Caroni 2000 Navy Extra Strong 18-Year

I must correct my rating. After one month in the bottle (I poor 5cl) the rum has changed.
It's not as bitter as before. The watery impression is almost gone.
It's the same like with the 1994 Caroni 23y. It needs some evoparation.

Typical 1998 dirty nose on the wild leather side. First I get leather, then gum and some tar in the nose, it's dirty and salty. Some medicine is there, with wet barrel and earth, in the background are some dry fruits. A typical and good 1998 nose.

The dilution to 51.4% works not that bad as on my first tasting.
I think 55-57% would be better, but I enjoyed this rum also.

The taste starts sweet with honey, leather and tar. The tannins are rising on my palet. Then there are gum and dry fruits at the end of the initial taste.
In the middle taste I get the leather and again the tannins, wood (my mouth gets dry), then dry fruits and some black currant. It feels like I was licking some old wood.
The finish is middle long, a little bit spicy with leather, black currant, wood, tannins and liquorice.
The aftertaste starts with peppermint, black currant, then cold black tea... and after some time smoked bacon. That's a very tasty combination for me.
The mint spreaded everywhere in my mouth, I have all the time mint and black currant on my palet. This lasts very long, I love it.

It's a typical 1998 Caroni, not complex but dirty without fancy stuff. I would rate this rum with 88 points now.

Nose: leather, liquorice, gum, tar, a sweet fruity note, earth/barrel, medicine, wood
Taste: honey, leather, tar, tannins, wood, gum, dry fruits (mouth gets dry)
Middle: wild leather, tannins, wood, dry fruits, some black currant, wood/leather
Finish: some spice, leather, black currant, wood, tannins, liqourice
Aftertaste: peppermint, leather, black currant, gum

Sweetness: 1/5
Fruits: 1.5/5
Spice: 2.5/5
Mildness: 3/5
Value (230€): 2.5/5

A very cool bottling of rum from the closed Caroni distillery in Trinidad, celebrating the 100th anniversary of its opening back in 1918. The aged rum has been bottled at 90° proof (51,4%) as a team effort by Velier and La Maison du Whisky, and features a retro design harking back to Caroni bottles from the days of yore. Aroma is gentle with sweet tones. First taste is warm and sweet but very fas turning in to burning leather, old wet wood and musty tsaste. Lomg aftertaste with oil and petrol (similar to Dior Fahrenheit parfum). Interesting sample which expanded my rum.experience, but nothing to order whole bottle...

Today at this price it’s almost an entry level Caroni, but man so goes on already
Of course, like every Caroni it is an inquires taste, lot of licorice and ... tar, so not for a rum beginner. Also very very oily.
The final is reallly something , goes on and on..

Classic Caroni nose and taste, no doubt. I think in overall 18 y is a good aging for Caroni. It’s lighter and not too heavy and has a long lasting aftertaste.

It is hard for me to describe how much I love Caroni. I immidiately go for it, whenever I have the chance. It is rare, that you get to taste this one for free, but I had the chance at the 2020 Whiskyfair in Kolding, Denmark and as soon as the doors opened I was ready to get a taste of this historic bottle:

Nose: Unripe bananas, tar, salty liquorice, dark chocolate and oak
Taste: Smoke, rubber, crude oil, dates, figs and caramel in a long and oily aftertaste that lingers long in the mouth
Overall: This is just a fantastic rum. Not much more to say. It is a little subdued compared to other Caronis I have tried and that hurts it a bit for me. Still a fantastic rum.

dieser rum ist wirklich gut und ein gelungenes remake des etiketts.
geschmacklich ist er nicht ganz so, so daß er nur auf eine acht bei mir kommt. es gibt da doch noch bessere.

The evolution of this taste is very brilliant The bottle is an amazing explosion of flavors