Bristol T.D.L Rum for Haromex Dev. 2006

This Bristol Classic Rum release, bottled for Haromex Development, is a 2006 vintage TDL aged thirteen years as a single cask. Bristol is one of England's long-running independent houses, in operation since the early 1990s and known for closed and living Caribbean distilleries alike. TDL is the column-still arm of the Angostura group in Trinidad, working from island molasses in a lighter, more fragrant idiom than the heavier marks of the region.

Distilled on the column still and matured in ex-bourbon oak, it shows how well that lighter spirit takes to age. The nose leads with vanilla, milk chocolate and woody fruit, the palate turns spiced with vanilla, molasses and tropical fruit, and the finish carries leather, prunes and dark chocolate. There is a generous, almost gourmand sweetness of fruit here that makes the 61.5% feel far gentler than the number suggests, a rich and quaffable pour best taken slowly.