Velier Caroni Paradise #11 2000

This Velier Paradise single cask is a 20-year Caroni from the prized 2000 vintage, bottled at a colossal 69.4% by the Genoa house that rescued the closed Trinidad distillery and championed its tropical, full-proof ageing. Additive-free and finite like all good Caroni, it is squarely for seasoned drinkers.

The molasses spirit leads with bicycle-tube rubber, dried apricot, mango and a clear ester lift on the nose, then milk chocolate, herbal notes, rubber and tar on the palate, with the finish bringing woody, smoky depth, pineapple and spice. The wood, tar and mint are big and the strength is uncompromising, so it asks for patience and a splash of water to open. A classic heavy Caroni of its vintage, dense and long, built for those who already love the full-proof end of the distillery.