DDL El Dorado 21

El Dorado 21 is the work of Demerara Distillers, the sole surviving producer in Guyana, whose Diamond plant houses the last of the country's centuries-old wooden pot and Coffey stills. The 21 draws across those heritage stills, the age statement marking the youngest rum in the blend, so older spirit sits within it, giving real maturity, dark dried fruit and gentle oak depth.

That said, El Dorado is one of the textbook sweetened Demeraras, and this is a rounder, more dessert-like rum than an undosed bottling would be, with soft caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate and coffee carried at a mellow 43%. The molasses base and tropical ageing give it the brown sugar and woody character of the style, but the smoothness owes as much to the dosage as to the cask. Honestly framed, it is an easy, velvety evening pour rather than a dry powerhouse.