Aroma visualization from community tastings
Fine Drams Clarendon Fine Old Clarendon Rum (Aficionados) EMB 1997
Tell me when it gets cheaper
Tell me when it's back in stock
Price alert in the RumX app
Open in the app
Got the app? Open this bottle
Opens this rum in the RumX app
Made for people already deep into old Jamaican funk, this 1997 Clarendon (EMB mark, 23 years, cask strength) throws tropical fruit, glue, rubber and polish at you before the oak and mint arrive. Reviewers call it wild, intense and endlessly evolving. Give it plenty of air or a drop of water — the 68.5% bites at first, then opens into an aroma bomb.
The community says- Explosive tropical fruit
- Classic Jamaican funk
- Long evolving finish
Offers & prices
View price history
Returns & cancellation Shopping safely on RumX
- Secure payment. You pay via RumX with PayPal, Klarna or card. Your payment data is encrypted and we never store your full card details.
- Clear seller. Sold and shipped directly by the partner shop. And you're never on your own: RumX handles support and communication with the shop, so you always get excellent service, whichever shop you order from.
- Honest shop ratings. The stars show your service experience with the shop, not the rum score. They come from RumX users, and critical ones stay visible.
- Returns & cancellation. Your purchase contract is with the shop, so returns and cancellations run through them under their own policy and your statutory rights. If anything goes wrong, RumX helps you sort it out.
10 more payment methodsLive auctions
Offers & prices
No shop currently delivers to Germany.
Buying advice
These ship to you
Yes, if you're after bold, tropical, funky rums for sipping neat.
Similar in style and available now.
Woodier
New Yarmouth Flensburg Rum Company The Bottle Shop 19948.8/10 (72)225.00 €
Drier
Velier Long Pond Cambridge STC❤️E 20058.8/10 (205)236.23 €
Milder
Enmore El Dorado Rare Collection EHP 19968.8/10 (195)238.59 €
The look inside the bottle
How does Fine Drams Clarendon Fine Old Clarendon Rum (Aficionados) EMB 1997 taste?
From community reviews · summarized with AI
Wild, fruity old Jamaican funk bomb Something close to a consensus favorite among funk fans — fruity, dirty and beautifully evolving. The catch is the heat: several find the 68.5% sharp until it airs out or gets a drop of water.
Aroma profileFans of high-ester Jamaican funk who sip cask strength
Beginners — it's hot, wild and demanding
Style & occasion: Tropical & funkySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
43 of 82 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Which glass for which rum? The community guide ›
What does the community say?
82 community reviews
Rating scale & review checks
On RumX, 7 means “Good” and 8 means “Very good”.
See the full rating guideHow ratings are made and how we check them ›The website shows a selection of written reviews. The distribution also includes ratings without text. All published reviews are available in the RumX app.
48 selected written reviews
The distribution above includes all 82 ratings, including those without text.
Review by Jakob
Most helpful positive review
The nose is a true tropical fireworks: kiwi, mango, lime and yellow fruits, accompanied by fresh mint and tea. Plus nicely balancing notes of oak, vanilla, some caramel and green pepper. On the palate it gets even more intense: mango, kiwi and passion fruit meet lime, alongside the maturation again showing in the form of gripping wood notes, plus fresh mint, some sweetness from caramel and milk chocolate as well as spicy-bitter aromas of olive, pepper and mocha. We are in for a very intense pleasure – with a Clarendon with these specs, that was to be expected. The list of flavors grows with every sip. Impressive, a highlight among the EMB releases!
Review by Basti
Most helpful mixed review
The Clarendon profile just doesn't seem to be mine. The nose I actually like very much and is really inviting with fruity notes. On the palate, however - and I've had the same experience with other Clarendon bottlings - I find the alcohol very present and perceive pungent medicinal notes that I personally don't like.
Review by cigares
RumX Awards 2023. Sweet and slightly spicy on the nose, with a vegetal, woody and fruity edge (pineapple, kiwi, apple). The palate is spicy with deep notes and a freshness reminiscent of menthol (blue candy). The finish is long and flavorful, balanced with citrus notes that finish this rum off very elegantly. A little parasitic acidity reduces the note a little. Tasted again, this time it seems a little better than the 26 ans.
Review by Mirco
One of the top bottlings of the 2023. For me, it's a touch ahead of the 1995 EMB from Fine Dram (another PLV cracker on release). Unfortunately it was quickly sold out. Here you'll find a typical EMB profile with mint, menthol, tropical fruits like peach... nice wood influence.
