
KaribikAlps Premium Traders DDL Soulfire SWR 2018
Tasters keep saying the same thing: for a four-year-old Demerara, this drinks way older than it should. Expect prunes, raisins, molasses, dark chocolate and coffee with a thick, oily texture. The Madeira finish brings noticeable sweetness and dried-fruit richness — some love that roundness, one or two found it tipping toward syrup. The 61.6% is well integrated, with a slight youthful alcohol edge.
The community says- Oily, rich texture
- Mature for its age
- But: Youthful alcohol edge
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How does KaribikAlps Premium Traders DDL Soulfire SWR 2018 taste?
Summarized by AI from community reviews.
Oily, dried-fruit Demerara with sweet Madeira finish Widely liked as a surprisingly mature young Skeldon — oily, dried-fruit-heavy and roasty. The Madeira finish adds real sweetness, which a couple of tasters felt pushed slightly toward syrup.
Demerara fans who like dark, dried-fruit, oily rums
Anyone wanting a dry rum or put off by wine-finish sweetness
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
20 of 30 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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Recommendation
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Fruitier
BCB Wines Diamond Gran Torino Demerara Rum 2002
8.8/10
Milder
Skeldon S.B.S Selected and bottled for The Nectar SWR 2001
8.8/10
Nothing for you?
6 more similar rums ›First choice: 17 of 22 tasters who tried both prefer it.
What does the community say?
30 community reviews
24 selected write-ups on this page, all of them in the RumX app
Top 15% at Demerara Distillers Ltd
Rate it in the app
Positive from 8.0 · Mixed 6.0–7.9 · Critical below 6.0
Review by cigares
Un nez de douceur boisée avec un côté poivré/pimenté. Des fruits secs, de la mélasse, du vieux cuir, du végétal et beaucoup de vanille. Un nez complexe et attirant. La bouche est franche, directe et gourmande. Le côté doux, pâtisseries domine, parfaitement soutenu par l’alcool et le bois (très bien intégrés). Moins de complexité qu’au nez hélas, cette bouche est plutôt monolithique. La finale est looongue, équilibrée, racée, les autres arômes jouent leur partition et tout finit en beauté. Un côté tabac frais fait son apparition et le bois se fait amer. Un très beau rhum, pejoré par sa bouche un peu simple. Une finale splendide ! Bravo à ce tout petit embouteilleur suisse.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
Großes Demerara-Kino! Und ein klasse Beleg dafür, dass auch ein Vierjähriger in seiner Klasse schon nahe der Perfektion sein kann. Eher auf der würzigen, weniger der fruchtigen Seite. Der Alkohol bringt noch eine gewisse Spitze rein, aber ich bin mir sicher, mit ein paar Jahren mehr auf der Uhr könnte dieser Rum der Inbegriff der Rundheit sein und locker die 90 Punkte reißen. P. S.: Könnte das eine Ahornsirup-Note sein, die man eventuell als Störfaktor wahrnimmt?
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#5986 22.11.2025 After party at my 60th birthday. A very nice young release. Very nice overall balance with great ABV integration, light coffee and caramel with some added plums and spices. Oily fresh and naturally sweet palate with a medium to long finish.
Review by Timo Groeger
Klasse Teil aus Guyana, bislang der Beste heute, wird wohl auch so bleiben. Sehr, sehr röstig, wie zu erwarten, dunkle Scholkolade, sowie Nuss, Eiche und Fass am Gaumen, in der Nase zusätzlich noch Kakao und Tonkabohne.
Review by DomM
A bottling of a new SWR vintage? Sign me up for that! On the nose I get a rather mature profile despite the young age. Lots of buttery chocolate notes, some leather and wood as well as dried fruits - which I attribute (at least in part) to the Madeira finish. Speaking of the finish: this is one of the rare cases, where I feel the wine finish enhanced the overall profile on the nose without overwhelming the rum. I like it! While the profile on the nose delivers way over its age (so to speak), there is also an alcoholic note to it, which stays even after >1h of breathing in the glas. On the palate, this bottling „hides“ its young age even better imo. The Madeira finish does some work, but the rum itself seems also very round and pleasant on its one (guesswork, I’ll admit). Lots of dried fruits and sweetness. A silky texture with perfectly integrated ABV despite >60% after 4y of aging. I have to admit, I’m pretty impressed by this bottling! Despite the age and finish, this is a very nice bottling. Rich and complex. While it cannot provide the depth of the 2001 bottlings, this isn’t very surprising tbh (in the SBS bottling I had as a reference we are talking 21y of aging). The Soulfire delivers way more livelyness and freshness delivering on (dried) fruits without the overly dark notes from the 2001 vintage. Very nice overlay all. Cheers to Switzerland for this little gem.
