Caroni S.B.S „The Beast“ #2 1993

1423 bottle this Caroni single barrel under their S.B.S line, drawn from the 1993 vintage and named The Beast. From the closed Trinidad distillery whose forgotten casks Velier made famous, at twenty-eight years, unsweetened and 49.6%, it is an uncompromising, deeply industrial expression aimed at seasoned drinkers.

The molasses spirit was column distilled and matured in ex-bourbon oak. The nose runs on leather, wood, solvents and menthol, the palate turns earthy and leathery with tobacco and menthol, and the finish stays on oak, mint, tar and a pronounced bitterness. Despite its lower proof for a Caroni, it is concentrated and demanding, the long ageing pushing the wood, tobacco and bitter, technical notes to the fore over a thin run of fruit. This is a bottle to slow-sip and ponder rather than drink casually, rewarding for those who relish heavy Caroni at its most savage, and likely too much for anyone who already found the style overwhelming.