Edition Spirits Tasting Notes

Edition Spirits Kill Devil Trinidad Rum 1998 (18 year old) 63.2%

Caroni Distillery

Code: RUM0085/ Dist: Dec 1998 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: July 2017

An intense and smoky nose with dried plum, raisin, toasted corn and herbal rye-like notes. I would imagine those corn and rye-like notes are coming from the oak as there is no shortage of fresh Bourbon oak character. With time it becomes quite woody with sweet tannins and vanilla.

The palate is dense, smoky and oaky with like the nose, plenty of corny Bourbon notes. Hints of macerated orange, treacle, liquorice and buckets of spice follow. Lovely Cognac-esque dried fruit rancio on the middle (as the oak settles), which linger through the finish. Stunning complexity and progression with a smoky after-taste.

A drop of water doesn’t make much difference to the nose. On the palate it possibly emphasises the herbal rye-like notes l and brings out a touch of sweet coffee. Still very impressive though.

Edition Spirits Tasting Notes

Edition Spirits Kill Devil Trinidadian Rum 2005 (11 year old) 46%

Unspecified Distillery (but probably from Trinidad Distillers Ltd)

Code: RUM0044/ Dist: Feb 2005 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Aug 2016

Rich and sweet aromas of burnt wood, dark, dried fruit, molasses and granulated sugar. The dried fruit becomes slightly floral and a subtle herbal note appears along with a touch of toasted banana skin.

The palate is full and sweet-ish with molasses, dark honey and plenty of possibly first fill, toasty American oak. Silky smooth with a touch of bitter chocolate and herbs on the middle. Long and remaining oaky with a light camphor note and lingering molasses and dried, sweet plumy fruit.

Edition Spirits Kill Devil Trinidadian Rum 2002(?) (13 year old) 63.1%

Unspecified Distillery (but probably from the last days of the Caroni Distillery)

Code: RUM0033/ Dist: 2002 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: Aug 2016

The nose is pungent, dark and spicy with an almost cereal-like character. Hints of dark coffee, molasses and subtle agricole notes follow along with a touch of burnt wood and toasted wheat flakes.

The palate is earthy and woody with molasses and dark, dried fruit. Hints of toasty oak come through on the middle but the alcohol masks a little. Intense finish with burnt wood, molasses, burnt cereal and agricole notes.

With water the nose is still dark but slightly perfumed with an almost violety edge. A little sweeter now with and light saline note. The palate is fuller and rounder. Still quite heavy on the molasses but now showing some oily, syrup coated dried fruit and sweet spice. Long with a sliver of citrus and toasty oak.

Edition Spirits Kill Devil Trinidad Rum 2003 (13 year old) 46%

Unspecified Distillery (probably Trinidad Distillers)

Code: RUM0049/ Dist: Feb 2003 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Dec 2016

A seriously dusty, coffee’d and pungently manuery nose with an almost malty character, along with treacle, burnt sugar and a light herbal note. Wonderfully balanced by some crisp column still notes. Excellent complexity with late burnt wood and spice.

The palate is full, robust  and smooth with dark treacle, liquorice, burnt wood, coffee garins and although relatively sweet the column still crispness balances. Softly spiced on the middle with a long, crisp, spicy, vibrant finish with lingering dried fruit and a touch of tannins.

Edition Spirits Kill Devil Trinidad Rum 1998 (17 year old) 63.1%

Caroni Distillery/ Code: RUM0046/ Dist: Dec 1998 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Dec 2016

An intense and oak led nose with a distinct ‘Bourbony’ and rye-like herbal character. However the sprit emerges, showing spicy fruit, tar and treacle. Seriously intense with late wood smoke and the fruit becoming subtly oily.

Intense and a little alcohol masked. There is less oak and more rum character. Treacle, wood spice, liquorice, tar come through on he middle. Long and herbal with subtle agricole notes mingling with the rye-like notes, mouth-watering citrus, spice and ‘Bourbony’ oak.

A drop of water makes the nose crisper and fresher with less oak influence and more Cognac-eqsue dried fruit. Hints of granulated sugar and citrus appear as well. The palate is oiler and herbal. A slight marc-like note makes it feel younger but the lovely dried fruit rancio is quite prominent. Still citric and herbal on the finish.

Plantation Rum’s Tasting Notes

Plantation ‘Original Dark’ Trinidad & Tobago Rum 40%

Tasted: Aug 2008

Amazing quality, entry level Rum from the Plantation series. It has a pungent, oily nose, redolent of dried fruits along with a touch of banana and wood spices. Quiet fragrant with a lovely soft crumbly spice note.