Review by SaibotZtar
Very nice spicy nose leather, brown caramel, chocolate, vanilla, dark dried fruits... Molasses ... Latte very balanced although very restrained after 20min in the glass. On the palate incredibly oily almost like a syrup... Brown caramel, sweet spice, plum jam beautiful barrel notes with vanilla and nutmeg. Very tasty stuff and at such a young age.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
It's exciting how such an extremely young Skeldon can already taste so "old"? The ageing in Madeira casks is clearly noticeable, otherwise this sweetness, light acidity and intense oiliness would not be possible, even if it was only 10 months. Very tasty aromas of butter caramel, raisins, dates, prunes and dried figs, as well as some tonka bean and bitter-sweet molasses. Very tasty and pleasantly surprised!
Review by LukaŽiga
8,7:On the nose, strong barrel impact with roasted, slightly resinous wood notes like tonka bean, roasted nuts, almonds, cocoa, caramel, toffee, burnt sugar, biscuits, spicy, meaty, molasses is thick, dark with black tea, licorice, coppery, bump into our nosetrils. On aeration, dried fruits like raisins, figs and prunes arise, leather, spicy nutmeg, baking spices, coffee, slightly sulphurous. 9:On the palate, the attack is slightly sulphurous, fruity with dried fruits like raisins, prunes, apricots, dates, citrus and tropical fruits, cherry, sherry barrel impact is obvious, oak is roasted with caramel, dark chocolate, leather, meaty, spicy, molasses is thick, dark with black tea, licorice, sweet with Demerara sugar. 8,8:The finish is long, dry&tannic, with toasted oak, burnt, buttery, cocoa, nuts, butterscotch, biscuits, spicy, smoky, molasses is dark with black tea, licorice, fruits are dried.Sherry barrel impact is obvious.
Review by zabo
Honestly, I had no big expectations for this bottling as it said nothing to me at all. But I was positively surprised. You hardly notice the young age of this bottling. Really good.
Review by Jussi Piirainen
For my 250th review i picked demerara rum that could be a hidden gem, lets have a taste. On the nose: Dried fruits, nice burnt sugar/caramel note, toasted, woody notes. Nice rich and round profile for 4 years old rum. Taste: Naturally sweet caramel and molasses notes, nice dried fruit notes like raisins and figs, light dark chocolate notes. Some woody notes. Abv integration is perfect. Finish: Dried fruits, woody notes, roasted and nutty notes. Medium-long finish. Ok, this is a hidden gem. Very rich profile for a such a young rum. I absolutely loved sipping this rum and its one of those rums that you could sip all night.
Review by Basti
Tasted the Soulfire in a direct cross-comparison with partly completely different vintages and in the end also different profiles. Including the S.B.S (54.1%) from 2001, the El Dorado Rare Cask Skeldon from 2000, the RomDeluxe from 2019 and the TRC SWR 2001. Nose: TRC: Hard to believe that this is supposed to be a SWR, blind I would probably classify it more as a REV. Lots of roasted aromas, licorice, leather and tobacco, but also dried fruit, spices and a pleasant sweetness. Definitely stands out from the SWRs I know and I really, really like it! ED Skeldon: Simply incredibly round and inviting. Lots of chocolate, spices, sweetness, some coffee, but also coconut and wood. S.B.S: Has by far the most concise coffee note. However, it is somewhat more restrained on the nose compared to the competition. Needs quite a while to develop. Soulfire: Surprisingly mature for its young age. Molasses, licorice, raisins, chocolate, caramel, plum - there's a bit of everything here. I also like it very much. RDL: This is the second time I've had this in my glass after the HanseSpirit. Of course, the almost 80% ABV on the nose cannot be denied. In addition, in contrast to the Soulfire (same age, different vintage), it seems significantly less complex. For me, the weakest nose. Slightly reminiscent of Belize. Palate: TRC: Seems like a hybrid of SWR and REV on the palate, there is also a hint of pencil shavings. It lacks a little intensity, but for me it's still a successful bottling! ED Skeldon: For me, this is in a different league. Everything is very balanced, alcohol perfectly integrated. A super rum! S.B.S.: Also on the palate the concise coffee note, chocolate, wood and also a hint of perfume. Just beats the TRC. Soulfire: Not entirely convincing on the palate. Molasses, licorice, caramel, dried fruit, but also something disturbing (for me). RDL: The alcohol is also perceptible on the palate, with caramel, subtle coffee, vanilla and baking spices. My ranking: ED Skeldon: 9.2
Review by Skyfly
Für einen vierjährigen Rum ein erstaunlich komplexer und dunkler Rum. Getrocknete Früchte, Holz, Melasse, Karamell und diverse Nüsse und Gewürze prägen hier das Geschmacksbild. Der Alkohol ist nahezu perfekt eingebunden und sorgt für einen ewigen Abgang
Review by Dr.Django
Seit fast über einem halben Jahr wieder einen Guyana am Gaumen! Dafür ist er genau der richtige! Das gewohnte Profil mit Dörrpflaume, dunklen Früchten, Holz, Kaffee und dunkler Schokolade schmiegt sich langsam.und dick ölig im Mund. Sehr süß und zugleich trocken im Abgang, der leider etwas kurz kommt. Sehr guter Rum, vielen dank @Saibot
Review by Thunderbird
A young SWR that makes a powerful impression. It has a very balanced mix of dry fruit, wood, and caramel aromas. The alcohol is quite well integrated. For its young age, it’s really enjoyable.
