Valinch & Mallet | Spirit of Art 2022 Clarendon 26 Year Old 1995

The Spirit of Art 2022 Clarendon 26 Year Old 1995 is a single cask Jamaican rum bottled by Valinch & Mallet, drawn from Clarendon Distillery’s 1995 distillate. Produced from molasses and distilled on an iron still, the rum reflects a traditional Jamaican production method associated with weight, structure, and long term ageing potential.

Maturation followed a clearly defined hybrid ageing regime. The rum spent its first 25 years ageing in Jamaica’s tropical climate, allowing for early concentration and deep interaction with oak. The cask was then transferred to Scotland, where it completed a final year of ageing under cooler continental conditions before bottling. This approach preserves intensity from tropical ageing while allowing for a more controlled final development.

Bottled at cask strength at 56.9 percent ABV, the rum is presented without dilution. The profile reflects a fully mature Clarendon style, balancing oak driven depth with the underlying power associated with iron still distillation, without reliance on sweetness, finishing casks, or cosmetic intervention. With an outturn of approximately 270 bottles, this is a tightly limited release drawn from a single identified cask.

Each bottle carries label artwork by Chen Li, a Chinese artist trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. His work combines floral compositions with abstract forms, favouring structure and contrast over decoration. His contribution forms part of Valinch & Mallet’s Spirit of Art series, pairing single cask spirits with commissioned artwork presented as a parallel element to the liquid.