The palate displays the wealth of dried fruit flavour that the nose hints at. It’s robust yet surprisingly full of finesse with loads of wood notes and oily congeners. Excellent length with a spicy finish.

Plantation Trinidad 1996 (?age) 45%

Tasted: Sept 2007

A Lovely, rich, waxy nose of coconut, dried fruit, menthol, mint leaves and a citrus note.

Rich on the palate but surprisingly delicate with a lovely balance of coconut, dried fruit and menthol. It really is quiet sinus clearing with its minty finish. Very long with a touch of dried spice and salt.

Murray McDavid Tasting Notes

Murray McDavid Renegade Rum – Caroni Trinidad 1993 (11 year old) 46%

Continuous Still – Madeira Cask Finished

Clean, medium intensity of sweet Madeira fruit. Underneath is a suggestion of higher alcohols plus a floral top note and a developing smokiness.

Off-dry, quite sweet with toffee, redcurrant/ cherry, wine infused dried fruit and Madeira wood. Sweet, mouthfilling and spicy. Very full bodied with a long winey finish. The Rum itself only comes through on the finish – It’s all about the wood, which is extremely clean. 

Murray McDavid Renegade Rum – Trinidad Distillery 1991 (17 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Chateau Le Pin

Limited Release of 1,380 bottles/ Tasted: Feb 2010

Bold and rich (in a Jamaican stylie!!) Full on and quite peated with robust, dried fruits and a touch of dark chocolate. The finishing cask is extremely subtly applied and it allows a bucket full of creamy American oak aromas to let fly. Wow, this is starting to move into Rye territory now as some beautifully buzzy spices and violet notes emerge from the vanillins. This is a definite Caribbean/ American hybrid.

The palate, like the nose is broad, rich and bold. Subtle peat and leafy herbs begin the journey, followed by the American oak. Again it gives a convincing Rye performance, with a gorgeously grainy character and spiciness. Where is the wine cask in all of this? Who cares frankly! This is truly a world class spirit, and the length is amazing. The rum and raisin notes reappear on the finish, just to remind you that your not really in Kentucky Toto!

Mezan Rum’s Tasting Notes

Mezan Trinidad 1999 (15 year old) 40%

Caroni Distillery

Dist: 1999 Btl: 2014/ Tasted: Nov 2014

A luscious and honeyed nose with buckets of tropical, lightly oiled banana, apricot, melon and guava. A subtle dried fruit rancio follows with a touch of menthol and camphor. Wonderfully fresh with a late dusty spice note appearing.

The palate is oilier than the nose suggests and there is more of the sultana dried fruit and oak. The tropical fruit is a subtler and veers towards the drier rather than luscious end of the spectrum. However it is still very complex with hints of nuts, linseed and menthol. Lovely depth with a long, toasted vanilla finish and lingering camphor notes.

Mezan Trinidad 1999 (15 year old) 40%

Caroni Distillery

Tasted: Sept 2015

Pungent, lightly tarry aromas with burnt driftwood, earth and an almost peaty note. Hints of walnuts, dark spice and dark dried fruit. The aromas are quite whisky-like with an almost barley’d character appearing, which lightens the nose a little.

The palate is sweeter than the nose would suggest with granulated sugar, tar, treacle, walnuts and lightly oiled raisinated fruit. Hints of vegetal herbs appears and the dried fruit notes really kick in on the middle. Long and lightly sugary with a tart lime and menthol streak which balances. Very natural and very impressive.

Mezan Trinidad 1999 (15 year old) 40%

Caroni Distillery

Re-Tasted: Mar 2016

A lovely pungent nose of lightly oiled dried fruit with hints of nuts, tropical fruit – pear, pineapple, melon and subtle medicinal notes. With time a touch of marzipan, camphor and dusty spice.

The palate initially is a shade lighter and crisper, once the oils arrive, bringing some lusciously sweet fruit it fills out well. Lightly nutty with lingering medicinal/ agricole notes.

Mezan Trinidad 1991 (20 year old) 40%

Caroni Distillery

Dist: 1991 Btl: 2011/ Tasted: Sept 2011

Dense and whisky-like aromas of orange, coconut, gently spiced dried fruit, coffee and mature, macerated tropical fruit. With time the oak puts in an appearance but the edgy, high toned column still notes hold out and get progressively sweeter as if sprinkled with demerara sugar.

