Few rums have garnered as much attention among consummate rum drinkers as the Skeldons, bottled by Velier in 2005. Back then, these bottles were remarkably affordable, retailing for just €155 each. Fast forward to today, both Skeldons from 1973 and 1978, have achieved almost mythical status, with prices soaring above €10,000 in just 15 years. Given my late introduction to the rum world and its astronomical prices, I never imagined I’d have the chance to sample an open bottle. However, to my delight, La Maison du Whisky Singapore featured a bottle of the 1978 Skeldon for Whisky Live Singapore 2024, which is still available by the dram at their bar.

The Skeldon is named after the eponymous distillery located along the banks of the Demerara River in Guyana. The distillery closed between 1955 and 1965 when its owner, the Brooker group, decided to consolidate its distilleries, focusing on the Uitvlugt distillery. This particular rum, bearing the mark SWR, an abbreviation for its founder Sir William Ross, was thus reproduced at the Uitvlugt distillery on the four-column Savalle still and aged for 27 tropical years in Guyana. By 2005, what remained were three barrels that were nearly empty, leading to DDL topping up the barrels with the 73 vintage (without Luca’s consent). This resulted in an outturn of 688 bottles at cask strength of 60.4% ABV.

On the nose, the Skeldon presented a rich and treacly aroma, with a good depth of flavor. Notably, it exhibited a slightly fresher character compared to many of the Port Mourants from the 1970s that I’ve become accustomed to. It had a distinctively industrial character, reminiscent of notes of superglue, which sets it apart from the traditional Demeraras of old. Additionally, ripe tropical fruits, such as bananas and cantaloupes, were prominent in the nose too. Allowing the Skeldon to breathe revealed a woody side to the rum, including dry, oaky notes, and a hint of herbals.

When I first tasted the Skeldon 78, the texture a little sharp for my liking, though it could have been attributed to the freshness of the bottle, given its fill level was rather high, almost at the neck or shoulder-level. As with the nose, the palate was funky and industrial, with a prominent note of plastics and even a slight metallic note. However, as I took a few more sips, the sweetness gradually intensified, revealing pleasant elements of sweet cola, molasses, dried red fruits, and hawthorn flakes. The finish was medium in length, with a slightly chewy texture and a touch of wood, and also featured more purple fruits, prunes, raisins, and milk coffee.

This tasting experience was truly special, considering how rare it is to find open bottles of these Skeldons. Its unique, industrial profile sets it apart from other Demeraras of the past and even its younger siblings, such as the 97 or 2001 Skeldon vintages which lacked the layers of complexity found in 78. And with this experience, I can finally remove the Skeldon 78 from my bucket list of rums to taste, and hopefully we might even see the Skeldon 73 in LMDW Singapore this year.