Ten Cane Distillery 13 Years Old
RELEASED JULY 2026
The Duchess 12 Years Old
RELEASED MAY 2025
88/100
The Marine Life series opens with The Duchess’ first Premium Caribbean Rum Blend, bringing together rums from several legendary Caribbean origins. Aged for at least 12 years, it combines unmistakable Jamaican character with a softer, richer side.
The nose is expressive and funky, with acetone, varnish, overripe banana and pear eau-de-vie alongside olives, anchovy and a touch of smoke. Vanilla, almond and pineapple add a sweeter, pastry-like layer. On the palate, it is oily and rich, combining seawater, tar and olives with ripe banana, lemon meringue, pineapple and buttery vanilla. The finish is long and gently briny, leaving traces of liquorice, chocolate and tropical fruit.
A very impressive opening to the Marine Life series. Funky, fruity and richly textured, this first Premium Caribbean Rum Blend strikes a lovely balance between Jamaican intensity and generous Caribbean sweetness.
Foursquare 21 Years Old
RELEASED NOVEMBER 2024
89/100
We never complain about having another old Foursquare in the stocks, and this 21-year-old offers a gentle, understated take on the classic Barbadian style.
The nose is soft and delicate, with wax, white chocolate and honeycomb alongside cardamom, nutmeg and wild flowers. Red fruit and a touch of modelling clay add some playful complexity. On the palate, it becomes livelier, bringing grapefruit, apple peel and cider together with marzipan, honey and a subtle hint of bagasse. With water, the familiar Foursquare balance of apple and lemon comes through beautifully. The finish is fresh and dry, with hay, citrus peel, liquorice and a gentle touch of aniseed.
A quietly elegant old Foursquare. Floral, fresh and beautifully balanced, it shows the softer side of Barbados rum without ever losing its underlying character.
Worthy Park 7 Years Old
RELEASED NOVEMBER 2024
90/100
Lluidas Vale’s high-ester style can still be remarkably precise, and this seven-year-old expression shows the distillery’s ability to combine powerful fermentation character with unusual freshness and clarity.
The nose is intensely aromatic, with ripe banana, mango and other yellow fruits alongside green olives, tar and a faint glue-like note. Water brings out carbon paper, wax and a touch of wallpaper paste. On the palate, it is surprisingly gentle at 63.1%, combining ashes, lime and liquorice with mint oil, ripe banana, mango and lychee. A touch of water reveals an intriguing savoury side of olives, anchovies, asparagus and lemon. The finish is long and remarkably clean, with fruity salinity, ripe tropical fruit and a subtle creamy, yoghurt-like note.
A beautifully precise Worthy Park. Powerful yet surprisingly elegant, with the classic high-ester funk balanced by remarkable freshness, salinity and purity.
Caroni 31 Years Old
RELEASED NOVEMBER 2023
92/100
Caroni is always a special occasion, and a 31-year-old cask from the long-closed Trinidadian distillery is an especially rare glimpse into a disappearing style of rum. Remarkably, this one shows a softer side of Caroni without losing its identity.
The nose is gentle and inviting, with scones, vanilla cake, nougat and polenta alongside hay, lanolin and a touch of spent engine oil. Beneath the softness, overripe banana, mango and hints of rubber begin to emerge. On the palate, lemon syrup and olive oil meet brown sugar, oak, dark chocolate and green cane, with subtle nail varnish and a touch of chilli. Water reveals truffle-like savouriness, tar, rubber and pepper. The finish is long and increasingly classic, bringing green banana, lime, petrol and coal tar alongside floral and stone-fruit notes.
A remarkable old Caroni. Gentle, complex and beautifully balanced, it proves that Caroni does not always need to shout to make an impression.
Uitvlugt 27 Years Old
RELEASED NOVEMBER 2022
90/100
A 27-year-old Uitvlugt from the Port Mourant still, this is exactly the sort of old Demerara rum that rewards patience, combining deep tropical character with an intriguing savoury edge.
