Aroma visualization from community tastings
Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001
Prunes, burnt sugar, leather and licorice over a long, dry-tannic finish — the classic dark Guyana spread, but tilted. Tasters keep calling this Skeldon an "oddball" of the 2001 batch: a sour, almost chemical fruity-ester layer that some pin on the bourbon cask. Body reads thin and the finish runs short, so plenty find it good but a step behind its siblings.
- Dried fruit, licorice
- Well-integrated alcohol
- Dark, gourmand notes
+10
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How does Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001 taste?
Aggregated from 49 community reviews.
Dark, dry Guyana with an odd sour twist A genuinely divisive 2001 Skeldon. Most enjoy the dark, woody, dried-fruit profile, but a thin body, short finish and an odd sour-ester note leave many feeling it lags the other casks.
Demerara fans who enjoy comparing casks within a vintage
Anyone wanting the typical heavy, roasty Skeldon profile
How is Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001 rated?
RumX's 0–10 scale is strict , 8.3 lands squarely in the "Very good" band. 97% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
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Rum reviews
Selected write-ups from 49 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Based on 49 ratings
Review by Tschusikowsky
Irgendwie schräg. In der Nase kommen Düfte die an frisch geöffneten eingelegten Kohl erinnern. Schlecht ist er nicht aber unerwartet anders. Grundsätzlich harmonisch. Fällt im Vergleich zu anderen desselben Jahrgangs und Mark aber für mich stark ab. Retasting September 2025: weiss nicht ob damals mein Sample nicht iO waren oder mein Gaumen nicht parat. Hat mir jetzt unglaublich toll gefallen. Würzig, holzig mit Sirup und Brühwürfel. Fruchtgummi mit Schokolade und Holz, rauchig und Tabak. Trockener Abgang. Eine coole Abfüllung.
Review by lukasdrinkinghabits
Again in the glass. Along with the SVL. it is a SWR, but a weirdo.Tasted along with the two SBS SWRs. Would never have mistaken this blind for an SWR. The signature nose with cappuccino and caramel is hard to find, above that is an artificial fruity ester layer reminiscent of the SBS SVL 2003 or maybe a low ester Jamaican with a cognac finish. This fat layer covers up a lot and leaves little air for other nuances. In the mouth, the sour esters continue. The alcohol integration is also quite different, probably because of the acidity. I'm really not sure this is an SWR and not more of an SV(L). Will have to taste this again against SVL. I'm confused. The rating is with a strong caveat. Need to taste this one a few more times.
Review by cigares
Un peu trop d’alcool au nez, du bois, des fruits secs, du caramel et du cuir. Tous les éléments sont présents mais il manque une certaine harmonie, surtout en comparaison directe avec d’autres Skeldons. La bouche est elle aussi dominée par un alcool pas tout à fait bien intégré. Les arômes sont au second plan. Heureusement la finale est équilibrée, longue et savoureuse avec une belle amertume qui donne envie de se resservir.
Review by DomM
Akin to the KD this one is an oddball out of the 2001 batch. There is a distinct smokiness on the nose. The fruit notes have a somewhat chemical/artificial twist. It somewhat reminds me of Jamaican fruity esters..? 🤔 While this is more harsh on the alcoholic side versus the other casks, it feels comparabley thin on the palate. There is just less to discover and complexity overall. I guess this is not really a bad release, but just significantly behind other 2001 SWR bottlings, strangely.
Review by Jakob
Not a bad rum, but in view of the other 2001 Diamonds unfortunately somewhat disappointing. Rather flat, yellow fruits, wood, spices, cocoa burnt sugar - overall quaffable, but without corners and edges, which is why the whole lacks a bit of character.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Könnte paar % mehr haben aber alles in allem ein erkennbares Demerara Profil, allerdings würde ich ihn niemals auf Skeldons tippen. Sticht definitiv aus den anderen 2001ern raus. Viel Dörrpflaume, Limettenschale, Orange, dunkler Demerara-Sirup, Lakritze, Gewürzen. Insgesamt aber dann auch ein recht kurzer Abgang was ihm paar Punkte Abzug verleiht... So richtig holt er mich leider nicht ab.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
Pretty OK release but price to quality is a bit off in my mind. I liked the release from S.B.S better because it had more "punch" in the flavour profile.
Review by Johannes
Ein eher untypischer Skeldon mit deutlich weniger Melasse- und Fruchtnoten, als viel mehr Apfelessignoten.
