Swell de Spirits West Indies Flashback Series 2-07 1996

Review by LukaŽiga

Most helpful positive review

LukaŽiga

Jun 2025785 reviewsSlovenia

8.6/10

8,6:On the nose, the first impression we get is very tempting with fruitcake note, some esters, as the fruits are tropical with pineapple, coconut and dried with raisins and apricots, roasted wood begets us with smoky touch and delicious pastry, caramel, spiced up with cinnamon. On aeration, we feel red fruits, more esters, buttery vanilla and sweet honey, as a molasses is vegetal with flowery, minty notes. Great! 8,6:On the palate, the attack is balanced with sweet, fruity and woody deliciousness with overripe, estery tropical fruits like pineapple, banana, coconut and citrus, red fruits later on.The wood is roasted, spicy with burnt sugar, honey, creamy vanilla, nuts, leather, a bit peppery, later some clove arises.The molasses is vegetal, earthy, floral, grassy and minty. 8,5:The finish is long with dry, spicy, roasted wood notes, similar as on the palate, but more on confectionery side with biscuits, pastry, as the fruits are dried, tropical, esters recede slowly....The molasses stays earthy...Some tannins arise.. Edit:28.6.25

Review by Thunderbird

Most helpful mixed review

Thunderbird

Jan 20241,257 reviewsGermany

7.9/10

I don't really warm up to this WIRD... the nose is smoky, bacony mixed with pastry, the woody roasted dominates with some catamel and pepper... it's certainly good, but not mine Second time in the glass today... and my opinion doesn't change... we don't go together

Review by Leo Krüper

Leo Krüper

Jun 2024885 reviewsGermany

7.9/10

Solid WIRD. This distillery will probably never quite convince me. Very light Barbados style with alcoholic finish.

Review by Mike H.

Mike H.

Jun 2023246 reviews

7.9/10

I didn’t take any notes at the Rhum Fest so a more detailed review will follow as soon as I get the chance to sample this rum again in a better context. I finally managed to sample this rum a second time and have to say that I’m less enthusiastic about it than at the rhum fest. Lowering my note from 84 to 79 as it makes for a decent sipper but lacks depth and complexity.

Review by Vincent D

Vincent D

Feb 2024652 reviewsFrance

8.1/10

Very gourmand on the nose, even if the alcohol is quite noticeable. Coconut, vanilla, wood, spices. Engaging. Warm and spicy on the palate. The wood is straightforward, with vanilla and coconut. The alcohol is very present, too much for me, and I prefer it with a drop of water. Rather long finish. Pleasant despite the alcohol, which could have been better integrated. Edit: tested with a little water to bring it down to 55% and found it much more pleasant. The alcohol is still very pungent, but leaves more room for vanilla, elegant woodiness and discreet coconut.

Review by crazyforgoodbooze

crazyforgoodbooze

Aug 20232,477 reviewsGermany

8.3/10

My first 1996 WIRD. I was skeptical at first because I often don't like the "young" wird's because they consist only of tea and bitters. This one manages a nice balancing act between a 10% 1984 profile (honeycomb, incense, herbs) and a more typical Barbados foursquare profile (coconut, banana, caramel). Nice thing, but overall a little too bitter for me...

Review by mto75

mto75

Jun 2023689 reviewsGermany

7.9/10

Despite the 61.9% but rather restrained on the nose. What arrives goes in the direction of peach, tangerine and almond crescent. On the palate, toasty, allspice, latte, caramel. Perhaps most comparable to the Plantation WIRD 2007 Extreme No 5.

Review by TheRhumhoe

TheRhumhoe

Jun 2023914 reviews

7.6/10

A very disappointing rum. This WIRD initially offers a very pastry and buttery nose, with aromas of fruit cakes, exotic fruits (pineapple) and a few traces of spices, roasted aromas and wood. The whole is greedy without being surprising or really intoxicating. Despite the 61.9%, the palate is extremely light. While the integration of alcohol is commendable, the flavors are very simplistic. Dried fruit, coconut, wood, spices, a little tobacco and that's it. The profile is both bland and terribly lacking in depth. The finish is just as ephemeral and unmemorable as the palate. After Wild Parrot's WIRD 1996, one disappointment follows another with this vintage. Even so, the quality/price ratio remains superior to that of Wild Parrot, although there are much higher quality, more aromatic rums available at much lower prices.