Aroma visualization from community tastings
Velier Caroni 38th Release Tasting Gang Blended Trinidad Rum 1996
Here's the surprise: this Caroni barely tastes like one. The dirty tar-and-rubber diesel most people expect is dialed way down, replaced by coconut, vanilla, pastry and tropical fruit — several tasters said it reads closer to a Foursquare than a classic Caroni. One member calls it "perhaps my favorite Caroni. Milder, not in your face." A 1996 Velier bottling at cask strength, and it opens up with air.
The community says- Balanced coconut-vanilla
- Long warm finish
- But: Atypical for Caroni
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Buy Velier Caroni 38th Release Tasting Gang Blended Trinidad Rum 1996:
Compare all 9 shop offers from 695.00 €
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The look inside the bottle
How does Velier Caroni 38th Release Tasting Gang Blended Trinidad Rum 1996 taste?
Aggregated from 118 community reviews.
Soft, coconut-vanilla Caroni, light on funk Loved for its round, coconut-vanilla balance, though Caroni purists miss the dirty tar-and-rubber funk. A few find the alcohol a touch hot and the profile too polished to feel truly Caroni.
Caroni fans who prefer the sweeter, softer side over heavy diesel funk
People chasing the dirty tar-and-rubber classic Caroni profile
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
43 of 118 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is Velier Caroni 38th Release Tasting Gang Blended Trinidad Rum 1996 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.8 sits in the “Very good” band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
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Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Community voices
What does the community say?
6% rate it between 6 and 8. 20 selected write-ups from 118 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by kondgab
Not your typical Caroni, it is somewhere between LTR and HTR. Mostly coconut (reminds me of Foursquare), tropical fruits and vanilla, but in the background you can notice the usual dirty Caroni notes, like tar and rubber.
Review by Oliver
Top tropical Caroni for beginners! Reminds me of a blend of Foursquare (coconut) and Caroni. Really exciting!
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
31.10.2025 Retasting at Tom's wedding and I still like it ------- This version was made from 22 casks found by Luca Gargano and it has 85% angel share!!! A wonderful rum with near perfect balance and a mix of light and heavy rums.
Review by cigares
Spirits Museum Tasting March 29th, 2025 with a friend. A beautiful, complex Caroni nose, full-bodied with mechanical workshop notes and fruit. Well balanced between the vanilla pastry sweetness and the mechanical workshop vibe. The palate reflects the nose with some power but clearly softened by the vanilla pastry side and almond. The finish is long, still marked by pastry sweetness. The finish is a bit weaker than the magnificent nose and palate. Overall, a Caroni leaning towards sweetness, even though all the classic Caroni markers are present.
Review by Mirco
Complex profile with heavy notes of coconut and old leather. The smoky spice meets dark fruit and mineral tones. Menthol and chocolate complement the aroma. Although it is not among the absolute top of the 1996 Caroni vintage, it convinces with depth and substance. The powerful nose remains present on the palate, the finish is long, spicy, and full of character. Parallels to Foursquare are definitely there.
Review by Jakob
Epic Velier Caroni Tasting 2023: Very approachable Caroni, the HTR profile only subtly echoes and is framed by the heavy sweetness, elegant spices and subtle tropical fruit of the LTR style. Pleasant to drink.
Review by Maxence
Alcohol burns a bit for both nose and mouth and could have been integrated better. Otherwise, profile is really round with coconut, pastries, vanilla and Caroni notes which are very shy in the background. Good rum overall, that's a bit pitty that alcohol is not correctly integrated.
Review by zabo
Kirsch Cruise Berlin 2024 Compared to the 2000 that I had in my glass before, this is unfortunately the "loser" of the two. It has everything you'd expect from a Caroni, but overall it doesn't convince me 100%. But with cola it's a real bomb.
Review by Leo Krüper
Unfortunately goes down against other Velier Caronis.
Review by Steffmaus🇩🇰
After 2 crazy weeks, I'm finally able to relax with a good Caroni, in my opinion. Not a typical diesel-smelling Caroni, but this one has a more sweet nose of vanilla, some leather and oak. A full-on taste of more vanilla, tropical fruits and a fullness in the mouth
Review by Tom Buteneers
Love the balance between the heavy and fruity aspects 6/10/24: still very enjoyable
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Absolute exception caroni! Could almost be a foursquare especially on the nose, taste then 30% caroni 70% foursquare. Very tasty and harmonious and still relatively under the radar. Really fun and has a dangerous drinking flow!🤤😅
Review by Sebastian Kornett
Sweet spicy wood in the finish. Few dirty notes to be found. Rather reminiscent of a TDL
Review by Jeremy Roger 🇫🇷
A Caroni on the smoked/toasted! It's interesting and very good. Needs another tasting
Review by Beach-and-Rum 🏖️🌴
A small comparison between the Tasting Gang and the Last. For me, the Tasting Gang is almost more in the direction of Foursquare. Few dirty notes. Instead, spices, somewhat nutty aromas and a warm, long finish. A very solid rum that is hard to put a price on. I had somehow hoped for a little more.