Review by TheRhumhoe
Un Diamond avec le mark de Skeldon. Le nez rappelle les notes sombres de Guyana, avec le sucre brûlé, le café, le chocolat, les épices et quelques notes rôties. Les fruits secs (raisin) se font plus insistant après aération. Il y a une légère note de tabac et de fraîcheur qui s’échappe du verre. Agréable, mais rien de surprenant ou de très complexe derrière. L’ensemble est très doux et accessible. L’attaque en bouche est assez fine et suave. Beaucoup de marqueurs de gourmandise de Guyana entre les notes chocolatées, caféinées, boisées et épicées. Il y a également une certaine amertume présente au palais. Les raisins secs sont toujours de la partie. Le profil est doux et assez net, toujours dans la continuité de ce qu’il y a au nez. Malgré les 50 degrés affichés, on ne ressent pratiquement rien, on pourrait critiquer ce manque de watts et de profondeur sur le profil global, mais cela reste très accessible pour les débutants dans le domaine. La finale est dans la même lignée mais perd vite en saveurs. Seules l’amertume et les raisins secs persistent au palais. Un embouteillage clairement en dessous des standards de Valinch & Mallet et des SWR 2001 déjà sortis. Dommage car l’ensemble est plaisant et gourmand, mais manque de complexité et de caractère pour faire partie du haut du panier.
Review by Thunderbird
Mark SWR?? Das fällt mir schwer zu glauben… dazu fehlen mir die typischen Marker… davon ist dieser Diamond weit von entfernt! Insgesamt dennoch ein harmonischer Rum, der gefällt! Nichts herausragendes und dem Preis sicherlich nicht angemessen, aber gut trinkbar
Review by Maxence
Nose is a bit shy but very elegant with a nice balance between dark and round notes. Mouth feels a bit watery but, at the end, it is more expressive and funky than the nose. It is also slightly more complex. His weakness is the final which is rather too short. A very good rum though. I honestly don't understand such low average rating. Are people insane or is it just because it has not been released by Velier ? 🤔
Review by Basti
Der Alkohol ist extrem gut eingebunden. Dennoch für mich nicht auf Augenhöhe mit anderen 2001er Skeldons/SWRs. Für mich ist er zu sauer und die dunklen, würzigen und röstigen Noten von Kaffee fehlen hier.
Review by Tim
Ein fruchtiger Skeldon (wirklich typisch Skeldon?) mit Zitrusfrüchten und Einfluss wie von einem Port Mourant. Nase ist schwächer und weniger komplex. Kaum röstig. Im Mund allerdings dann doch röstiger und sehr gefällig mit Vanille, Karamell und Frucht. Das hat mich positiv überrascht! Guter Rum, aber nicht wirklich ein "typischer" Skeldon.
Review by Leo Krüper
Im 3er Vergleichstasting mit Nobilis und Sbs. Sehr süßer, schwerer, holziger Rum. Etwas Dreck und Rauch, aber dennoch sehr süffig. Mittellanger Abgang.
Review by Mike H.
I had higher expectations. Seems a little flat, almost as if it had been watered down.
Review by Jussi Piirainen
On the nose: Strange, i mostly get fermented, strawberry yogurt notes from this. Little bit woody. After a while this rum opens to more spicy notes. Taste:This is not typical skeldon rum at all. Not very balanced, quite a mixed bag of flavours. First fruity with strawberry and dried fruit notes. Once you work with this one you get woody notes and coffee notes too. Alcohol could be integrated better. Finish: Woody, roasted and some barrel notes. Dark chocolate. I would say medium finish. Leaning towards dry and bitter finish Quite mixed bag of feelings about this rum and i seem to get way different notes than the others, so take this review with a grain of salt . Quite the oddball in the skeldon rums that i have tasted so far. A part from that its quite good. It could be more balanced and the finish could be better.
Review by Pavel Spacek
The taste of Skeldon is there, but you need to search for it. It tastes like stale rum.
Review by Jonas
Im Vergleich etwas untypisch. Deutliche saure Note in Nase und am Gaumen.
Review by alex
Pour une fois je ne suis pas en accord avec la collectivité qui note ce rhum assez bas. Il est excellent, et encore meilleur après une longue aération. (30 mins) C’est peut-être pas le meilleur de cette distillerie, c’est vrais que le sbs est au dessus mais il est superbe tout de même. 😍🤩
Review by Michal S
Zklamání - od 20leté Guyany bych čekal víc. Průměrná vůně a ani chuť to moc nevylepší.
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Details about Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001
A rum from Guyana, bottled by Valinch & Mallet, at 50,7%.
Community purchases
21 bottles logged by 17 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
23% opened, 4 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001?
Community paid €142–€215.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
21 purchased · 49 tasted · 4 wishlist · as of
About the Diamond distillery
The Diamond distillery is located in Guyana. Rums from Diamond have been reviewed 5,257 times with an average of 8.3/10.
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Valinch & Mallet Diamond The Spirit of Art Versailles 1996
Valinch & Mallet Diamond The Spirit of Art Versailles 1996Tasting noteThin, hot 27-year Guyana that underdelivers
Valinch & Mallet Caroni The Spirit of Art 2022 1997
Valinch & Mallet Caroni The Spirit of Art 2022 1997Tasting noteBalanced, dirty-but-friendly 1997 Caroni
Valinch & Mallet Beenleigh The Spirit of Art 2007
Valinch & Mallet Beenleigh The Spirit of Art 2007Tasting noteFunky, spicy Aussie pot-still with a short finish
Valinch & Mallet Foursquare Spirit of Art #3 2005
Valinch & Mallet Foursquare Spirit of Art #3 2005Tasting noteWoody, chocolatey aged Foursquare with character
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