Velier Caroni Heavy Rum HTR 1985

This is a Velier Caroni, and Velier is the Italian house whose 2004 rescue of the abandoned Caroni casks created the entire mythology around the closed Trinidad distillery. Bottled from the 1985 vintage at 20 years and carrying the Heavy mark, HTR, it sits among the older expressions of a finite, much chased stock.

Tropically aged in ex-bourbon oak in keeping with Velier's approach, it shows a rounder, more forgiving side of Caroni than the dirtiest bottlings. The classic tar and machine shop notes are there, but they are wrapped in dried fruit, vanilla, caramel and a touch of chocolate, with a warm, smoky, woody finish. It makes an unusually approachable full strength Caroni, savoury and industrial at its core yet softened by sweetness. Bottled at 62%.