Rum Sponge Clarendoni 1997

Clarendoni 1997 is a Rum Sponge release from Decadent Drinks, an unusual marriage of two heavy distillates: Jamaican Clarendon and Trinidadian Caroni, aged twenty-five years and bottled unsweetened at 60%. Vatting two such characterful, divisive origins is a bold move, and this is a small, rare experiment rather than a standard release.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak, the nose is tar, wood and dirty funk shot through with fruit, while the palate brings tar, wood and caramel over that same grimy depth. The finish is woody, minty and rubbery with lingering warmth. The two origins remain recognisable, the fruity Jamaican funk and the oily, hydrocarbon Caroni edge, yet they sit together with real harmony. This is firmly a bottle for seasoned drinkers who already love old Caroni and heavy Jamaican rum, and who can appreciate a dry, dirty pour with an endless finish.