The palate opens with the gentle dried grape and demerara notes whilst that mature macerated tropical builds. Very intense with a tart citrus note that cleans the palate leaving notes of menthol and a vegetal agricole-esque touch. Lovely length with an elegant lightly oiled dried fruit finish.

Dewar Rattray Tasting Notes

Dewar Rattray Caroni Trinidad Rum 1997 (13 year old) 63.5%

Cask RR1075 – 12 bottles exclusively for Gauntleys at cask strength.

Dist: 1997 Btl: 2010/ Tasted: Nov 2010

A monumental nose of dried fruit – raisins, sultanas, prunes in syrup, along with that edgy/ herby agricole rancio. The aromas really are enveloping with hints of camphor, peat. With time the American oak takes over and we’re moving into rye-like territory. Damn this good! Intense, complex and ever changing!

Dry, spicy and woody on the palate. There are tannins and cinnamon edged wood spices by the bucketful, followed by dried fruit and an intense alcohol hit, (not knowing the abv I would guess its somewhere up around 60%) Whoa!! It has an almost Stagg-esque intensity. When the senses have recovered it winds down into a lovely camphor/ agricole finish.

Water makes the nose softer, subtler and less oak influenced. It still has a superb depth but the raw intensity is replaced by a polished elegance. On the palate it is again softer (more cane juice in character) and maybe a touch sweeter. Like the nose the rawness is replaced by a gentle harmonious tropical fruit character. Again the oak is less prevalent and it finishes with hints of tar and liquorice.

I’m so glad that they agreed to bottle some at cask strength especially for us!

Dewar Rattray Caroni Rum 1997 (14 year old) 46%

Cask 134 – sample at 63.4%/ Dist: 1997 Btl: 2012/ Tasted: July 2012

A pungent agricole nose. Herbal, vegetal, earthy, intensely oily (in a Guyana-style) with medicinal dried fruit, walnuts, light coffee and raisins. With time you get an enormous hit of sweet Bourbon oak. Seriously intense, seriously good!

The palate is quite oily, tannic and alcoholic(no surprise!) It has a serious intensity of coffee, walnuts, molasses and vegetal herbal notes. The dried fruit (raisin, sultana and citrus rind) has an almost Armagnac-like quality. Like the nose, some big, brawny, boisterous Bourbon oak comes through on the finish. Absolutely stunning, it’s just a shame this wasn’t bottled at cask strength.

With water (approximately what it will be like at 46%) The nose has become sweeter, now showing a touch of burnt wood and toffee. Still very herbal and complex with a touch of demarara sugar giving a lovely sweetness to the dried fruit rancio. The palate is softer and like the nose a touch sweeter. It is a lovely mouthful of dried fruit and demarara sugar. The finish displays some lovely, lightly oiled toffee’d banana and it has to be said that the released oils are so luscious and coating. Excellent length with a slight medicinal finish. Still stunning!

Dewar Rattray Caroni Trinidad Rum 1997 (15 year old) 64.3%

Bourbon Cask 202/ Dist: Jun 1997 Btl: Jan 2013/ Tasted: Feb 2013

The aromas are quite light and oily with plenty of dried fruit – papaya, pineapple, lemon and a touch of lime. Very intense and slightly herbal with a touch of raw sugar, fleshy white pear but it’s the beautiful citrus freshness that really appeals.

The palate opens with some lightly oiled sultana, dried plum and banana.  Slightly herbal agricole-esque rancio shows along with the building oils, but like the nose the citrus gives it an enticing freshness. You would be surprised if I said that there was quite a lot of alcohol but the sugars keep it under control aided by some mouth-coating, light, linseed oil. Very gentle and mouth-filling with a dry, herbal finish.

A drop of water adds significant depth to the aromas and brings out a touch of toasted oak and light spice. The sugars have become wonderfully crystalline. On the palate it brings the oak forward but it’s wonderfully soft even if those tannins do dry out the finish quite a bit. Personally I would drink this neat.

Dewar Rattray Caroni Trinidad Rum 1997 (16 year old) 61.7%

Bourbon Cask 108/ Dist: 1997 Btl: 2013/ Tasted: Oct 2013

The nose reminds me of the 13 year old that they bottled back in 2010. A full on molasses, date, prune, raisin, grainy coffee, liquorice and brown sugar monster! Stunningly pungent yet gentle with hints of medicinal, band-aid agricole notes. Whoa! Give it some time and aeration and the agricole notes really begin to assert themselves with oodles of menthol and eucalyptus. It’s not as alcoholic on the nose as you might think as those gorgeous coffee/ molasses/ treacle notes keep it well and truly in check.

