Bristol Classic 1998 Trinidad Caroni Haromex 21-Year

The Bristol Classic Caroni 1998 is a Rum from Trinidad of the Caroni Distillery and was produced in column style. The Single Cask Rum comes from barrel 2186 and was selected by the bottler Haromex. After 21 years of storage in Ex Bourbon barrels, the rum was bottled in cask strength of 58.7% alcohol to 246 bottles. The storage was about half tropical and continental.

In the glass it immediately becomes clear that it is a Caroni. After pouring directly, I still noticed clear fruity notes of bears and dried fruits. The longer the rum is in the glass, these aromas are dominated by the heavy tar and leather notes. The rum is wonderfully dirty but also shows finer sides of tobacco, wood, bourbon and a medicinal carpet. A great nose. On the palate, the rum is very direct and dirty. But there is also a certain sweetness with a lot of wood influence. Leather is dominant. It's a bit medical again. The tannins become very clear. To the finish more bourbon and the heavy dirty Caroni flavors accompany the finish.

A great caroni and a high quality rum. The '98 Caronis inspire me more and more. You have to like this style. Then you have a real premium rum with the Bristol 1998. And all this is quite affordable. I'm a big fan of Trinidad when it comes to rum. And especially the Caroni flavors are just great.

Der Bristol Classic Caroni 1998 ist ein Rum aus Trinidad der Caroni Distillerie und wurde im Column Stil hergestellt. Der Single Cask Rum stammt aus dem Fass 2186 und wurde von dem Abfüller Haromex ausgesucht. Nach 21 Jahren Lagerung in Ex Bourbon Fässern wurde der Rum in Fassstärke von 58,7% Alkohol zu 246 Flaschen abgefüllt. Die Lagerung war ca. zur Hälfte jeweils tropisch und kontinental.

Im Glas wird sofort klar, dass es ein Caroni ist. Ich habe nach dem direkten Einschenken noch deutliche fruchtige Noten von Bären und getrockneten Früchten wahrgenommen. Um so länger der Rum im Glas ist werden diese Aromen von den schweren Teer und Leder Noten dominiert. Der Rum ist wunderbar dreckig zeigt aber auch feinere Seiten von Tabak, Holz, Bourbon und einen medizinischen Teppich. Eine tolle Nase. Am Gaumen ist der Rum sehr direkt und dreckig. Es kommt aber auch eine gewisse Süße mit viel Holzeinfluss. Leder ist dominant. Es ist wieder etwas medizinisch. Die Tannine werden sehr deutlich. Zum Abgang mehr Bourbon und die schweren dreckigen Caroni Aromen begleiten den Abgang.

Ein toller Caroni und ein hochwertiger Rum. Die 98er Caronis begeistern mich immer mehr. Mann muss diese Armen Welt mögen. Dann hat man mit dem Bristol 1998 ein echten Premium Rum. Und das alles durchaus bezahlbar. Ich bin ein großer Fan von Trinidad, wenn es um Rum geht. Und besonders die Caroni Aromen sind einfach großartig.

Bristol 98 with barrel number 2186. Could be a good caroni as the higher barrel numbers often contain better caronis.

Smell: Dirty, medicinal, sweet and also leathery. There is rubber, tar, but also a lot of dried fruit. A very nice combination. It's one of the dirtier Caronis that is also a bit aggressive. A bit of bourbon wood and wood varnish can also be smelled deeper in the glass. Slightly vanilla behind the many dirty notes. Wonderful nose for me, the only question now is whether the taste doesn't seem too overaged. A 98 with a lot of wood influence could have drawn too many tannins.

Taste: Medical start, a bit too bitter with tannins and a bit sweet with dried fruits. The leather increases in intensity, the sweetness increases parallel to the sharpness. The dried fruits also become more intense. As so often, the bourbon wood brings the sharpness to the front and the vanilla from the wood becomes noticeable. It gets quite hot and medicinal, very dirty in the background all the time (there is the rubber, or rubber with tannins, which I would describe as burnt rubber).
The finish is sharp and long, but tasty with leather, dried fruit, tannins and rubber.

Aftertaste: dried fruit, leather, rubber, tea, a few minutes later -> mint, wood + vanilla

Conclusion: I would say a very good barrel. Very dirty, but also fruity. Appears slightly overaged on the palate at the beginning. But that improves during the tasting. I also have to say that the bottle was freshly opened (that will improve in some weeks). The rum is a pleasure for hard rum pirates, beginners are easily overwhelmed by this rum.

Overall rating: 89 points

Sweetness: 2/5
Fruit: 2.5 / 5
Sharpness: 4/5
Complexity: 4/5
PL 217 €: 4/5