Skeldon S.B.S 1997 SWR

1423 released this 27 year Skeldon under its transparent S.B.S Single Barrel Selection line, a single cask of one of Guyana's true unicorns. The original Skeldon stills are long gone, the marque now recreated on the surviving estate equipment, which is why Skeldon bottlings are among the most prized and scarce names in Demerara. Bottled unsweetened at 48.1 percent and naturally presented in the house style.

Matured in ex bourbon, the molasses spirit pours brutally dark and shows dark chocolate, dried plum, raisin, coffee and old wood, with a burnt sugar richness that reads sweet despite no dosage. Rather than explosive, this Skeldon is elegant and polished, the long ageing and lower proof giving it a smooth, espresso driven depth. It suits drinkers who already enjoy old Enmore or Port Mourant but want something more refined and composed, a closed estate rarity that earns its standing on character alone.