Mezan Diamond Single Cask 2004

Mezan, the unaltered young bottling house, drew this 2004 Diamond as a single cask at full strength, an uncoloured rum in the typical 2004 Diamond Versailles style. This sits on the lighter side of the Demerara family, fruity and astringent with pencil notes rather than the heavy oil of Port Mourant. At nineteen years it has gathered real depth while keeping its bright fruit.

Molasses based and matured in ex-bourbon oak, it noses on fruit, orange peel, sweetness and vanilla, then carries butterscotch, salt and orange peel across the palate before a finish of butterscotch, tannins, salt and white chocolate. At 57.1% the alcohol can read forward on opening and rewards time in the glass, where the orange and tangerine give way to the typical Guyana caramel. Bottled at cask strength, it is a characterful, citrus and butterscotch driven Diamond that comes into its own once it has had room to breathe.