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Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001
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Prunes, burnt sugar and leather, with a chemical-fruity ester layer that catches a lot of tasters off guard — several call it the oddball of the 2001 SWR batch, more Jamaican-fruity than classic Demerara. There's chocolate, coffee and licorice underneath, but the body reads thin and the finish drops off quick. Nice, just not the deep Guyana most people came for.
The community says- Prune-licorice depth
- Odd, distinctive
- But: Thin body
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How does Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001 taste?
Summarized by AI from community reviews.
Oddball 20yr Demerara, thin body, short finish Well-liked overall, but the recurring note is disappointment against its siblings: pleasant and drinkable, yet thin-bodied and short-finished where other 2001 Diamonds go deeper.
Demerara collectors comparing 2001 SWR casks
anyone wanting a full, long-finishing Guyana
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
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What does the community say?
49 community reviews
27 selected write-ups on this page, all of them in the RumX app
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Positive from 8.0 · Mixed 6.0–7.9 · Critical below 6.0
Review by Tschusikowsky
Most helpful positive review
Somehow odd. On the nose, there are scents that remind me of freshly opened pickled cabbage. It's not bad but unexpectedly different. Basically harmonious. Compared to others of the same vintage and brand, it falls short for me. Retasting September 2025: not sure if my sample back then wasn’t okay or my palate wasn’t ready. I liked it better now. Spicy, woody with syrup and bouillon cube. Fruit gummies with chocolate and wood, smoky and tobacco. Quite sweet, but with a dry finish.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Most helpful mixed review
Could have a few % more, but all in all a recognizable Demerara profile, although I would never guess it’s from Skeldon. Definitely stands out from the other 2001s. Lots of dried plum, lime peel, orange, dark Demerara syrup, licorice, spices. Overall, though, it has a rather short finish which costs it a few points... Unfortunately, it doesn’t really grab me.
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
A bit too much alcohol on the nose, wood, dried fruits, caramel and leather. All the elements are present but it lacks a certain harmony, especially compared directly with other Skeldons. The palate is also dominated by alcohol not quite well integrated. The aromas are in the background. Fortunately, the finish is balanced, long and tasty with a nice bitterness that makes you want to have another glass.
Review by LukaŽiga
9:On the nose, roasted wood notes with chocolate, burnt sugar, leather, smoky, spicy with allspice, dried fruits, berries, cherries, fresh, bump into our nosetrils. On aeration, the molasses is minty, earthy with tobacco, dark with black tea, licorice, flowery, various fruits arise, like prunes, raisins, tropical, citrus fruits, vanilla and caramel balance quite strong vegetal aspect of this rum. 8,8:On the palate, the attack is mild, soft with roasted wood notes like caramelized burnt sugar, leather, coffee, caramel, smoky, meaty and spicy with allspice, fruits like prunes, dried apricots, dark berries, orange and raisins, as the molasses is dark with licorice. 8,8:The finish is long, dry and tannic, the barrel impact is strong with smoky, burnt notes and dark molasses, dried fruits. Edit:12.7.26
Review by Timo Groeger
Ne mit dem kann ich nicht allzuviel anfangen, das Boubon Cask kommt hier zu sehr durch, die eigentlich tollen Guyana Noten sind hier leider nicht allzugut zu erkennen. Was will man machen, ein Satz mit X...
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 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
A rather atypical Skeldon with significantly less molasses and fruit notes, more like apple cider vinegar notes.
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 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
The alcohol is extremely well integrated. Still, for me not on par with other 2001 Skeldons/SWRs. For me, it is too sour and the dark, spicy and roasted notes of coffee are missing here.
Review by Thunderbird
Mark SWR?? Hard for me to believe... missing the typical markers... this Diamond is far from that! Overall still a harmonious rum that pleases! Nothing outstanding and certainly not worth the price, but drinkable
Review by Tim
A fruity Skeldon (really typical Skeldon?) with citrus fruits and influence like from a Port Mourant. Nose is weaker and less complex. Hardly roasted. On the palate, however, more roasted and very pleasant with vanilla, caramel, and fruit. That surprised me positively! Good rum, but not really a "typical" Skeldon.
Review by Leo Krüper
In a comparison tasting of three with Nobilis and Sbs. Very sweet, heavy, woody rum. A bit dirty and smoky, but still very drinkable. Medium-long finish.
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 Mike H.
I had higher expectations. Seems a little flat, almost as if it had been watered down.
Review by Jonas
Somewhat atypical by comparison. Clear sour note on the nose and palate.
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 Pavel Spacek
The taste of Skeldon is there, but you need to search for it. It tastes like stale rum.
Review by Michal S
Disappointment - I expected more from a 20-year-old Guyana. Average nose and the taste doesn't improve it much either.
Review by Buddudharma
Interesting, unusual representative of the SWR 2001 series. Tastes almost a bit like a Guyana-Jamaica blend with fruity notes, towards a Navy rum. But the very thin mouthfeel and too low intensity are very unpleasant and lead to a noticeable deduction of points.
Review by Simon Roy
Not what I expected at all. Ordered this one as I am a huge fan of the V&M Diamond 17 yr rum. This one reminds me of a Port wine with Licorice added to it. Really different and enjoyable rum.
Review by Nicolas Sicilia
Nez assez alcooleux mais qui s’ouvre un peu avec l’aération sur du cuir, boisé caramel un peu brûlé En bouche l’alcool est plutôt bien intégré une jolie fraîcheur vient en plus du caramel, du bois. Quelques fruits sont aussi présent ( pêche blanche …)
Review by Rumclub Latvia
Prunes. Marzipan. Mushrooms. Indian nut. Very extraordinary complexity aroma to me. Interesting cask influence. This champignons are still there even on taste!
Review by Gasparini Andrea
Nose a bit closed. On the palate dark notes but alcohol a bit intrusive.
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Community shelf
22 bottles logged by 18 collectors.
Both drunk and collected.
22% opened, 4 emptied.
What did the community pay for Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001?
Community paid 142–215 €.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 151 €. Full price & collection history in RX+ ›
22 purchased · 49 tasted · 3 wishlist · as of
Details about Valinch & Mallet Diamond Skeldon (Bourbon Cask) SWR 2001
A rum from Guyana, bottled by Valinch & Mallet, at 50,7%.
How do you read a Diamond bottle? The RumX guide ›
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