Corman Collins Diamond CRHUM No. 1 1996

Corman Collins, the terroir-led French house, bottled this 1996 Diamond as a single cask at a low 41.7%, an aged Guyanese given a generous reduction that pulls it toward an easy, everyday register. Distilled at Diamond, the keeper of the heritage stills, this leans on the cleaner Savalle-style spirit and a soft, mellow delivery rather than power.

The nose runs raisin, prunes, woody notes and treacle, and the palate brings dried fruit, wood and roasted notes over caramel sweetness, with molasses, milk coffee and liquorice rounding it out. The finish is dried fruit and wood, gentle and short. The heavy dilution makes this an atypical Diamond, trading some intensity for approachability, but the classic Guyana profile still shows through clearly. It is the kind of relaxed, mellow sipper that anyone can enjoy regardless of experience, soft and undemanding while keeping a real Diamond character. An accessible aged Demerara for easy evenings rather than focused tasting.