The nose is wonderfully funky, with fresh cane juice, molasses, oak and leather alongside damp forest floor, nutmeg and hints of pear. Burnt caramel, yeast and beurre noisette add richness, while a touch of brimstone brings extra depth. On the palate, red chilli and sharp oak give way to yeasty chocolate, buttery molasses, pear, pine and smoked bacon. The finish is exceptionally long and mellow, with liquorice, yuzu, nutmeg and cotton candy lingering over a distinctly earthy, fermented character.
A sophisticated old Demerara. Rich, funky and beautifully complex, this is a rum where sweetness is only part of the story, with yeast, wood and savoury notes creating remarkable depth.
La Réunion 19 Years Old
RELEASED NOVEMBER 2022
90/100
La Réunion may not immediately bring rum to mind, but this rare French-style expression from (undisclosed) Savannah shows exactly why the island deserves more attention. With significant age and bottled at full strength, it is a remarkably deep and distinctive rum.
The nose is dark and luxurious, with walnut, pipe tobacco, old varnish and rich chestnut honey alongside chocolate ganache, ripe fruit and a touch of smoke. Water reveals sugarcane, shoe polish, olives and plenty of liquorice. On the palate, it is dense and powerful, with dark cherries, molasses and bitter marmalade giving way to tar, brine, walnuts, tobacco and cold meats. The finish is long, thick and warming, with chocolate, savoury sauce, oak and lingering smoky tea notes.
A superbly complex Savannah. Dark, powerful and wonderfully evolving, this rare La Réunion bottling makes a convincing case for looking beyond the better-known French rum islands.
Ten Cane Distillery 13 Years Old
RELEASED FEBRUARY 2022
89/100
We remember the earlier Ten Cane: a fascinating taste of a distillery that left us wishing there was more. Well, now we have more. These rare casks are a welcome reminder of Trinidad’s short-lived Ten Cane, whose doors unfortunately closed after barely a decade of production.
The nose is wonderfully unusual, opening with rusty metal before moving into tomato jam, prunes, currants and rubber. Water reveals grilled thyme, cured meat, salty liquorice, miso and savoury umami notes. On the palate, it is massive and intense, with varnish, Armagnac, tyres, burnt cake and bitter chocolate. Water softens the edges, bringing the chocolate and liquorice further forward. The finish is exceptionally long, with burnt rubber and salty liquorice giving way to toffee and marmalade.
Another gloriously eccentric Ten Cane. Powerful, savoury and wonderfully strange, this is more of the spirit we hoped would surface, and it certainly tastes like more.
Uitvlugt 24 Years Old
RELEASED DECEMBER 2021
91/100
Demerara rum from the legendary Port Mourant still is rarely shy on character, and this 24-year-old expression spent its first two years ageing tropically before further maturation in Europe, including a Hine Cognac cask.
The nose is intensely savoury and oily, with diesel, engine grease, anchovy brine and black tapenade alongside green banana and liquorice. Water brings out fresh cane juice, wet ashes, mineral notes and a touch of vinyl. On the palate, it is tart and pungent, with concentrated lime, salted liquorice and smoky ashes giving way to seawater, olives, anchovies and sardines. The finish is long, salty and citrus-driven, with lemon, olives and liquorice followed by a gentle touch of tropical fruit and sweetness.
A magnificent Port Mourant. The Cognac cask may play a supporting role, but the unmistakable Demerara character takes centre stage: salty, oily, intense and utterly compelling.
Travellers Distillery 15 Years Old
RELEASED DECEMBER 2021
88/100
Travellers Distillery has given this 15-year-old Belizean rum eight years of tropical ageing, bringing a distinctly warm-climate character to the spirit while retaining plenty of fresh cane notes.
The nose is aromatic and inviting, with vanilla, honeyed rooibos, orange cake and pistachio pastry alongside cane honey and coconut. A little water adds softness and a touch of varnish. On the palate, it is lively and cane-driven, with sugarcane, vanilla and coconut, although youthful alcohol brings some heat at first. Water helps to round things out and reveal more sweetness. The finish is medium in length, with a soft texture and lingering cane syrup, vanilla and coconut.