Review by Oliver
Great balance of fruitiness and (tropical) wood influence with some rubber and glue associations. Excellent aroma! Intense, complex and pleasantly bitter on the palate. Wow, this is really fun! Excellent Jamaican at a very fair issue price with a great form factor!
Review by Rodolphe
Excellent. The old tropical clarendon which is of a very high level. The nose is top, nice balance between very ripe fruits, almond and a hint of rubber that tends to fade with aeration. On the palate, the 68° stings a bit and tends to make less room for the other aromas. I liked it better with a little bit of water. The profile is pretty much in line with the nose I think. We are here at a very high level, for a hundred euros for 35cl, the kind of bottling to take if you like these old tropical clarendons. Let's salute here the bottler because the format is a great idea and makes the product affordable and more available. Good for them.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
28.02.2026 Retasting at the "Nordlichter Treffen 2026" and I still like it a lot. ---------- #4166 A very nice and funny Clarendon with fruityness and some glue. Very well balanced and a must try if you have the chance.
Review by RumTaTa
Tasting compared with Colours of Rum Clarendon N°2.This is more fruity in comparison and has more Jamaica funk, again I have the association with Long Pond. Palate: less bitter and more fruity, the high alcohol content is very well integrated. Overall very balanced, a little funkyness and glue is also present and is well rounded by the tannins.In the aftertaste it becomes a little bitter but the fruitiness is not lost. This rum is in direct comparison less bitter, fruitier and does not have as much alcoholic sharpness. The origin from Jamaica is more noticeable. I like excellent and a tad better than the Colours of Rum Clarendon N°2.For me, the best Clarendon from the 90s so far.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
Simply an EMB poem. 😍 I'll be honest: Blind it could have been currently for me also one of these great Chairman's Single Casks (St. Lucia) of last year - so I have to deal more with this rum. This will include that I absolutely times against the outstanding EMB of RA (RX7788) tasted. But already I can say: hot contender for my list of the best rums of 2023 (to which the breakthrough bottle size also contributes). 😋😋😋
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Absolutely blatant Clarendon! It's almost like leather polish, with almond cookies and sour kiwis...but I like the 95 much better in comparison. Denkoch really wicked stuff!!!
Review by SaibotZtar
Brutally delicious nose, incredibly fruity with proper wood and spice and a great florality. Wonderful to fall in love. On the palate ohhhh that makes a real mood. Beautifully oily it arrives on the palate ....sofort it fills the room with a fruit/gluten bomb .... Alcohol is not to deny but just still in the frame and Pusht additionally. After a while nice wood notes come in with a few bitters all very harmonious and balanced. Great Clarendon, I'm thrilled.
Review by Adrian Wahl
Wow. What a bottling. Hot contender for bottling of the year. Tested against the RumSponge Clarendon 1997 and the Fine Drams is a bit wilder. Actually, both are equally good for me, but the price of the Fine Drams gives it an extra point. Absolute board. It's amazing that you can still buy it. Right off into May Tai with it.92/100
Review by TheRhumhoe
A Clarendon released in a 35-centiliter format, rather original but very economical. Due to its strength, the olfactory profile is more closed, dark, empyreumatic, spicy and powerful than Clarendon Rum Sponge. However, after long aeration, it expresses its full potential through notes of menthol, incense, fruit (exotic and red) and almonds. The attack on the palate is striking, but more aromatic than expected. Fruit and honey notes are more pronounced than spices and roasted notes. There's a rubbery feel, with glue, varnish and tire notes, as well as a hint of herbs on the finish. Alcohol is present, but rather well integrated for the beast. The finish is long, beautifully fruity, slightly bitter, quite delicate with a hint of menthol and spice, leather, dark chocolate and woody notes crossed with varnish and glue on a rubbery background. It leaves a strangely more gourmand and rounded impression on the finish than Rum Sponge. A high-level bottling, powerful but well-structured, which fully reveals itself after an hour's aeration. There's certainly less quantity in the bottle, but the quality/price ratio is just excellent for such a juice.
Review by Jarek
I like to sip some of it again and again. Not too much, so that I can enjoy it for longer. A mega-delicious Clarendon. For my personal taste, it comes close to the rating of the Sponge bottling.
Review by Thunderbird
About this Clarendon has already been written abundantly... and most are right. This is already exceptionally good! This woody, spicy note hits me right in my rum heart! Of it very much like more
Review by mto75
the Sponge in direct comparison with the Fine Drams. Both mega intense and complex, with overripe fruit (overripe mango), rubber, floor wax, vanillle, old barrel...the FD goes a little more in the direction of sweet and sour mango chutney, the Sponge is a little rounder and sweeter (tropical fruit salad). The palate is both super intense as well, with rubber, bicycle inner tube, barrel, overripe tropical fruit, the finish is long with black tea and barrel / tannins. With its lower ABV, the Sponge seems a wwnig more approachable. Bottom line, though, I can't come up with a clear winner. Both top notch!
