Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996

These are the rums RumX members rate highest of all: connoisseur bottlings from legendary distilleries, every one still available to buy.

Best for: Caroni lovers and collectors chasing the peak
Near-universal awe — repeatedly called the best Caroni people have tasted. Round, complex, endlessly long. A few wish it were a touch dirtier or more raw, but that's splitting hairs.

Best for: Demerara fans chasing coconut-and-solvent complexity
Adored across the board — coconut, solvent, caramel and wood in a light-but-complex Demerara. A few felt the finish tails off, and fruit lovers noted it's not their profile.

Best for: collectors chasing rare, whisky-like Rockley rum
Close to a desert-island bottle for most who try it — deep honey, smoke and tropical fruit with flawless integration. If you want loud ester funk, this stays elegant instead.

Best for: Demerara fans who love dark, woody, tobacco-heavy sippers
Loved almost across the board as a top-tier REV — oily, complex, beautifully integrated alcohol. The main quibble: it's dark and bitter-leaning, so those wanting bright fruit may want more.

Best for: Guyana and REV lovers who like dark, dry, wood-driven sippers
Adored by REV and Guyana fans — dark, oily, complex, with well-hidden alcohol and less bitterness than usual. Needs air to open. One taster found it dry and a bit flat.

Best for: Fans of aged, mellowed Hampden funk
Near-unanimous love: a rounded, complex old Hampden where fruit, ester, wood and spice balance beautifully. The odd taster finds one sample flatter or slightly astringent late, but that's the exception.

Best for: Hampden and high-ester funk devotees
Something close to a consensus favorite among Hampden fans — huge esters and tropical fruit with the ABV shockingly well integrated. The only real gripe: hard to find and very intense for newcomers.

Best for: Devoted fans of tropical-aged high-ester Hampden
Near-unanimous love here — an intense, creamy ester bomb of pineapple, glue and pastry that hides its 62% well. The main gripes: real heat up front and a steep price.

Best for: People wanting a balanced way into tropical Caroni
Loved almost across the board as the classic, well-balanced Caroni. A few find it a touch too tame or too oak-heavy, but most call it their reference bottle.

Best for: Demerara fans who love dark chocolate, coffee and caramel richness
Widely loved as a chocolate-coffee-caramel Demerara that drinks far smoother than its ABV. The recurring quibble: it's so round and balanced that some want more edges or depth.
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