No Caroni 10 Days but a gentle and progressive session of the Caronis from Velier, with the idea of ​​taking the vintages in order, from the oldest to the most recent. We will therefore tackle the 1982s (which are still 5 in number) to open this new year, which we wish you beautiful and vigorous.

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Caroni 1982-2005 / 59.2°

a Caroni High Proof light from a stock of 8 barrels (1,227 bottles).

Superb mahogany color tending towards copper, very bright, shiny with an oily disc on the surface; thick and delicious legs are at the rendezvous of this first Caroni of the session.
On the nose, tarry and spicy, but also jammy (prunes) with a large share of molasses; a very dark Caroni on a licorice tar profile mixed with warm spices (clove, nutmeg); memories of walnut and chocolate tart with rest, as well as wood. With even more rest a beautiful and delicious soft caramel (candy).

On the palate, the attack is lively and powerful, sticky, on bitumen, molasses and liquorice, spices and candied fruit (black, prune); it warms and warms, in a beautiful balance and without concession; it slides and sticks, with an assumed gourmet side (and sweet). The finish is moderately long, dry on notes of oak and spices (nutmeg, clove), liquorice and coffee. Big and long persistence on liquorice.

Don't be fooled by the term 'light', this Caroni makes the powder and spices speak on a dark and powerful profile, but its fatty and gourmand (and sweet/molasses) profile makes it go down very easily. Little airs of Albion. Note: 87

Caroni 1982-2005 / 62°

A Caroni High Proof Heavy this time, still from a stock of 8 barrels for 1,360 bottles produced. No more light rum from Caroni (a mild euphemism), here is the 'heavy' of the band.

We lower the intensity with the dress, lighter, on a dark and magnificently oily amber.
On the nose it is clearly fruitier and less dark than the light… Exit the black and liquorice profile, welcome to the exotic (banana, mango, coconut); it is gourmet and pastry as desired (vanilla, butter, caramel), dry (oak) and coppery. Exotic and frank? Almond and vanilla appear, a little more coconut (dried) and with them the idea of ​​a light rather than a heavy. In any case on the nose. With the rest: chocolate.

In the mouth it's a completely different story, and the word heavy comes back in capital letters; fat and powerful, the rum overwhelms the palate with fruity petroleum notes (tar do you hear me, what do you want, where are you going), hot spices like embers, olive and surely a bunch of other salty and marine little things, and a very nice menthol freshness. We feel the 62° pass, but they pass quite well in the end, until the interminable end of the mouth, tarry and saline, fresh (mint) and fruity.

A fairly light nose in the Caroni style, more exotic than usual, but a much heavier mouth and loaded with the 'usual' tracers of the distillery. A full and expressive rum, and a winning duo. And in the end much less heavy than the one above. Note: 89

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Caroni 1982-2005 / 77.3°

We get to the hard stuff with a Caroni Full Proof, from a single barrel that will yield 122 small bottles, and an impressive 77.3°. The color is a deep amber (xxl) tending towards copper, bright and nonchalant. On the nose, we will not thank the alcohol which blocks a lot of things here, even allowing itself to cut off this other vintage from the year 1982. Not easy to get through, even if we discover a slew of toasted notes. With still -a lot- of rest, something fresh, minty, and a heavy vegetal. Not very Caroni. With even more rest, molasses and cloves. The nose seems to be heading towards the 82 light, dark and black, on toasted molasses.

In the mouth, (without water), it is as you imagine very powerful, a bit like the 82 heavy: very black, molasses, liquorice, grilled and burnt notes, but with much more alcohol, of course. And also with this heavy and sticky aspect, impregnating, which greatly facilitates the mouth by making it more bearable and even pleasant in the end (yes yes). The finish is resolutely dry, not as long as hoped for such a beast, but still minty.

With a dash of water (in barbaric dilution mode): the rum opens with a slightly tarry and recognizable profile, so it was enough to scratch the surface… mature exotic fruit and freshness (citrus, zest), for a transformed nose that has become pleasant this time. The 'diluted' mouth mixes tar, sweet fruit and saline notes, freshness and acidity. The rum keeps all its richness until a persistent and dry finish, on a bituminous oak.

A Caroni that makes you cough, offered raw, natural, without artifice, naked and authentic, but which remains difficult to tame in its current state. Water will do it the greatest good, even if the homemade dilution is probably not the deal of the century… But for lovers of cask strength rum, it is worth trying at least once. Note: 86

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Below are 2 other 1982 vintages that will be released the following year, in 2006. Two Full Proof (cask strength) aged 24 springs…

Caroni 1982-2006 / 55.2°

A Caroni Fullproof LIGHT, from a stock of 3 barrels (820 bottles). Exit the heavy proof, Luca Gargano now knows that Caroni must be allowed to express itself to the fullest.

The color is mahogany, deep bronze almost reddish, and once again luminous. Looking at the Caroni colors is already a journey in itself….
On the nose, here is a Caroni heavy on the classic grilled molasses, fruity and sweet, seductive and gourmet, chocolatey. The nose already seems to stick and announces a resinous, powerful and sweet mouth: grilled coconut develops and the nose becomes more and more pastry. A very beautiful nose full of delicacy, and promises…

The mouth is resinous and superbly fatty, with always this sweet and exotic molasses (toasted coconut), delicious as you want; the rum goes crescendo and goes towards a frank woodiness (but controlled) and hot spices like embers, but always on a background of molasses and burnt caramel, zan, in an exquisite and sweet atmosphere. It flows naturally, it is good and without headache, balanced and complex, exciting. And also with freshness (eucalyptus, menthol).

How good it is…, a delightful Caroni. The finish is quite long and warm, still delicious and with a good memory of the nose and the mouth. Very complete. Very (very) pleasant.

A superb Caroni and a superb 1982 vintage, perhaps even the best of the lot? The next one will tell us. Score: 90

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Caroni 1982-2006 / 58.3°

A Caroni Heavy from a stock of 15 barrels (4600 bottles).
A few more degrees for this new 24-year-old fullproof from 1982.

The color is in the same vein as the previous rum, superb, bronzed and brilliant.
On the nose, damn it's beautiful! It's so delicious, exotic, bloated enough to make you spit juice, to make Caroni's detractors falter and rally them once again to the oil cause. A scent on the nose, worthy of a very old agricultural... which may certainly seem contradictory for a Caroni, but try it a little and see for yourself. There are much more candied fruits here than hydrocarbon notes, finesse than big arms, lace than leather. Always with a brown of freshness, the one that makes your eyes moist slightly, before plunging you back into a blood red lipstick, fruity and tangy for a fleshy and captivating kiss. Sublime.

In the mouth, the kiss of the nose gives way to the nails varnished by the beauty in an even more flamboyant red, now planted in a feverish back that did not deserve so much; After a moment of tenderness and fullness, she makes the senses speak, inflames your limbs and makes castles and palaces tremble. And instead of letting you burn on the spot, she takes a malicious pleasure in extinguishing her fire with an icy and minty breath.

Superb Caroni that is unlike any other. Breathtaking, delicious, fragrant, exquisite, and that freshness in the mouth… Rating: 94

To help you (and me) find your way around, regarding the notes:

90 and + : exceptional and unique rum, it is the best of the best
between 85 and 89 : highly recommended rum, with that little something that makes the difference
between 80 and 84 : recommendable rum
75-79 POINTS : above average
70-74 POINTS : in the low average
less than 70 : not very good

Review courtesy of DuRhum.com.

From the folks behind DuRhum, Velier, and more, comes a premium online marketplace for rum enthusiasts by rum enthusiasts! Do check out www.rowspirits.fr for more great content and iconic rums!