Review by Lot-NAS
This Rum is as spicy as it gets and overly complex in all aspects. The nose is stunning, warm, wood, spices and dried fruits. The palate comes a bit rough at first because of its complexity. You get used to it after a few sips but nevertheless I found it to be even better with just a few drops of water. The finish is long and warm with a sweetness that I couldn’t find before turning into honey after some time. Beginning in the nose, changing a bit on the palate and again in the finish, this really is a great complex and balanced Rum. Many thanks for the Sample to J.
Review by Frank
With a bit of distance, I'll treat myself to the second old tropical EMB. With the key data, it will certainly not be a disappointment: Nose: complex, powerful and violently intense. The nose must first get used to the initially biting 68.5%. But then a great bouquet of tropical fruits opens up. Sweet and sour passion fruit, gooseberry and kiwi, plus papaya and orange. The sweet impression is underlined by floral violets. Now the woody and spicy flavors come so slowly with vanilla, fragrant cherry wood and fine mint. Intense and beautiful aromatic package. 9,1 Palate: already properly astringent and also bitter at the start, plus the high ABV creates an intense warmth. Anyway, powerful and intense. At first, the mint is very present and foregrounded. In addition, I think there is some coriander and cardamom. Behind that, lemon zest and again tart gooseberry. Everything fits together very well and provides a very interesting flavor curve from bitter-woody to fresh-sour-sweet and fruity, back to bitter with mint. Lime grass out the back. 9.1 Impressive rum, nothing for on the side and certainly not for beginners.
Review by Joachim Guger
Great nose. Polish and varnish. Fresh. Tropical fruit. Judging by the length of tropical ripeness, woodiness and spice is perfect. Layered and complex. A few drops of water add complexity and slight acidity which adds to the balance. In the mouth, alcohol and wood then pack a punch. Massive spice and then a great finish. Great 97 Monymusk! Compared to the Rum Sponge, the focus is on spices, it is more complex and wild.🐅🐅🐅 PLV King. Thanks to Bonn for the sample!!!
Review by Serge
Tasted against three 95s EMBs ... Colours of Rum (no10), Tara, Rum Club. The 97 shows itself clearly wilder and dirty / rougher ... but very very horny. Absolute recommendation.
Review by Tom Buteneers
Look at me, late to the (tasting) party 😁 So many reviews and they all make a point. One of the best or 2023. Not an easy rum though… And that’s final 😉
Review by Vincent D
Wow, the first nose has a lot to say! A fruity acidity jumps out at me. Strong. Then an intense woodiness. Ripe fruit and Jamaican funk. It's evolving fast! On the palate, the barrel is very present. It coats ripe fruit, with a strong spiciness and a funky edge. The finish is more gourmand, almost caramelized, despite a bitterness that appears with notes of leather. The alcohol is very present. That's my only downside. To be retested with a drop of water. Superb.
Review by Piotr Ignasiak
Update from Feb 22, 2025. Find the 1995 more balanced by more pronounced presence of fruit. But overall warming up to Clarendons. Original. Tasted it after the Rum sponge one. Fine drams on first try seems smoother and sweeter, however less fruity. Very enjoyable to sip, alcohol integrated even better. Hard to say which one is better, it might be a bit less complex, due to less pronounced fruitiness vs sponge at the same time it is more dirty. It does suit me a bit more due less bitter forward notes, and the finish is stronger.
Review by Alex1981
Even a note better than the 95 release, more intense fruits power that survives some water and opens up some more. Great profile that keeps on evolving and the long finish gives enough time to explore. //update: yes, still great :-)
Review by Rene Pfeiffer
Really cool. Complex and intense. Only in the nose stings the alcohol first slightly. On the palate, however, a blast.
Review by Skyfly
Not much more needs to be said. This first-class Clarendon impresses with a diverse and at the same time intense burst of aromas that can easily overwhelm you, which is why you really have to take your time when tasting – new flavors keep coming steadily.
Review by Leo Krüper
Very good old Clarendon. Otherwise I know these profiles only with sherry finishes, here that was thank God omitted. Heavy rum with a lot of depth. Tar, mint, wood, Jamaican glue. The 68% is superbly integrated and fits just right.Long finish, as you would expect from such an expressive rum.I lack complexity for a 90 rating. The rum offers the same very good taste experience from start to finish.