A pleasant and uncomplicated Travellers. Fresh, sweet and tropical, with enough character to make it an appealing cocktail rum as well as an easygoing sipper.
Long Pond 20 Years Old
RELEASED DECEMBER 2021
90/100
This collaboration between The Duchess and Sample X offers a particularly wild expression of Jamaican rum, where coastal salinity and heavy fermentation meet at cask strength.
The nose is intensely briny and coastal, with tar, spent oil and green and black olives evoking an old ship at sea. Water reveals saffron, carbon dust, anchovies and tarred olives, with an almost mineral-like pungency underneath. On the palate, it is massive and oily, bringing tar, rotting banana and olives at formidable strength. With water, gentler tropical fruit emerges, shifting from overripe to distinctly fermenting. The finish is long, focused and beautifully salty, leaving behind oily, savoury notes of olives and anchovy.
A gloriously uncompromising rum. Heavy, salty and wonderfully feral, this is a bottling that embraces the extreme side of Jamaican rum, and does so brilliantly.
Great House Distillery 13 Years Old
RELEASED OCTOBER 2021
91/100
Hampden’s high-ester style is rarely subtle, and this 13-year-old cask is a particularly intense expression of the Jamaican distillery’s unmistakable character.
The nose is wonderfully wild, with vinegar, varnish, carbon paper and olives alongside gherkins, glue and hints of tropical fruit. Water brings out even more fermentation, pickled seaweed and pungent plastic notes. On the palate, it is massive and fiercely concentrated, combining lemon, tar, cucumber and brine with rotten orange, fermenting plum and overripe fruit. The finish is exceptionally long, dominated by gherkins, concentrated lime and ripe banana, with the savoury funk lingering well into the aftertaste.
A gloriously extreme Hampden. Raw, pungent and almost confrontational, this is high-ester Jamaican rum turned all the way up, and somehow, that is precisely its charm.
Foursquare 21 Years Old
RELEASED AUGUST 2021
89/100
Foursquare needs little introduction, but this 21-year-old single cask shows a somewhat more rugged side of the Barbadian style, with long maturation bringing plenty of oak and spice to the spirit.
The nose is rich and slightly funky, combining oak, cedar and cocoa with stewed strawberry, papaya and hints of vanilla. There is a touch of pencil shavings and spice beneath the fruit, adding an intriguing savoury edge. On the palate, it is powerful and warming, with tropical fruit, bell pepper and fried chilli alongside wood spice, brown sugar and dark chocolate. The finish is long and increasingly Foursquare-like, bringing tropical fruit syrup, molasses, coconut and lingering oak.
A distinctive old Foursquare. Powerful, fruity and oak-driven, this is a more rugged interpretation of Barbados rum, with enough tropical sweetness to keep all that wood beautifully balanced.
Great House Distillery 13 Years Old
RELEASED AUGUST 2021
90/100
Hampden is celebrated for its bold, high-ester style, and this 13-year-old single cask is an especially uncompromising example, bottled at a formidable strength.
The nose is intensely aromatic, with vinegar, lime, olive oil and tropical fruit alongside diesel, carbon dust, rubber and glue. Water brings out greener notes of leek and coriander, adding yet another layer to the remarkable profile.
On the palate, it is concentrated and wonderfully extreme, combining limey varnish, acetone and liquorice with smoked gherkins and an unmistakable high-ester funk. Despite the intensity, there is remarkable precision beneath it all.
The finish is long, dry and decidedly eccentric, with acetone, liquorice, walnut stain and lingering chemical notes.
A gloriously wild Hampden. Intense, uncompromising and slightly absurd, yet somehow utterly compelling — exactly the sort of rum that reminds you why high-ester Jamaican spirit can be so addictive.
Beenleigh Artisan Distillery 13 Years Old
RELEASED JULY 2021
88/100
Beenleigh may not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking of rum, but Australia’s historic distillery has a character all of its own. After a decade of maturation in Oceania, this cask offers an intriguing and distinctive expression.
The nose is funky and slightly wild, with paint stripper and oak alongside sweet sugarcane, apricot and red fruits. There is a distinctly chemical edge, balanced by fresh, grassy notes.
