeper inhalation reveals some vanilla and banana with notes of grape and salt. The palate: apple and citrus appear upon the first taste. It greets the mouth like fine cotton sheets, gentle and smooth. Caramel and sea salt come through with a hint of cinnamon, filling your mouth with delight. The finish: sweet and smooth. As it goes down, citrus fruit reappears with a touch of sweetness. Apple lingers in the mouth for some time. At 46% ABV, it's quite pleasing to have a delicate, yet memorable finish.

Solid for a rum cask. It's sweet but not excessively so. The 10 years of aging does leave a bit of a bite in the aftertaste.