Berry Bros & Rudd Caribbean XO Rum.

Berry Bros. & Rudd have been in the wine and spirits trade since 1698 and still operate from their historic shop in London. Over the centuries they’ve bottled a wide range of wines and spirits and in more recent years they’ve released several rums under their own label sourced from all across the Caribbean.

One of the more intriguing bottles in that range is the Caribbean XO. The label itself is fairly vague. It simply states Caribbean rum and gives the bottling strength of 46% ABV. When released I understand it was around £45.

However, among rum drinkers there has long been fairly strong suspicion that this bottling contains rum from the legendary Caroni Distillery. While Berry Bros. & Rudd haven’t exactly shouted about it on the label, the flavour profile certainly points very strongly in that direction. I wlll note at this point that this particular bottling was released over 10 years ago. They only way you will pick one up now is via the secondary market.

I recently posted inviting my readers to send me some samples for review (offering to cover P&P costs). in exchange for a mention and giving them a chance to see a rum they had bought get thefatrumpirate.com treatment. Philip Oliver who is a member of The UK Rum Club very kindly took me up on the offer and has sent me some very interesting samples. This is my first review of those. Rights lets get back on track now

Caroni, of course, was the state-owned distillery in Trinidad and Tobago that closed back in 2002. Since then its rums have developed something of a cult following thanks to their unmistakable style heavy, oily, smoky and often full of tarry industrial notes that you rarely find elsewhere in the rum world.

Pouring the rum into the glass, the colour is a deep amber.

The nose immediately feels quite bold and unmistakably in the heavier Trinidad style. There’s a strong hit of tar and burnt rubber right from the start the sort of aroma that instantly makes seasoned rum drinkers think of Caroni. It’s not subtle.

Behind those darker notes there’s burnt caramel, molasses and a touch of treacle sweetness trying to push through. Cocoa powder and charred oak appear as well, giving the nose a slightly smoky, almost barbecue-like edge.

Give the rum a minute or two in the glass and it begins to open up a little more. A bit of orange peel and some gentle spice start to show themselves cinnamon and clove perhaps. The dominant impression remains very much on the tarry, industrial side of things though.

This is not one of those soft and welcoming rum noses. Instead it feels dense, slightly dirty and quite powerful. For fans of Caroni that’s exactly what you want, but anyone expecting a typical smooth XO-style Caribbean rum might be in for a surprise.

On the palate the rum follows through with much the same character. The first sip brings burnt sugar, molasses and dark caramel, but almost immediately those heavier notes arrive again. There’s a thick, slightly oily mouthfeel which coats the tongue nicely.

Flavours of dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans appear alongside heavily toasted oak. The tarry character lingers throughout the sip, giving the rum a slightly smoky and industrial edge that feels very typical of Caroni-style spirit.

The sweetness is there but it sits firmly in the background, acting more as a counterbalance rather than dominating the flavour profile. Instead the rum leans toward darker, slightly bitter notes burnt sugar, cocoa and charred wood.

At 46% ABV the rum has a nice level of punch. It carries the flavours well and gives the spirit some warmth without becoming rough or aggressive. That said, the overall profile still makes this a rum that benefits from slow sipping rather than casual drinking.

The finish is fairly long and continues along the same path. The sweeter caramel notes fade first, leaving behind lingering tar, toasted oak and slightly bitter dark chocolate. There’s also a dry, smoky note that sticks around on the tongue for quite a while.

What’s interesting about this bottle is how much character it manages to deliver without going fully into the extreme end of the Caroni spectrum. Some full cask-strength Caroni releases can be absolutely monstrous. With huge waves of tar, diesel and industrial funk that can overwhelm the palate. This Berry Bros. & Rudd bottling feels a little more controlled and balanced, but still clearly carries that distinctive DNA.

It’s not particularly approachable for newcomers to rum. The tarry notes and darker flavour profile are quite dominant and may come across as unusual if you’re used to sweeter Spanish-style rums or lighter blends.

However, for drinkers who appreciate heavier Trinidad rum styles, there’s plenty to enjoy here.

Overall this is a characterful and slightly old school rum.It may not reach the legendary intensity of some of the most famous Caroni bottlings. Yet the tarry, smoky DNA is clearly present and makes for a very enjoyable if slightly challenging drink.