On the palate, peppery heat and paint stripper mingle with cherries, strawberries, apricot and green sugarcane. It is intense without becoming overly sharp, revealing more fruit and herbal character as it opens up.
The finish is sweeter and more herbaceous, with the vegetal and grassy notes turned up to full volume.
A fascinating Australian rum. Unusual, lively and unapologetically funky, it is a great reminder that rum’s most interesting stories can come from the least expected places.
Worthy Park 14 Years Old
RELEASED MARCH 2021
89/100
Worthy Park is known for producing intensely characterful, high-ester rums, and this 14-year-old expression is a particularly vivid example of the distillery’s distinctive style.
The nose is powerful and funky, with overripe banana and pineapple alongside liquorice, olive brine, mint, acetone and wet paint. Leather, rubber and pepper add further depth, while oak brings a little structure.
On the palate, it is rich, sweet and warming, combining liquorice sweets, salty caramel and fruit compote with olive brine, pepper, turmeric and plenty of earthy rubber. A touch of water amplifies the savoury character.
The finish is long, focused and salty, with tar, liquorice, pepper and ripe tropical fruit joined by gentle floral and woody spice notes.
A wonderfully unapologetic Worthy Park. Funky, savoury and packed with overripe fruit, this is Jamaican rum in full, gloriously eccentric form.
Diamond 17 Years Old
RELEASED MARCH 2021
89/100
Diamond’s character can vary considerably thanks to the distillery’s unusual collection of stills, making each release an interesting glimpse into Guyana’s diverse rum-making tradition.
The nose is rich and funky, with overripe pineapple, pear, butterscotch and preserved fruit alongside liquorice, varnish and earthy herbal notes. There is a savoury edge too, with hints of rose petals and brine.
On the palate, grilled pineapple and sugarcane meet salty olive oil, liquorice and warming spices, with oak and bitters adding depth. A splash of water brings out more of the savoury character.
The finish is long and distinctive, combining seawater, liquorice and fermenting fruit with molasses, burnt sugar, coconut and fresh sugarcane juice.
A wonderfully characterful Diamond. Funky, savoury and richly fruity, this is a fascinating example of the personality that can emerge from the distillery’s wooden stills.
Uitvlugt 27 Years Old
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020
91/100
Uitvlugt is another of Guyana’s lost distilleries, and this 27-year-old expression distilled in the famous Port Mourant wooden still is a wonderfully distinctive piece of rum history. Bottled at 50.1%, it is remarkably dry and savoury, with very little of the sweetness often associated with rum.
The nose is deeply savoury, with olive brine, liquorice, kerosene and tar alongside lime, bergamot, eucalyptus and earthy spices. There are hints of leather, nutmeg and dried tropical fruit beneath the darker aromas.On the palate, it is intense and austere, bringing salty olives, liquorice, ginger and black pepper together with hay, tobacco, molasses and a touch of citrus. Water reveals even more salt and herbal depth.The finish is long, dry and wonderfully complex, with mint, camphor, pepper, smoke and lingering kerosene.
A superbly distinctive old Guyanese rum. Dark, savoury and almost whisky-like in its intensity, this is a fascinating showcase for the character of the Port Mourant still.
South Pacific Distilleries 15 Years Old
RELEASED NOVEMBER 2020
86/100
Fiji offers a very different expression of rum, and this 15-year-old single cask from The Duchess shows plenty of that distinctive South Pacific character. With twelve years of tropical ageing and bottled at 59.8%, it combines ripe fruit with a more savoury, funky edge.
The nose is immediately fruity, with ripe banana, mango and tropical fruit alongside vanilla, honey and warm spices. Beneath that sit hints of oak, tobacco, light sulphur and a touch of smoky, slightly rubbery character.On the palate, the tropical fruit gives way to richer notes of caramel, coffee, cocoa and banana, with oak and spice adding structure. There is a pleasant earthy and savoury quality underneath the sweetness, keeping the rum lively and distinctive.The finish is medium-long, with vanilla, wood, tropical fruit and lingering spice.