Review by Timo Groeger
Now, I go with the reviews I overlooked :), an insanely delicious Clarendon. Looks tasty. Definitely mega delicious. A bit of caramel is recognizable, but really a superb drop. Wow :)
Review by Johannes
Super complex! Unlike the EMB95 not so much menthol, more wood. Great!
Review by TheJackDrop
glue, varnish (markers recognized and sought-after on this type of provenance, I repeat) - even polish a bit like shoe polish... and melted tropical fruit. In short: Jamaican funk is here, and with your eyes closed, you can't miss it. It comes out of the bottle without asking for your consent 👀 well, yeah, it's 1997... Next come woody, vanilla, a combination almost reminiscent of lip balm, fun! It's thick and fat, heavy on the nose alone. Nb: after 45min of aeration, coffee emerges from the glass, the wood becomes more present, an old, dusty, damp wood, and some red fruits make their appearance. In 👄: the explosion of flavors! We keep the framework of the nose, with exotic fruits, glue, why not even rubber instead. We add spices, a slight spiciness and a hint of wood. The vanilla has turned into a light mocha. It's very thick, and not all that strong for those used to 55-60 proof rum! Finish: obviously very long, more piquant, slightly bitter dark chocolate, a background of red fruits interspersed with fresh mint, rather discreet. After a few refills, the chocolate is more present on the tongue, but the minty aspect lingers on the cheeks, and never leaves us ♥️ Nb: I love this mentholated aspect, which lightens up these heavy rums. It makes you want to go back quickly. In short, this is obviously not a rum for Thursday evenings with friends. It's a slow tasting experience, extreme in the range of aromas presented, and surely unforgettable! The slap in the face was foretold, but here it is. Definitely in my top 5.
Review by Gyuli
The funk of Jamaica pleasantly stings on the nose. Once you blow and peel off a layer of the aroma, you get dry notes like cacao nibs, kiwi peel, dry flowers. Then follows a sweet festival of various tropical fruits accompanied by mint. Taste: At first sip, it stays too long in the mouth and starts with spiciness, strong tannins and smokiness. The strong oak and leather notes of 23 years old aging could have created musty or damp notes over time, but surprisingly it is quite fresh. There are notes like black tea or rooibos, tropical fruits too, but it's too spicy so the spicy notes somewhat mask the others. Swallowing: Intense spicy, smoky and ester funk rises and lasts. Afterwards, tropical fruit notes remain subtly and pleasantly in the mouth.
Review by Buddudharma
Great EMB with great alcohol integration and a complex profile. A little less balanced and complete than the Rum Sponge, but on a par with the Velier. A PLV cracker at the issue price.
Review by Tim
Round Jamaican without exaggerated ester load! This type of rum from Jamaica, which I have now partly found at LP, Clarendon or WP, really appeals to me. Only the mouthfeel can be a bit overwhelming, so adding water should definitely be considered.
Review by HenryL
What an incredibly awesome nose! Reminds me a bit of a TDL with the fruity mint note. In the mouth quite strong barrel influence and very intense. The bitterness is at the upper limit for me, but still fits the overall picture. Overall just incredibly complex and very tasty.
Review by Speedflo
Very nice bottling and definitely a very cool cask. Classic, heavy Clarendon profile and compared to the 1995 less herbs but more leather, wood and chocolate on the palate and nose. The bottlings in a great size, not interesting for flippers and great value for money!
Review by zabo
At the Community Tasting in Nuremberg, I was deeply introduced to the world of Clarendon and grew fond of it. Although for me the differences between 7 different bottlings were rather small. I liked them all. Probably it was more due to the quantity that I couldn't really distinguish anything anymore. I will taste them all again calmly one by one.
Review by F.L.O.
Absolutely crazy! I've tasted this thing 3-4 times now, with the only difference being letting it breathe longer each time. The longer the better. After tasting with about 45 minutes, I raised the score significantly. Wood, mint, slightly medicinal... really crazy...
Review by Righrum
Best Monymusk tried so far. Yet fresh despite age, excellent selection
Review by Hans-Peter Jank
Excellent, fruity, strong, bombastic rum from Jamaica. This Clarendon is really recommendable. I like the tropical fruits, the polished oak, the taste of mint. It's funky Jamaica.
Review by Master P
Very nice bottling and definitely a very awesome cask. Classic, heavy Clarendon profile and compared to the 1995 less herbs but more leather, wood and chocolate on the palate and nose. Somewhat leathery but with longer time in the glass it feels very balanced.
Review by mick
That's it, my dear begnoni has a twin in fact, they are the same juices so no need to make tons, only in the attack the begnoni is more astringent, which gives an impression of freshness and adds a step by contribution to the fine dram but they are the same, the.velier is a little more acidic in the nose, but the important thing in these old Jamaican is the harmony woody / fruit that gives it an endless finish, it's well done, it's good, gods of Jamaica !!!!
