Velier Caroni Heavy Rum (The Nectar) HTR 2000

Caroni, closed in 2003 and rescued from its abandoned bond by Velier, is the most collectible name in rum, its full-proof bottlings the benchmark for the heavy Trinidad style. This release for The Nectar draws on the 2000 vintage, a heavy Trinidad rum aged 15 years and presented at a towering 70.4% full proof.

Distilled from molasses and matured in ex-bourbon oak, it hits hard with rubber, tar and almond over dark wood, dried fruit and brown sugar, a cooling menthol note threading through nose and palate. Despite the enormous strength the profile reads as heavy yet elegant, the markers all present and the alcohol carried with poise, the finish vast and seemingly endless. Hints of pastry-like spice add to the depth. This is a bottle for seasoned enthusiasts only, an uncompromising full-proof Caroni best in small neat pours that let its oily, industrial character unfold slowly.