A fascinating Fijian rum. Fruity, funky and unmistakably different, this is a rewarding departure from the more familiar Caribbean styles.
Distillerie de Labourdonnais 9 Years Old
RELEASED NOVEMBER 2020
86/100
Labourdonnais is one of those producers that can show just how distinctive cane-juice rum from Mauritius can be. This nine-year-old single cask, matured mostly in the tropics and bottled at 57.9%, combines fresh vegetal character with an unexpectedly exotic and spicy side.
The nose is fresh and expressive, with sugarcane, green herbs and orchard fruit, alongside floral notes, citrus and a subtle fermented edge. On the palate, it is dry and lively, bringing pear, orange and cane sweetness together with ginger, pepper, earthy herbs and a touch of medicinal bitterness. There is also a slightly savoury character that keeps things intriguing. The finish is medium-long and spicy, with grass, cane, herbs and lingering fruit.
A distinctive Mauritian cane-juice rum. Fresh, dry and wonderfully individual, this is an intriguing alternative to the more familiar French-Caribbean agricole style.
Ten Cane Distillery 11 Years Old
RELEASED JULY 2020
90/100
Ten Cane may have disappeared from Trinidad rather quickly, but this 11-year-old single cask shows what an intriguing style the distillery was capable of producing. Distilled in 2008 and bottled at 63%, it has a distinctly heavy, savoury character that will immediately appeal to Caroni fans.
The nose is packed with cane, wax, rubber, liquorice and kerosene, alongside honey, mocha, banana, ginger and clove. There is a lovely polished oak character underneath, with water bringing out salt, tar and even more liquorice.On the palate, it is bold and spicy, combining chilli, pepper, brown sugar and leather with prune, banana, oak and grassy notes. The balance between sweet fruit and savoury, earthy flavours is particularly compelling.The finish is long and warming, with cane sugar, wax, mint, liquorice and lingering funky fruit.
For those looking for a Caroni-style rum, look no further. It is not Caroni, but the tar, rubber and savoury intensity are unmistakably reminiscent, and this Ten Cane has plenty of character of its own.
Mount Gay 19 Years Old
RELEASED JULY 2020
90/100
This undisclosed Barbados rum (Mount Gay) comes from the island’s oldest distillery, with six years of tropical maturation followed by thirteen years in Europe. The long ageing has produced a remarkably elegant expression, with a lighter and more floral character than many of its contemporaries.
The nose is fresh and gently aromatic, with sugarcane, roses, green notes and tree bark, alongside a subtle savoury edge. On the palate, it is dry and refined, bringing fresh cane, oak and ripe apple and banana together with floral notes, grass and a faint hint of cork. The finish is gentle and restrained, with dried flowers, hay and soft oak lingering without excessive sweetness.
A beautifully understated old Barbados rum. Floral, fresh and quietly complex, it is a refreshing reminder that long-aged rum does not always need to be dark, heavy or intensely woody.
Foursquare 18 Years Old
RELEASED MARCH 2020
90/100
Foursquare’s signature balance of pot- and column-still spirit is on full display in this 18-year-old expression, matured in bourbon cask and bottled at cask strength. It is a richer, more mature style, with plenty of oak but enough fruit and sweetness to keep everything in balance.
The nose is generous and spicy, combining vanilla, coffee, liquorice and ripe banana with coconut, berries and pencil shavings. Tobacco, chocolate and a touch of bonfire smoke add further depth, while orange blossom keeps it elegant.On the palate, it is rich and distinctly Foursquare, bringing orange, fudge and cane sugar alongside spicy oak, leather, dark chocolate and a hint of tobacco. There is plenty of intensity, but the sweetness gives it balance.The finish is long and warming, with vanilla, orange, honeyed sweetness and lingering oak spice.
A superbly mature Foursquare. Powerful, complex and wonderfully expressive, this is a serious rum with enough elegance to make all that oak work beautifully.
Rhumerie Du Simon 15 Years Old
RELEASED MARCH 2020
86/100
The first release in the Hummingbird Series takes a distinctly fresh and characterful approach, with tropical maturation followed by European ageing. Produced at Habitation du Simon, it shows a wonderfully spirited agricole style, full of herbal and aniseed-driven character.
