Velier 1996 The Last Caroni 23-Year

The Last was my first rum, a crush and the cause of my passion for high end rums. I've reserved its review for my first review here.

A complex, warm nose with machine shop (tar and rubber), caramel and fruit. Quite a marked vegetal side, vanilla and pastry. Well-integrated cedar wood and a hint of lime.

Wild, aromatic herbs on the palate. The alcohol is marked but domesticated. The aromas invade the palate, first towards the back, then towards the front. A remarkable evolution on the palate. As on the nose, the mechanical workshop supports and never dominates. Incredibly complex aromas. Warm spices and brown sugar.

The finish is also hyper-complex, with a vegetal side dominating first, followed by fruit, pastry and cedar wood. A finish that summons all the aromas in turn. At the very end, incense is revealed.

A rum that has just been opened, and that will gain even more with oxidation. Already an absolute!
I feel like I'm in a tropical circus, in a city orchard, with strong smells, loud music, thrills and lots of different circus acts. Wow!

I got the opportunity to attend a rum tasting with Daniele Biondi from Velier were we tasted 9 different rums. This was the ninth and final rum of the night, that we tasted side-by-side with the 38th release of the same series "Tasting Gang". I have a big place in my heart for Caroni, so to be able to taste this one was like liquid magic to me. It is a piece of history and it tastes like heaven in a bottle.

Nose: Asphalt, minerals, passion fruit, dark chocolate and a faint smell of vanilla and fresh fruit
Taste: Asphalt, diesel, passion fruit, minerals, roasted coffee, tobacco, figs and a fresh floral taste to bind it together in a long and pleasant aftertaste.
Overall: This might be one of the best, if not the best, I have ever tasted. This rum is complex and soothing. It is harst and loving. It is hearty and warming. It is everything you would want and more. Perfection.

Man kann sicher behaupten dass die meisten Velier Caronis gut oder sogar sehr gut sind ,der liebe Luca hat ein äusserst feines Händchen und einen äusserst guten Geschmack bei der Auswahl seiner Fässer gehabt.
Dieser Caroni dürfte mit der ebenfalls 1996er Abfüllung für Kirschwhisky zu den besten Velierabfülungen je zählen und die aufgerufenen 400 Bankrottos werden bald lächerlich erscheinen.Zum Glück gibt es hier im Gegensatz zum Kirsch ein Vielfaches an Flaschen.
Die Caroni typischen Aromen kommen hier in perfekter Balance unendlich lang,besser geht nicht.
96 war ein Top Jahrgang aber hier ist die Creme de la Creme aus 96 abgefüllt.....

Very complex and extremely enjoyable. Ripe fruits, Tobbaco, mint and gasoline notes. Everything is well integrated and well balanced, thanks to 23 years of tropical ageing.

Za mě jedna z ikon této značky. Poslední ze dvou, které nemám asi v plánu delší dobu otevřít.

I have been drinking whisky for many years, and am fairly new to rum. I never thought that rum could be as complex as whisky! This Caroni is a prime excample of a rum who can stand against the best whiskyes I have had!

This is my first Coron, what can I say is a monster of taste and aroma. It is so rich that you don't want to drink it, but chew it. Try it while you can.

One of The best caronis ever made. You can still buy them for a decent price.

Fourth Caroni I've tasted and by far the best!. Such beast with all the flavors a Caroni should have. Love it!

The last but I hope not my last.
I already know that this caroni is not as dirty as the other caronis. It's going to go in the direction of Kirsch Whisky Caroni. I prefer the dirtier variants and I'm really excited to see how this one affects me.

Smell: I am greeted by a lot of leather with almost flowery aromas that suggest orange zest. Nice fruit sweetness that is typical for 1996 Caroni is noticeable and I immediately have a Dejavue to the Demerara SVW96. I would name dry fruits like cranberries and plums. The barrel wood can be smelled strongly, it is an aged wood which is probably also responsible for the orange zest. Some sweet vanilla is also noticeable, I would almost like to say semolina pudding.
Very few dirty notes of tar and no gum present. Would I have recognized in a blind tasting that it was a Caroni? I would certainly think about a Demerara SVW, but there are slightly dirty caroni aromas.
This qualifies him as the least dirty Caroni I've had so far. Great smell.

Taste: Dirty Caroni start with tar, some tannins with wood, fruit sweetness (dried fruit). The orange zest increases towards the middle. Slightly medical, the tannins rises and bring in some bitter notes. Leathery notes are perceptible, the orange zest almost spill over into the flowery until they subside again and leave the leather to the palate.
The finish is slightly spicy with a lot of leather, some cloves, orange zest, vanilla, wood, slightly medicinal.

Aftertaste: Orange zest, leather, some tar, cranberries, light vanilla, ends with floral aromas, remains slightly minty on the palate.

Conclusion: A very good Caroni, which is hardly dirty on the nose, but presents the typical character on the palate. It is not perfect, but it is outstandingly good.
I see it a little behind the Krisch Caroni. In terms of points, I would rate it between 95 and 96 points.

Overall rating: 96 points

Sweetness: 1.5 / 5
Fruit: 2.5 / 5
Spice: 2/5
Complexity: 4.5 / 5
Value (400 €): 4.5 / 5