Distilia Chaconia 24 YO Distilled at Caroni Distillery. This bottling opens Distilia’s “Floral Rum Series”, which helps explain the presentation.

Distilia was set up by Spirits Afficionado’s Jakub Baginiski and Piotr Kossowski, initially they released long aged whisky from Karuizawa, Glenfarcas and Clynelish amongst others.

Now they have begun to release their own “brand” of rare rums from all around the world. For more information on Distilia you can visit their website here.

Distilia Chaconia 24 YO Distilled at Caroni Distillery is a rum which was distilled in 1998 at Caroni Distillery, Trinidad. It was bottled in 2022. It has been bottled at Cask Strength of 60.2%. Chaconia has enjoyed over 10 years Tropical Ageing before being move to Europe. It has been aged in an ex-bourbon barrel. There are only 139 70cl bottles of this available. It is noted as being “Heavy Trinidad Rum” on the front label.

Presentation wise the bottle and Cardboard sleeve are adorned by the Chaconia. The Chaconia is the National Flower of Trinidad and Tobago. The bottle itself is a 3/4 stubby style bottle with a short neck and chunky wooden topped cork stopper. The presentation is all very premium.

To be fair so it should be as this is a long aged and rare example of Caroni rum. At this stage you are probably wondering what the retail price of such a bottling might be.

There is actually no RRP for this rum, not will you find it in any shops. For this release Distilia are working with global auction site Catawiki to sell these bottles. So the price is pretty much what people are willing to pay. You can view the initial auctions here to get an idea of the price a bottle might fetch.

In the glass I am presented with a dark brown liquid with a distinct orange hue. Nosing Chaconia I am in familiar territory. I’ve had a fair bit of Caroni and this is certainly a nice example of a more balanced Caroni nose.

Whilst the familiar petrol, varnish, smoky almost peated notes are all accounted for I am also getting a nice sweeter hit of stoned fruits and even dare I say – a touch of vanilla. Something just a little softer.

Despite being 60.2% ABV the nose is not at all over powering and is very enjoyable and complex. There’s quite a bit going on once you get past the “stronger” notes – some peanut oil, hints of English Breakfast Tea, buttered toast and some marmalade.

It’s all very interesting and nose wise it is certainly up there for me with the best Caroni’s I have nosed.

Sipped, the rum is initiallly quite smoky and dry. Quite oaky with a fair amount of burn (which I personally expect and enjoy at this ABV). A few sips in and more of the nose begins to come into play.

The smokiness gives way to the varnish and shoe polish notes along with some burnt tyres. Beneath this you get a slight bitter-sweet note. A slightly medicinal almost tannic hit as well as it moves into the mid palate.

The mid palate grows with layers of oak and some dark stoned fruits almost like red wine. The rum is thick and heavy. As it moves into the finish I’m getting notes of cocoa and bitter dark chocolate alongside a touch of dark stewed figs.

The finish is long and smoky with a lovely hit of charred oak and dark stoned fruits.

This is a great example of Caroni’s Heavy Style Rum. It is not everyone’s cup of tea but those who enjoy this type of rum will appreciate this. With this being released at auction only, it is difficult to determine how much it will eventually sell for. Whilst I am sure a fair amount will go to collectors rather than drinkers – it will be those collectors who are really missing out.

If they never try this rum.