The nose is lively and slightly fiery, combining pear and pineapple with varnish and acetone. Water transforms it, revealing an intriguing mix of aniseed, fennel, dill and wild carrot, with an almost pastis-like freshness.On the palate, cachaça and aguardiente come to mind, alongside vanilla and bright herbal notes. With water, the spirit becomes firmer and grassier, bringing fruit peel and a touch of orange soda sweetness.The finish is rather long and distinctly grassy, with caraway, capsicum and lingering aniseed.
A wonderfully distinctive agricole. Fresh, herbal and slightly wild, this is an unconventional rum with plenty of personality for the adventurous drinker.
Enmore 28 Years Old
RELEASED JUNE 2019
90/100
The Versailles wooden pot still is one of the great surviving pieces of rum-making history, and this 28-year-old Enmore is a beautiful example of what it can produce. Distilled in 1990 and matured in bourbon casks for almost three decades, it shows remarkable poise and refinement.
The nose is elegant and fragrant, with butter, apple and pear alongside vanilla, yellow flowers and violet. A subtle solvent note adds character, while the oak remains pleasantly restrained.On the palate, the spirit is oily and polished, bringing orchard fruit, almond, cassis and vanilla together with gentle herbs and peppery spice. The long maturation has softened the wood, leaving only a delicate bitter edge in its wake.The finish is dry and quietly spicy, with lingering fruit, oak and a faint mineral bitterness.
A wonderfully refined old Enmore. Graceful, complex and beautifully composed, this is a fine showcase for the legendary Versailles still.
Diamond 20 Years Old
RELEASED JUNE 2019
85/100
Enmore is known for its rich, weighty style, so eight years in an ex-Armagnac cask makes this a particularly intriguing expression. The finishing has clearly left its mark, bringing a more wine-like character to the spirit while retaining some of its tropical richness.
The nose is soft and fruity, with grapes, vanilla, apple and white wine, followed by sultanas, boiled sweets and delicate floral notes. There is also a faint herbal character that emerges with time.On the palate, the Armagnac influence becomes even more apparent, with sweet grapes, dessert wine, orange peel and marmalade alongside grapefruit, vanilla and apricot. A little chocolate adds depth to the rounded, almost syrupy texture.The finish is sweet and gently fading, with grape, orange peel and icing sugar lingering.
A distinctly unconventional Enmore. Fruity, sweet and remarkably wine-like, it is an easy-drinking rum that shows just how transformative a long finish can be.
Caroni 21 Years Old
RELEASED APRIL 2019
90/100
Distilled in 1998 and bottled at a formidable 64.1%, it captures the unmistakable character of this now-closed Trinidadian distillery in all its glorious funk.
The nose is a wonderful mix of metal polish, petrol, rubber and savoury umami, with tobacco, walnut shell, pine cones and old kelp. Beneath it all lie stewed fruit, mint, smoke and ash.On the palate, it is big, earthy and intensely tarry, with rubber, dry oak, black tea, mocha, pepper and seawater. A touch of lime adds freshness, while the oily texture keeps it remarkably engaging.The finish is very long, dry and bitter, with smoke, salt, artichoke and lingering rubber.
A proper Caroni monster. Wild, oily, smoky and gloriously strange, this is exactly why these remaining casks are worth seeking out.
Worthy Park 12 Years Old
RELEASED NOVEMBER 2018
88.5/100
Worthy Park has quickly become one of Jamaica’s most exciting rum distilleries, and this 12-year-old single cask from The Duchess shows exactly why. Bottled at 57.9%, it combines exuberant tropical fruit with a wonderfully wild, earthy and savoury character.
The nose is rich with pineapple, mango, melon and banana, followed by varnish, wet dunnage, smoke and earthy tones. There is also something wonderfully funky, with engine oil, tea, ferns and sugary biscuits adding depth.On the palate, it is sharp, dry and intensely flavoured, bringing olive brine, molasses, liquorice and burnt sugar alongside tannins, grape pith and a striking grappa-like character. Wet earth, leather and spice add further complexity.The finish is long and contrasting, with candied lemon, grape peel, oak, molasses and lingering spice.
