Silver Seal Caroni HTR 1997

Silver Seal, the collector-respected Italian bottler, drew this from a single cask of Caroni, the closed Trinidad distillery whose finite stocks made it rum's most legendary name after production ceased in 2003. Distilled in 1997 from molasses and matured sixteen years, it carries the heavy HTR character, the tar-and-oil signature that defines the distillery's prized marks.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak and bottled at a relatively gentle 46%, the nose is intense with wood, roasted notes, raisin, citrus and a light rubber and tar edge, the palate following with that industrial tar over oak. The reduced strength makes this a more approachable Caroni than the full-proof bottlings, softening the diesel intensity without losing it. This is a fine entry point to heavy Trinidad, offering the distillery's distinctive savoury character at a strength that invites easy sipping.