Bristol Caroni HTR 1997

Bristol Classic Rum, the English house that has long specialised in rum from shuttered distilleries, drew this 1997 Caroni and aged it to 22 years before bottling at cask strength, 56.4%. Caroni itself, the most mythologised name in Trinidad, closed in 2003, which gives every release from this stock a finite, collectible edge.

Distilled from molasses and matured in ex-bourbon oak, it sits firmly in the oily, industrial camp the heavy marks are loved for. Smoke, tar, leather and tobacco lead, with espresso and burnt wood deepening the middle, while tropical fruit, citrus and caramel keep a thread of sweetness running through. It needs time in the glass to settle, and the strength rewards a few drops of water. The finish is long, smoky and resinous. A slow, savoury Caroni for drinkers who already know the workshop profile and want extra concentration.