A seriously characterful Worthy Park. Wild, funky and packed with flavour, this is complex, unusual and immensely enjoyable.
Foursquare 13 Years Old
RELEASED OCTOBER 2018
88/100
Foursquare has earned a reputation for producing honest, characterful rums, and this special Whisky & Rum aan Zee bottling is a fine example. Aged for 13 years and bottled at 59%, it combines classic Foursquare richness with plenty of dry oak and spice.
The nose is invitingly woody and sweet, with toffee, vanilla, raisins and dried fruit alongside orange peel, chocolate and tonka beans. A touch of varnish adds complexity, while green banana and apricot bring freshness. On the palate, it is dry, oily and surprisingly smooth for the strength, bringing dried fruit, vanilla and orange peel together with pepper, tannic oak and burnt toffee. A few drops of water reveal even more creaminess. The finish is medium to long and pleasantly dry, with black pepper, oak, dried fruit and lingering spice.
A superb single-cask Foursquare. Powerful without being unruly, complex without losing its balance, and a fittingly distinctive bottling.
Caroni 20 Years Old
RELEASED APRIL 2018
91/100
Caroni has become something of a legend among rum enthusiasts, much like Brora or Port Ellen in the whisky world. With the distillery closing in 2002, bottles like this single cask are increasingly precious, offering a rare glimpse of a style that can no longer be made.
The nose is deep and powerful, filled with old oak, tobacco leaf, dark liquorice and burnt sugar, alongside ripe plum, wax and earthy spice. Despite the 64.6% strength, it remains remarkably inviting and complex.
On the palate, heavy Demerara, black tea and tobacco combine with liquorice, dry oak and warming spices. There is a lovely balance between bitterness, sweetness and creamy waxiness.
The finish is long and warming, with Demerara, oak, pepper, chilli and a touch of Lapsang tea lingering beautifully.
A true Caroni monster. Bold, smoky, woody and wonderfully complex, this is a rare piece of rum history, and one of those remaining casks worth treasuring.
Travellers Distillery 10 Years Old
RELEASED FEBRUARY 2018
88/100
Travellers is perhaps less familiar than many Caribbean rum producers, but this ten-year-old Belizean single cask makes a convincing case for exploring the style. This wonderful rum was a collaboration between The Duchess and Eiling Lim. Bottled at a devilish 66.6%, it is an intense and richly flavoured expression that rewards a little patience.
The nose is packed with ripe mango, banana, peaches and dried fruit, alongside honey, vanilla, toffee and a touch of beeswax. There is also a faintly chemical edge, with charcoal and coconut adding depth. On the palate, the strength arrives immediately, bringing brown sugar, burnt caramel, honey and oak, followed by chocolate, coffee, ginger, pineapple and pepper. A little water reveals sweeter, creamier notes. The finish is long and warming, with dry oak, honey, burnt sugar and lingering fruit.
A devilishly strong but highly enjoyable rum. Powerful, complex and remarkably affordable, this is a cask-strength Travellers worth seeking out.
Bellevue 19 Years Old
RELEASED OCTOBER 2017
90/100
Bellevue is a distillery that can deliver remarkable depth and character, and this 1998 expression is a wonderful example of its more earthy, herbal side. With its rich cane-driven profile, it balances sweetness, spice and a touch of smoke beautifully.
The nose is deep and expressive, with fresh cane juice, dark chocolate, prunes and raisins, alongside peppermint, camphor and small berries. There is also a lovely hint of tropical oak and clove. On the palate, it is zesty and vibrant, bringing citrus and fresh cane together with earthy notes, pepper, clove and dry, woody spice. Water reveals an even more herbal and tense character. The finish is very long and warming, with grassy cane, herbs, charcoal and a gentle smoky, phenolic edge.
An exceptional agricole rum. Complex, intense and wonderfully distinctive, this is Bellevue at its most compelling.