Back with @boutiqueyrum today as I taste something special from the Boutique-y Records - a series of rum and whisky bottlings that were specially labeled to reflect the unique relationship between music and spirits.

The bottle I have is one that might seem oddly familiar yet different, a 24-year-old Caroni of the Heavy Trinidad Rum (HTR) marque, the 8th release from TBRC, bottled at a respectable 61.5% abv with an outturn of 332 bottles. It was distilled from the Caroni column still and spent nearly 50% of its time maturing in the tropics before spending its next half in the UK. Its label differs from the earlier seven batches, with flashing lasers seemingly beaming out of the old Caroni warehouse, as if you’d expect to hear a rave going on every time you pop open that bottle.

When nosed, you immediately know its a tarry, punchy rum that hits you hard; you wouldn’t be mistaking this for anything else other than a Caroni with the notes of burnt plastic and the fumes that come with it. But aside from the heat, there are signs of gentleness in the glass, warm chesnuts, vanilla, ripe fruits, mangoes, toasted tea biscuits.

On the palate, a tiny bit of sweetness peeks through at first before the sourness and wood starts creeping in. The middle is remarkably pleasant, more toasted tea biscuits, cola, toffee apples and just the slightest hint of leather and iodine. The finish is long and elegant, the wood is there, but not overpowering, and melds together nicely with caramel and vanilla, raisins, toasted marshmallows, and a side of dark cocoa.

If it were up to me, I’d say that this is probably one of the best Caronis I’ve tasted. Not just because there’s enough tarriness to burn a hole in your palate, nor is it down to its impeccable balance, but rather its the evolution of flavours and the sequence that they come to you. It gives you enough of that dirtiness, but yet ends off on a delicious, juicy, fruity note that makes it so complex and most importantly, so very delicious. Cheers @boutiqueypeter for bottling such a gem!

Image Courtesy of @weixiang_liu