Rum Nation Caroni 1999
Rum Nation Caroni 1999 bottled in 2015. Rum Nation have featured a little bit more on the site recently. I’ve had a few bits and bobs from them lying around for some time now. So I thought I would re-visit some of them and finalise the reviews.
The Caroni Distillery has been closed for a good while but the number of Independently bottled rums show no sign of slowing down. Rum Nation must also be one of the Independent bottlers that have quite a stock or access to a stock of Caroni casks.
This is a 15/16 year old old. It was distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2015.This release, Batch number L 15/217, comprises a whopping 4480 bottles. So this is not a single cask release it is, I assume a blend of casks. It is noted as being a Heavy Style Caroni from their Column Stills. Rum Nation Caroni 1999 was aged in Trinidad for 11 years in American oak with 4 years ageing in the UK. It was then shipped to Piedmont, Italy for a finishing period of 12 months. These casks had previously held Spanish Brandy and Sherry. The hydrometer reveals 15 g/L of additives so perhaps those casks were a little “wet”. Information direct from Rum Nation reveals 9.43 g/L of sugar. Either way it has been “dosed” in some way.
As far as I am aware this rum was released in 2016 and bottles of it are still available. Expect to pay around the £60 mark maybe more in the UK. It is bottled at a hefty 55% ABV.
As can be seen the rum comes in the newer stubby style Rum Nation bottle with a quality cork enclosure and a nice albeit lightweight cut out cardboard sleeve. The classic Rum Nation postage stamp design is also used to good effect. It’s a nicely packaged rum.
In the glass it is a rich dark brown with an orange tinge. The nose on the Rum Nation Caroni 1999 is familiar. It is quite a heavy, full blooded and rich nose. In the glass the rum has a rich,oily almost viscous character. It remind me very much of the Bristol Classic Rum Providence Estate release of a couple of years back.
Familiar notes of petrol and burnt tyres greet the noser. They do not become overbearing though and there is very nice, gentler oak and spiciness which balances the nose. It has a sweetness – Sherry and red wine. At the very end of the nose is a touch of menthol and eucalyptus.
Sipped it is not as “heavy” as I might have expected. I’d say Caroni wise it just touching the heavier styles found in many of the Velier releases. You get an appreciation and feel for both the tropical and continental European ageing with this one. The finish is also very noticeable to add some sweetness.
It’s still quite an intense rum though it is not “sweet” as in the sweetened rum style. Its still very menacing has enough oak, tobacco, petrol and burnt tyres to satisfy a Caroni buff.
It’s got a nice balance to it and its very easy to sip even a the full ABV. The finish is perhaps the most “Caroni” like moment. It’s very smoky and full of tobacco and diesel fumes. The oak and spice really hit the palate and deliver quite a long heated finish.
All in all its quite an enjoyable little sipper and a good introduction to the Caroni style without being too “full on”. It is perhaps a little to sweet though if you are a serious Caroni petrol head. Maybe a touch too rounded and gentle in parts. This stops it from being an amazing rum in my mind. Left without the finish it may have been a better example of Caroni.
Having said that its different and there is no shortage of Caroni so this is a nice departure.
Dark Matter: Inspired by Science, Driven by Curiosty. Is the tagline for this newly released Spiced Rum which hails from the less than Caribbean like island of Great Britain. More precisely from Aberdeen, Scotland.
Whilst this leaves 17 g/L unaccounted for Jim went onto explain the following which I think will explain the Hydrometer reading
and enthusiasm for the art. Kudos to Jim and John (lets not forget his brother!)
The nose is pretty strong but not overpoweringly so like some Spiced Rums. It’s not sickly sweet or cloying. Before I had seen the picture above or asked Jim any questions, I had already tried the rum. I was very relieved when I found that Dark Matter had left the vaniila in the pods and on the vines. No vanilla here. I’m pretty smug in that I detected Ginger and Allspice as the dominant notes. I also picked up on the peppery/chilli like heat. I did think some of this heat was coming from the young rum base and its likely that it is.
would be the way to go. A rum Bloody Mary could perhaps become this Spiced Rums signature drink. I tried mixing it with cola and to be honest it really didn’t do the rum too many favours. It muted all the nice heat and spice I had enjoyed and left me with a slightly medicinal taste which I didn’t find pleasant.
Westerhall Estate was once a bustling hive of sugar and rum production on the island of Grenada. Nowadays the Estate offers a visitors centre to remind visitors of the rum and sugar production of the past.
nitially, when poured in the glass the rum gives off quite a lot of alcohol on the nose. However, give it a little time and it quickly subsides. The nose is similar to an Angostura branded rum. There is a nice buttery almost honeyed note on the nose. Touch of vanilla and a little cashew. It’s not a bad nose but it is a little young. The “silky smooth” claims seems a little out of step as this doesn’t seem as smooth, as for instance, Doorly’s or Angostura’s 5 year old offerings.
This isn’t a bad rum but it isn’t a very exciting rum either. Unlike Clarkes Court’s Old Grog (also from Grenada) it doesn’t have anything exciting or different to recommend it. It doesn’t do anything wrong as such – it can however be surpassed by less expensive rums. It offers a very so-so sipping experience.
Jack Tar Alpha and Omega Triple Cask Enmore 1988-1990. For the first time I will be reviewing more than one bottling in a single review. However, I am not going down the route of many reviewers, who put several rum reviews into one article. Although this “batch” of rum comes in two different bottles – Alpha and Omega it is the same blend of 3 rums in each bottle.
Alongside the Port Mourant and Versailles stills the EHP makes up Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) three “Heritage Stills”.
running over the top of the rum which gives it more of a savoury note.
rockact81r Mogwai Rum is without doubt one of the oddest rums I have ever known to be bottled. This rum is not a homage to the pre-horror stage of the furry little animals in the film Gremlins.
t.
the more oaky notes actually work well alongside the sweetness of the cola. However you don’t want to spend £50 for a mixer. Cadenheads Classic rum (a Demerara blend) is less than £35 and kicks this miles out of the water anyway.
Vidya The River Mumma. I’m pleased to present today the first Independent bottling from UK based importer/distributor Skylark Spirits. As you will learn from this review they have started things at the more daring end of the rum spectrum.
Finish wise it has a nice hit of oak and you are left with a very intense hit of Pear Drops and nail varnish again.
A Witch Hunt historically concerned mass hysteria and moral panic. For those who have suggested the Hydrometer Tests as being a “Witch Hunt” let me make it very clear – there is no panic or hysteria here. Nor I doubt Johnny Drejer or Cyril at DuRhum are panicking too much either.
People have suggested that the industry should police itself. It shouldn’t have to rely on government testing (the Swedish and Finnish government publish results on additives in Spirits). It’s very unlikely that the rum industry will ever police itself. There is precious little evidence of any desire to do so. The ACR (Authentic Caribbean Rum) organisation may be taking steps along these lines and defining certain standards regarding age statements etc. However, a look at their line up of rums shows some which many would consider to be “altered” or “adulterated” in some way.
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