The palate opens with a wave of molasses, dark chocolate and coffee before the alcohol arrives trailing some grainy coffee’d tannins in its wake. The medicinal rancio builds wonderfully as does the tongue numbing alcohol! Wow, what a hit! My god, its nose and eye-wateringly intense, but the finish is magical, full of marzipan impregnated dates, raisins, walnuts, burnt coffee and soothingly sweet molasses. I love this!

I’m so glad they didn’t bottle this at 46% because it really doesn’t take being diluted well at all. The nose becomes very light, almost insubstantial with a kerosene note appearing amongst the brown sugar sprinkled dried fruit and nuts. Slightly perfumed and ashy as well now. The palate is like the nose – very light and dare I say it watery? Lightly fragranced and nutty with the medicinal rancio a ghost and the finish almost non-existent.

Bristol Classic Rums Tasting Notes

Bristol Classic Rums – Providence Estate, Trinidad 10 year old 46%

Tasted: Feb 2005

Clean, youthful, pungent aromas. A tad spirtiy with nuts, demerara sugar and dried, earthy fruit. Medium bodied, with a reasonable intensity of soft dried fruit, figs, nuts, earth and demerara sugar. A bit short and spirty.

Angostura Tasting Notes

Angostura Reserva 40%

Tasted: Oct 2014

Nose: Lightly earthy with plenty of sweet vanilla and a touch of cane sugar. With time the aromas become quite sweet with a light smokiness becoming evident.

Palate: Soft and heavily vanilla’d. The spirit character is a bit swamped. There’s a subtle dried fruit note, but it’s a lot less expressive than the nose.

Finish: Good, spicy finish.

Conclusion: Pleasant nose, bland palate! 

Angostura 1919 40%

Tasted: Oct 2014

Nose: Very vanilla’d and chocolaty (milk). Quite floral with lightly oiled dried fruit and hints of menthol. Although the aromas are on the dry side there is just a touch of golden syrup sweetness and with time a light burnt toffee note.

Palate: Soft, sweetly vanilla’d with dried fruit. A lot less complex than the nose. Gain quite dry with a light, nutty, syrup middle.

Finish: Medium length with hints of chocolate spice and lingering toffee.

Conclusion: The palate is blunted by the oak. 

Angostura 5 year old 40%

Tasted: Oct 2014

Nose. Neutral column still aromas dominate with just a touch of dried fruit and coffee. Fairly dull and bland.

Palate: Soft and toffee’d with a little more character, but it’s still pretty simple. Subtle, lightly oiled dried fruit and column still spices follow.

Finish A bit hot with developing spices.

Conclusion: Lacks any real character. 

Angostura 7 year old 40%

Tasted: Oct 2014

Nose: Deep but a little unyielding. Quite earthy and almost peated with duty cinnamon spice, dense raisinated fruit, manure, salted meat and dark toffee.

Palate: Opens with plenty of coffee/ toffee and raisinated fruit. A little more polished than the nose but less complex. Pleasantly earthy though.

Finish: good length with a touch of mentholated herbs coming through.

Conclusion: Very interesting and complex nose, unfortunately the palate isn’t as complex, but a great finish. 

Angostura 1824 (12 year old) 40%

Btl No 157221

Tasted: Arp 2011

Quite a light nose, displaying plenty of vanilla oak, which with some time becomes a bit sawdusty in character along with some edgy, high toned dried fruit notes. Densly perfumed (violets?) with tropical fruit mix – dried banana, apricot, nuts and a touch of smoke. Absolutely stunning depth with the spicy smoke building.

The palate is dry-ish and light with a gentle sweetness. More nutty, slightly antiseptic in character with a hint of an oxidised rancio. Extremely spiced middle with the antiseptic notes taking hold and dominating right through until the end where it finishes with a pure liquorice root note and a sweetly-spiced after taste.

The palate shows a lovely progression from initial dryness through to a sweeter finish. Superb! 

Angostura 1824 (12 year old) 40%

Re-Tasted: Oct 2014

Nose: Pungent aromas of toffee, cigar leaf, molasses, crystallised sugar and violets. Distinctly aged rancio with a touch of paraffin wax, dark coffee, earth and what maybe some rich, sherry cask notes.

Palate: Opens with molasses and dark toffee, coffee and a fair amount of oak vanillins. Mouth-filling and chocolatey with a lovely, mature dried fruit rancio.

Finish: Long with lingering dried fruit and wood spices.

Conclusion: A superb, vibrant nose. The wood takes the edge of the palate a little but still very impressive.