Caroni 2000 Navy Extra Strong 18-Year

A very cool bottling of rum from the closed Caroni distillery in Trinidad, celebrating the 100th anniversary of its opening back in 1918. The aged rum has been bottled at 90° proof (51,4%) as a team effort by Velier and La Maison du Whisky, and features a retro design harking back to Caroni bottles from the days of yore. Aroma is gentle with sweet tones. First taste is warm and sweet but very fast turning in to burning leather, old wet wood and musty taste. Long aftertaste with oil and petrol (similar to Dior Fahrenheit parfum). Interesting sample which expanded my rum experience, but nothing to order whole bottle...

The evolution of this taste is very brilliant The bottle is an amazing explosion of flavors

dieser rum ist wirklich gut und ein gelungenes remake des etiketts.
geschmacklich ist er nicht ganz so, so daß er nur auf eine acht bei mir kommt. es gibt da doch noch bessere.

It is hard for me to describe how much I love Caroni. I immidiately go for it, whenever I have the chance. It is rare, that you get to taste this one for free, but I had the chance at the 2020 Whiskyfair in Kolding, Denmark and as soon as the doors opened I was ready to get a taste of this historic bottle:

Nose: Unripe bananas, tar, salty liquorice, dark chocolate and oak
Taste: Smoke, rubber, crude oil, dates, figs and caramel in a long and oily aftertaste that lingers long in the mouth
Overall: This is just a fantastic rum. Not much more to say. It is a little subdued compared to other Caronis I have tried and that hurts it a bit for me. Still a fantastic rum.

I must correct my rating. After one month in the bottle (I poor 5cl) the rum has changed.
It's not as bitter as before. The watery impression is almost gone.
It's the same like with the 1994 Caroni 23y. It needs some evoparation.

Typical 1998 dirty nose on the wild leather side. First I get leather, then gum and some tar in the nose, it's dirty and salty. Some medicine is there, with wet barrel and earth, in the background are some dry fruits. A typical and good 1998 nose.

The dilution to 51.4% works not that bad as on my first tasting.
I think 55-57% would be better, but I enjoyed this rum also.

The taste starts sweet with honey, leather and tar. The tannins are rising on my palet. Then there are gum and dry fruits at the end of the initial taste.
In the middle taste I get the leather and again the tannins, wood (my mouth gets dry), then dry fruits and some black currant. It feels like I was licking some old wood.
The finish is middle long, a little bit spicy with leather, black currant, wood, tannins and liquorice.
The aftertaste starts with peppermint, black currant, then cold black tea... and after some time smoked bacon. That's a very tasty combination for me.
The mint spreaded everywhere in my mouth, I have all the time mint and black currant on my palet. This lasts very long, I love it.

It's not complex but dirty Caroni. I would rate this rum with 88 points now.

Nose: leather, liquorice, gum, tar, a sweet fruity note, earth/barrel, medicine, wood
Taste: honey, leather, tar, tannins, wood, gum, dry fruits (mouth gets dry)
Middle: wild leather, tannins, wood, dry fruits, some black currant, wood/leather
Finish: some spice, leather, black currant, wood, tannins, liqourice
Aftertaste: peppermint, leather, black currant, gum

Sweetness: 1/5
Fruits: 1.5/5
Spice: 2.5/5
Mildness: 3/5
Value (230€): 2.5/5

You want what you can’t get! There’s nothing special here old rum that was not that good to start with. Hate me if you want I bought the cool aide purchased at auction. Glad I tried it have it on the shelf, but never do I think “ wow a pop of that would be great” oil, ground car tire and cigarette butt. Sounds more like a 4 but it’s rare and I paid a lot for it. Maybe it’s an acquired taste will revisit someday, not too soon.

Classic Caroni nose and taste, no doubt. I think in overall 18 y is a good aging for Caroni. It’s lighter and not too heavy and has a long lasting aftertaste.

Today at this price it’s almost an entry level Caroni, but man so goes on already
Of course, like every Caroni it is an inquires taste, lot of licorice and ... tar, so not for a rum beginner. Also very very oily.
The final is reallly something , goes on and on..

