Velier Caroni 35th Release Heavy Rum (Trespassers) HTR 1996

This Trespassers release is a heavy Caroni from the 1996 vintage, carried to twenty years and bottled by Velier, the house whose rescue of the abandoned Trinidad distillery turned its forgotten casks into a cult. Caroni closed in 2003, its stock is finite, and Velier's bottlings are tropically aged, full proof and free of any added sugar, colour or flavouring.

This is the heavy Trinidad profile turned up to its limit. The nose is all tar, old wood, vanilla and glue, the palate dense and oily with tar, leather, dark fruit and burnt sugar, and the finish runs long on rubber, char and roasted notes. At 70.1% it is enormous, yet the vintage carries it with surprising poise, the high strength adding punch and expressiveness rather than just heat. It demands air, water and patience, and rewards them with real depth. One for seasoned drinkers who already love heavy Caroni or high-proof Demerara and want the darkest, oiliest end of the style.