Velier Royal Navy Very Old

influence of Caroni, heavy, corpolent, very complex, long aftertaste, great flavour...one of the best rum I've ever tasted! Great job Ruruki Gargano!

taste - 9.5/10
smell - 9.5/10
sweetness - 6.5/10
price/value rating - 5.5/10

The color of this rum is nice, muted brownish gold, being the result of the actual barrel aging instead of the usual caramel addition. The label gives detailed information about the components in the blend, as well a playful pseudo-Latin motto "In Pot Still Veritas".

The smell carries the unmistakable Caroni component - a dusty, abandoned attic with lots of old sawdust, old leather, but also some stone fruit, marmelade, and earthy tones. Overall very pleasant, damp, muted, sweetish aroma. Due to the high proof of the blend, adding some water is recommended to free the aromatic components from the alcoholic dilution and to lessen the numbing effect strong alcohol has on the tongue.

The taste of the rum is absolutely fenomenal. Although the three components of the rum (heavy, austere, tar-like Caroni, sweetish and earthy Demerara and the funky, fruity Jamaican) are very distinct and overpowering if left unrestricted, none of them dominates the blend, they are all distinctly noticeable, but stay in line to provide a collective effort that delivers a fairly exceptional sensory experience.

The initial sweet, playful, fruity attack slowly dries up, transitioning through the funky fruit from the Jamaican rum to the slightly austere, tannic end of the Caroni. The finish is not as long as I expected, or as one of a single barrel Caroni I had the pleasure to taste, but due to the exceptional harmony and balance of the blend, I can only talk about this rum in superlatives.

This rum is a true testament to Mr. Gargano's mastery of the blending craft, and a tangible proof that he really knows his business like nobody else. Well done indeed - although the rum was relatively pricy, I do not regret spending the money to be allowed to experience this rare treat.

The rum is also a kind of swan song to a rum era gone past - an era of extreme diversity and richness of various traditions surviving for decades or even centuries in some cases in the distilleries like Caroni, Hampden, Enmore, Port Mourant and others. Today, Caroni distillery is no more, all the various Guayana distilleries consolidated into Diamond Distillery that producdes mainly the heavily sweetened, commercialized El Dorado line, Hampden still produces superior funk bombs, but the contemporary, mainstream rum has became synonymous with sugar bombs like Diplomatico or Zacapa.

Yet in this bottle, all those rich, distinct flavors and aromas rise up again, giving you the opportunity to taste the past will sadly never return. And although I suspect that the Navy would never spend so much on a brew for common sailors, I could imagine this rum would be a worthy and appreciated tot for a renowned naval officer or a wealthy overseas merchant.

So, grab a bottle while they are available, and savor every drop!

Dark amber color. This rum from Velier is a blend of the best of Trinidad (Caroni), Guyana (Demerara) and jamaica (Hampden). The nose opens with classic exotic fruit notes from Jamaican rums. Over time, we arrive on more greedy notes and it is Guyana that arrives slowly. It's well done, subtle. On the palate, it rises while still very greedy, we finally arrive on an explosive final with the Caroni finally arrives with this oil side. It sticks in the mouth but it is superbly done. This is for me a perfect blend, better than the triptych from Foursquare. Here we have the perfect balance between three monsters with very distinct personalities but once assembled gives a real wonder. It was a long time since I had tasted such a good blend.

The Velier Navy Rum Extra Old is a blend of three rums. A 20-year-old Caroni from Trinidad, a 15-year-old Demerara from Guyana and a 12-year-old Hampden? from Jamaica. The Navy Blend is bottled with 57.18% alcohol without filtration or dyes. The bottle has a lot of information and a timeless design.