Review by Mirco
Dried fruits and a pleasant sweetness, carried by creamy sugarcane character. Spicy wood and a hint of mint give depth. For its young age, it shows surprisingly expressive and complex. Despite 61.6%, the structure feels well balanced with a slight dryness in the finish that pleasantly rounds off the profile.
Review by Christian Rudt
Super würzig an der Nase. Sehr intensive Karamellnote ohne süße. Die nimmt dann geschmacklich allerdings etwas zu und dominiert für mich etwas zu sehr in Richtung Sirup tendierend. Für Vier Jahre dennoch eine richtig gute Abfüllung. Wieder einmal sieht man wie gut in Guyana Rum produziert wird.
Review by Mentalo
Der Soulfire Demerara 2018 ist keine schlechte Abfüllung. Trockfrüchte, Gewürze, Karamellnoten, etwas Fass und leichte Säure. Aber er bringt durch die Lagerung im Madeira-Fass auch viel Süße mit. Das war mir persönlich etwas drüber
Review by Jakob
Supersüffig, extrem gut zugänglich trotz etwas feurigem Alkoholgehalt. Satte Süsse von dunklem Karamell und Süsswein, die aber im übrigen Profil mit Gewürzen, Trockenfrüchten, gerösteten Nüssen und dunkler Schokolade einen nuancierten Gegenpol findet, der trotz der aromatischen Geradlinigkeit keine Langeweile aufkommen lässt. Sehr gut.
Review by Lukas Jäger
Wow, this bottling surprises me. Despite the young age, surprisingly complex, round and the finish fits well into the overall impression. Spicy, rusty notes play nicely with dark and red fruits, probably mainly due to the Madeira finish. Nice bottling, I didn't expect that!
Review by Schnubbii
Kaffee/Cappuccino und Kakao, das Madeira-Finish kommt am Ende gut durch und ergänzt das Profil. In der nicht ganz perfekten Alkoholintegration kommt etwas die Jugend durch. Ein guter Rum, leider (zu) teuer.
Review by Martin Švojgr
I am very pleasantly surprised. For being so young, it is very intense and full. The Madeira finish didn't kill it, but gently acidified and enhanced it.
Review by Johannes
Ich bin echt positiv überrascht! In der Nase deutlich Weinfass, fruchtige Süße, Tabak. Am Gaumen schmeckt man deutlich das Madeira Finish, relativ süß, Leder, Tabak, Holz. Insgesamt ist es ein sehr guter Rum. Spannend wäre es den Grundstoff ohne Finish zu probieren. Ich bin ein bisschen hin und hergerissen, wie ich den Rum einordnen soll. Er erinnert mich an die neuerdings vielen Neuerscheinungen von Cubanern, die sicher gesüßt sind bzw ein z.B. Sherry Finish haben.
Review by Pavel Ungr, RumRock
Vintage 2018. With 8.7 out of 10, it is among the better ones I've had in my glass.
Review by Pavel Spacek
Nice Skeldon. Lightly sharp, but tasty
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Community shelf
4 bottles logged by 3 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
0% opened, 0 emptied.
What did the community pay for KaribikAlps Premium Traders DDL Soulfire SWR 2018?
Avg. community purchase price 140 €.
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
4 purchased · 31 tasted · 6 wishlist · as of
Details about KaribikAlps Premium Traders DDL Soulfire SWR 2018
A Column Still Rum from Guyana, bottled by KaribikAlps Premium Traders, at 61,6%.
Which of the wooden stills is behind this rum? The RumX guide ›
Read on in the RumX Guide
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