Following closely after was @lamaisonandvelier’s Caroni Paradise Series #4, a single cask #3786 Heavy Trinidad Rum (HTR) distilled in 1996 and aged for approximately 22 years before laid to rest in the dame-jeannes in 2019 in Cognac. It was bottled in 2023 with around 225 bottles produced at an abv of 68.1%.

The nose was rather different from the other HTR Caronis I’ve had, trending towards the thinner, lighter end of the spectrum, as opposed to the heavier, dirtier Caronis that we have come to be so accustomed with. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t have naturally guessed this to be a HTR if I had tasted this blind, with notes of caramel, light tropical fruits, nectarines, and vanilla. I too did get a sense that the nose was slightly compact and muted as a result of the high abv, but unfortunately did not get around to adding a few drops of water to open it up slightly.

In complete polar opposites to the 94 blended, which fared far better on the nose than the palate, the palate of the 96 HTR was fine and elegant. It was oily and intensely sweet right from the beginning, rather like nectar and maple syrup. The traditional heaviness then developed in the middle, those tarry notes, which made it markedly deeper. And as it transitioned into the finish, the acetone and varnish took over, paired alongside the sweet nectar from the beginning, sweet dried raisins, and a slight dryness from the oak that lingered on.

It was a rather interesting one experience, tasting the two Paradise Caronis side-by-side at @whiskylivesingapore, given how they both excelled and faltered in different areas. I couldn’t pick a favourite between the two, but one thing was for sure - the Paradise #3 had possibly one of the most outstanding noses among Caroni rums I’ve had. What a shame we didn’t have Paradise #5 with us then, but hopefully we’d see it at the @maison_du_whisky_singapore boutique soon.

Image Courtesy of @weixiang_liu