Caroni 1998/2023 25 Year Old Rum Nation (50cl, 59%)

A 25-year-old rum distilled from molasses in 1998 at Caroni in Trinidad and Tobago and bottled in 2023 by Rum Nation for the Rare Rums series. It matured in oak casks and received a 70-month finish in former sherry whisky casks, bringing juicy fruit notes to the tannic oak character. The outturn is 1,090 bottles of 500 ml at 59% ABV, neither coloured nor chill-filtered, presented in a black presentation box with a wood panel and rhino motif. On the nose, strong ester notes and bergamot lead, with cola, aniseed and liquorice over dark oak. The palate opens juicy, rich and almost velvety, with raisins and orange marmalade, then liquorice root, gentian root, black coffee and cloves gain weight. The finish is fiery hot and distinctly tannic.