Review by Schnubbii
RX24192 tasted together with RX16023. Both are similarly dark in color, although the Finedrams is cloudier. On the nose, the typical profile of longer matured EMBs, although the Finedrams seems a little more intense and wild to me, whereas the CoR is a little rounder and smoother. The Finedrams is a wonderful explosion of aromas on the palate with countless tropical fruits, light violets and floor wax. Can be sipped for minutes. Everlasting finish. No wonder this bottling was at the top of the 2023 awards. A phenomenal price/enjoyment ratio for the issue price. The only problem is that the bottle is almost empty and the rum is now sold out. With the CoR, the alcohol initially bites a little. However, the comparison is unfair here, as the Finedrams is almost empty. The CoR is also a firework of tropical fruits, violets and bean wax, but a little less intense, with a hint of caramel. Overall, the CoR is somewhat softer and more sedate and not as wild and boisterous as the Finedrams. The finish is also very long and beautiful here. All in all, I like the Finedrams a little better, but the CoR doesn't need to hide either. However, the price/enjoyment ratio is much better with the Finedrams.
Review by Sebastian.W
Lovely rum! A nice balance of fruity, woody, dirty and minty notes. This one is less woody and has a better alcohol integration compared to the 1995 that came out at the same time.
Review by ilRummista
Great drink. Funk to the nth degree!
Review by Schnapsschuesse
First off: it needs air. Quite a bit. Otherwise really sharp alcoholic. Not surprising given the proof, but that must be noted. Afterwards, an absolute flavor bomb unfolds here. Enormous fruitiness, beautiful wood, mint, a bit of rubber, a hint of almond. Not particularly complex but in what it is, a very high level. This is one you can't get enough of smelling. Intense, full-bodied and very engaging on the palate. Strong fruit at the start, then lots of wood play and menthol in the finish. Good, but alcohol not perfectly integrated. Lasts incredibly long, I can still feel it tomorrow morning.
Review by Mentalo
Similarly complex as the 95er EMB, but here the fruity notes come through more strongly. Very well balanced with the wood notes. Strong bottling.
Review by Sylvain44
Wouha, extrement complexe, au nez un equilibre savant entre fruit, bois, caoutchouc et amande 🤩 En bouche l'alcool est la mais très bien integré, on retrouve les fruits, ananas mangue, ainsi que le caoutchouc, amande,boisé vanillé, et du piment très vif aux premières gorgées, et du cuir en deuxième bouche. An interminable finish! Exceptional! This rum is almost all in one!
Review by Michael Schou
23-01-2025 Really good Clarendon. The 26 year old is a slight favorit of the two. A bit less power in the taste of the 26 year old. Amazing nose and taste. Like a Clarendon should be 👍🏻
This selection contains no written reviews in this rating range.
Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by The Auditor Reviews
Read full review ›
Expert review by L'amateur éclairé
Read full review ›
Fine Drams Clarendon Fine Old Clarendon Rum (Aficionados) EMB 1997 at live auctions
A bid is not a final price: the house sets the buyer's premium, shipping and any customs duty.
All live auctions ›Community shelf
117 bottles logged by 73 collectors.
Both drunk and collected.
19% opened, 11 emptied.
What did the community pay for Fine Drams Clarendon Fine Old Clarendon Rum (Aficionados) EMB 1997?
Community paid 100–115 €.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 102 €. Full price & collection history in RX+ ›
117 purchased · 84 tasted · 60 wishlist · as of
Details about Fine Drams Clarendon Fine Old Clarendon Rum (Aficionados) EMB 1997
A Pot Still Rum from Jamaica, bottled by Fine Drams, at 68,5%.
Read on in the RumX Guide
You may also enjoy
Rum enthusiasts who like this rum have also given the following rums high ratings:
Fine Drams Clarendon Fine Old Jamaican Rum (Aficionados) EMB 1995
Fine Drams New Yarmouth Old Jamaican Rum (Aficionados) NYE 1994
Fine Drams New Yarmouth Old Jamaican Rum (Aficionados) NYE 1994
Nobilis Hampden No. 14 <>H 2013
Hampden S.B.S Jamaica (Rum & Co) DOK 2019
Velier Long Pond Cambridge STC❤️E 2010
Set a target price in the app, and we'll let you know as soon as the rum becomes available at that price from one of our partner stores. This works for any rum on your wish list.
Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
Oliver, Stuttgart
About RumX ›YouTube channel (German, English subtitles)