In the nose the rum is very interesting and offers a lot to discover. Fresh in the glas, the fruity Ester notes were dominant. Over time a spicy, dirty Caroni note is added. But also sweet chocolate and vanilla. A great nose, which I like very much. On the palate, the rum is dry and shows a certain sharpness. This makes the rum very grown up. A mixture of fruity notes such as banana and pineapple mixes with plenty of barrel influence, vanilla and light dirty notes. A touch of menthol resonates. To the finish comes some leather and a short but clear note of dark chocolate. The finish is long and intense. Light bitter notes and lots of wood remain in the mouth for a long time.

The Velier Navy Rum Extra Old convinced me completely because i love the combination of a great complex nose and the dry, woody but also fruity notes on the palate. That the rum adds dirty Caroni notes nails it for me. It is not a soft rum and burns when you dare to underestimate it. For me between 9-10. Since the price is affordable with with 150€ I go with the 10. Unfortunately sold out in most shops.

Der Velier Navy Rum Extra Old ist ein Blend aus drei Rums. Einem 20 Jahre gelagerten Caroni aus Trinidad, einem 15 Jahre gelagerten Demerara aus Guyana und einem 12 Jahre gelagerten Hampden? aus Jamaika. Der Navy Blend wird ohne Filtration oder Farbstoffe mit 57,18% Alkohol abgefüllt. Die Flasche hat viele Informationen und hat ein zeitloses Design.

In der Nase ist der Rum sehr interessant und bietet viel zum entdecken. Nach dem ersten Einschenken habe ich die fruchtigen Ester Noten als dominant empfunden. Mit der Zeit kommt immer mehr die würzig, dreckige Caroni Note dazu. Aber auch süße Schokolade und Vanille. Eine tolle Nase, die mir sehr gut gefällt. Am Gaumen ist der Rum trocken und zeigt eine gewisse Schärfe. Das macht den Rum sehr erwachsen. Eine Mischung aus fruchtigen Noten wie Banane und Ananas mischt sich mit viel Fass Einfluss, Vanille und leichten dreckigen Noten. Ein Hauch Menthol schwingt mit. Zum Abgang kommt etwas Leder und eine kurze aber deutliche Note von dunkler Zartbitterschokolade. Der Abgang ist lang und intensiv. Leichte Bitterstoffe und viel Holz bleiben lange im Mund.

Der Velier Navy Rum Extra Old hat mich voll überzeugt da ich die Kombination aus einer tollen komplexen Nase und der trockenen, holzigen, aber auch fruchtigen Note am Gaumen absolut gelungen finde. Das dann noch die so betörende dreckige Caroni Note mit schwingt rundet den Rum ab. Er ist kein weicher Rum und brennt, wenn man es wagt ihn zu unterschätzen. Liegt zwischen 9-10. Da der Preis mit 150€ im Rahmen des bezahlbaren liegt, werte ich ihn auf. Leider in den meisten Shops ausverkauft.

A blend of the best, Caroni, Hampden and Demerara. Truly awsome with a plethora of aromas

Not sure I was ready for this. Amber gold color, easy nose and powerful first sip. There’s no middle ground here just kicks you in the ass full throttle. This is the real deal, reminiscent of old original Pusser's British Navy rum with a bit more power. You would have been lucky to have been in the Royal Navy if this was your daily tot. The old, 20 year Caroni hits me first softened by the Guyana Demura rum followed with a mellow Jamaican funk. I think I really like this rum.

Tento rum som si skutočne užil. Výborné pitie , jemné, znaky citrusov a zároveň mierna olejnatost. Nádherná prirodzená sladkosť. Menšia zložka Caroni ho oživila. Odporúčam všetkým fanúšikom Navy rumov

I think the blend works, it could perhaps benefit from a bit more of Guyana, but as a fan of Caroni I am not complaining :-)

Lots of tropical fruits, but also darker notes of raisins, figs, toffee, caramel and chocolate. Relatively subtle funky stuff from the Jamaican side of this bottling: just a little varnish and solventy paint notes. Also some lineseed and olive oil shining through (probably the Caroni influence). The mouthfeel is round and creamy. In the aftertaste it shifts more towards peppery wood notes, cocoa and olives, ending with a mild note of varnish.