The Velier Caroni Navy Rum Extra Strong is an anniversary bottling for the 100th anniversary of the Caroni Distillery. The rum from Trinidad was allowed to store for 18 years and was bottled slightly diluted with 51.4% alcohol. The bottle was designed in a retro look.

In the nose the rum is very good and has many intense notes. Here the typical dirty notes are clearly recognizable and beguile when nosing. Some fruit and also wood aromas are recognizable. But above all strong tar and rubber notes. Slowly I learn to understand the Caroni nose. I think it's absolutely awesome. On the palate, the rum is surprisingly soft and distributes its aromas leisurely. A pleasant sweetness with tropical fruit, wood and leather. The rum tastes a bit dirtier and spicy on the way down. The finish is then somewhat dry and dirty wood aromas with a floral tone characterize the finish. For a very long time, the rum remains pleasant in the mouth and in the nose.

Compared to the Bristol Classic Caroni 1997 and the Kill Devil Caroni 1998, the Velier Caroni Navy Rum has the best nose, but on the palate he is a little more reserved than the other two. In direct comparison, the Velier was only in third place, as the other two tasted better to me. Nevertheless, the Velier Caroni Navy Rum is very good. Still an excellent rum. But even more expensive than the other two mentioned. Here the price is too high for me, because it also has no barrel strength. Therefore, only a 9.5. Hard to compare with the other (not Caroni) Rums i rated 9-10. Have to think about it.

Der Velier Caroni Navy Rum Extra Strong ist eine Jubiläums Abfüllung zum 100 jährigen Bestehen der Caroni Distillerie. Der Rum aus Trinidad durfte 18 Jahre lagern und wurde etwas verdünnt mit 51,4% Alkohol abgefüllt. Die Flasche wurde im Retro Look gestaltet.

In der Nase ist der Rum sehr gut und hat viele intensive Noten. Hier sind die typischen dreckigen Noten klar erkennbar und betören beim Nosing. Etwas Frucht und auch Holz Aromen sind erkennbar. Aber vor allen starke Teer und Gummi Noten. Langsam verstehe ich den Caroni Duft zu deuten. Ich finde es absolut genial. Am Gaumen ist der Rum erstaunlich weich und verteilt seine Aromen gemächlich. Eine angenehme Süße mit tropischer Frucht, Holz und Leder. Der Rum schmeckt zum Abgang etwas dreckiger und würziger. Der Abgang ist dann etwas trockener und dreckiger Holz Aromen mit einem floralen Beiklang prägen den Abgang. Sehr lange uns Angenehm bleibt der Rum im Mund und in der Nase.

Im Vergleich mit dem Bristol Classic 1997 und dem Kill Devil Caroni 1998 ist der Velier der Caroni mit der besten Nase, aber am Gaumen etwas zurückhaltender als die anderen beiden. Im direkten Vergleich war der Velier nur auf Platz drei, da mit die anderen beiden besser geschmeckt haben. Trotzdem ist er sehr gut. Immer noch ein hervorragender Rum. Aber auch noch einmal teurer als die anderen beiden genannten. Hier ist mir der Preis dann doch zu hoch, da er auch keine Fassstärke hat. Daher nur eine 9,5. Schwer zu bewerten im Vergleich mit den anderen (nicht Caroni) Rums die ich mit 9 oder 10 bewertet habe.

On the nose: sweet tropical fruits, brown sugar, molasses, spices, some gum, a hint of wood glue, pineapple & banana, alcohol.

On the palate: spices, gum, hint of tropical fruits, subtle sweetness, oil & tar, some molasses, dirty.

In the finish: spices, gum, oil, subtle tar, becoming drier, hint of molasses, tingling, very long, dirty covering.

In der Nase: süße tropische Früchte, brauner Zucker, Melasse, Gewürze, etwas Gummi, Anklang Holzleim, Ananas & Banane, Alkohol.
Am Gaumen: Gewürze, Gummi, Anklang tropische Früchte, dezente Süße, Öl & Teer, etwas Melasse, dreckig.
Im Abgang: Gewürze, Gummi, Öl, dezent Teer, trockener werdend, Anklang Melasse, prickelnd, sehr lang, dreckig belegend.