Rum Nation 1999 Caroni

I expect this one to be more on the leather side, not fruity of course (it's not a 96 Caroni). It's diluted to 55%. Could be an issue, but other RN Caronis had no problem with that.

Nose: As expected there is a lot of leather. Some tar, even some of the fruity notes. Barrel aromas from a bourbon cask and wood varnish. This is comparable to Bristol 1997. Not as fruity as the 1996 Velier releases.

Taste: It starts with a lot of leather and a little bit salty. Becomes sweet with some dried fruit aromas. Then dirtier with tar, it also increases in spiciness, which brings out the bourbon barrel flavors. There is now the wood varnish. The leather is present all the time, also some salty aroma in the background.
The finish is sharp with leather and tar, some wood varnish and wood are included, also some dry fruits.

Aftertaste: leather, wood varnish, dry fruit, mint

Conclusion: still very dirty and strong, the dilution to 55% is not an issue here. The complexity is there and also some fruity aromas even this is not a 96 Caroni. I like the change between the salty and sweet aromas. I also prefer the more dirty Caronis.
It's one of the better non Velier Caronis.

Rating: 88 points.

Sweetness: 1.5/5
Fruits: 2/5
Spice: 3.5/5
Complexity: 3.5/5
Value 150€: 4.5/5

It's a good rum, it might be HTR, and the flavor is more distinct. There is a slight sense of alcohol in the entrance. The taste is relatively plump, with a slightly oily texture.

Has some depth and flavor once you get passed the 110 proof

...dass die Jungs bei Caroni ihr Handwerk verstanden haben. Die hier verkostete Abfüllung kommt nicht von Velier und dementsprechend ist sie auch noch bezahlbar.
Man merkt den hohen Alkoholgehalt, doch geschmacklich ist der Rum einfach eine Wucht. Ich persönlich drehe nach einer puren Verkostung gerne den Alkoholgehalt etwas runter, dann kommen die Aromen noch besser zur Geltung.

*200th Rating*

55% ABV. Bottled 2015 (so, 15–16yo rum). Luxuriously dry nose. Industrial lubricant, tar, petrol, and a hint of cherries. Touch of smoke. Big palate. Very oily mouthfeel. It's like this was distilled with old bicycle chains or something. Very long, oily finish.

My first Caroni (according to Martin Cate, it's pronounced KEER-uh-nee, but I'll probably just keep saying kuh-ROH-nee). Somehow, this manages to avoid being offensive. It goes even beyond interesting (see Mosswood Night Rum for a similar rum that fails in this respect). Now, I wouldn't go so far to say it's eminently delicious—this is a highly challenging rum that must be taken in small doses—but it's certainly tasty to me. Cheers!

9

Das ist mal eine Caroni Abfüllung nach meinem Geschmack und dann noch zum lächerlichen Preis von 50-60 Euro.Schwer und ölig,die typischen Caroni Aromen mit Ol und Teer und eine wunderschöne perfekt passende Süsse,extrem langer Abgang,für meine Geschmack besser als die 98er Abfüllung ,egal ob Batch 1 oder 2,der 99er ist deutlich harmoischer.
Die alten Velier Abfüllungen haben inzwischen Kultstatus und sind teilweise unbezahlbar,hier bekommt man eine der absoluten Top Caroni Abfüllungen noch zum Discount Preis.Wenn die alten Caroni Bestände solangsam verkauft sind wird wohl alles wo Caroni drauf steht mal Kultstatus erreichen,da diese Top Abfüllung auch noch von Nation ist und die Flasche sowie die Verpackung auch wunderschön gemacht sind ist dieser Rum auch ganz klar sammel´würdig

The taste and aroma are perfectly balanced, this is a rum with excellent caracter. The alcohol (55%) is present, but not aggressive. Nose: some tobacco. Aged at three places (Trinidad, UK, and Italy), bottled after 16 ys. The label (a postage stamp) is a great idea again.