Velier Chamarel Warren Khong Villa Paradisetto 1988/2020 2013

Chamarel is a Mauritian distillery making rum from fresh pressed cane juice in the agricole style, and this single cask was selected by the Genoese house Velier as part of a series with the artist Warren Khong. Bottled unsweetened at cask strength from the 2013 vintage, it is an aged cane juice rum that keeps the grassy freshness of its origin while gaining oak from the barrel.

The nose is grassy and lightly fruity with caramel, pineapple and apricot, the palate turning sweeter from the wood with grassy and toasted notes, the finish dry and warm with black pepper and spice. At 54.6% it sits in a punchy middle ground, fresh and elegant without becoming aggressive, the cane character and oak in fair balance. It suits drinkers who like the dry side of agricole, in the manner of Clement or Neisson, but want a little more weight in the glass.