Review by Tschusikowsky
Intense, good rubber and chocolate, barrel can be tasted strongly. A little too strong for me, too little balance and too dry for a better rating.
Review by Chrischi78
In der Nase dominieren Kokosnuss und feine Gebäcknoten, ohne die sonst typischen „dreckigen“ Caroni-Anklänge. Am Gaumen blitzen diese kurz zu Beginn auf, werden aber schnell wieder von cremiger Kokosnuss überlagert – insgesamt erinnert der Charakter eher an einen guten Foursquare als an einen klassischen Caroni.
Review by Martin Augustin
In der Nase viel Kokosnuss und Gebäck, allerdings keine typischen dreckigen Caroni Noten. Im Geschmack kommen sie dann gleich zu Beginn etwas durch, dann dominiert wieder Kokosnuss.
Review by Pavel Spacek
... Caroni is a distillery from Trinidad, producing at the time of its greatest glory rum, which was added at a ratio of 1:10 to the naval blend. It was too strong and strange to be pleasant on the tongue. In 2000, the distillery ceased production and closed. Only in 2010 did tasters appear who took a liking to the rum because of its special taste. And the interest grew. Caroni belongs to the category of "you need to try before you die" rums. I recommend it, Caroni is a truly unique rum.
Review by Mentalo
Wenn ich es nicht gewusst hätte, hätte ich nicht an Caroni gedacht. Eher Foursquare mit viel Kokosnuss, Röstnoten, Gewürzen, Fruchtnoten (die auf mich überraschenderweise aber künstlich wirkten), Vanille, etwas Holz.
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Expert reviews
3 critics scored it, averaging 8.3/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Single Cask Rum
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Expert review by Barrel Aged Thoughts
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Expert review by Who Rhum The World
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Expert review by In Spiritus Veritas
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Expert review by Tasting Bro's
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Details about Velier Caroni 38th Release Tasting Gang Blended Trinidad Rum 1996
A rum from Trinidad, bottled by Velier, at 63,5%.
Community purchases
316 bottles logged by 230 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
5% opened, 10 emptied and repurchased.
What does Velier Caroni 38th Release Tasting Gang Blended Trinidad Rum 1996 cost?
Community paid 315–800 €.
Current best price: 695.00 € – within the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
316 purchased · 120 tasted · 50 wishlist · as of
About the Caroni distillery
The Caroni distillery is located in Trinidad. Rums from Caroni have been reviewed 10,396 times with an average of 8.8/10.
To Caroni →All releases in this series
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1974
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1974Heavy, tarry old Caroni at full proof
Velier Caroni Light Trinidad Rum 1982
Velier Caroni Light Trinidad Rum 1982Sweet, easy-sipping Caroni without the usual dirt
Velier Caroni Light Trinidad Rum 1982
Velier Caroni Light Trinidad Rum 1982Sherry-soaked Caroni, more raisin than tar
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1982
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1982Dry, tarry Caroni with dried fruit and diesel
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1982
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1982Dirty tar-and-rubber Caroni, bitter cask finish
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1982
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1982Tarry, powerful cask-strength Caroni for collectors
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1983
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1983Soft, lighter Caroni with muted tar and funk
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1983
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1983Lighter, sweeter Caroni with tar and vanilla
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1984
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1984Tarry Caroni with a wild cola twist
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1984
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1984Tarry old Caroni, great nose, bitter oak
Velier Caroni Old Legend Trinidad Rum 1985
Velier Caroni Old Legend Trinidad Rum 1985Soft, sweet Caroni thinned by low ABV
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1985
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1985Atypical, nutty Caroni — lighter on the diesel
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1985
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1985Tarry, fruity old Caroni with a huge nose
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1985
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1985Round, softer Caroni with faint tar
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1985
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1985Cleaner, fruit-tea Caroni with buried 75% heat
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1988
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1988Soft, diluted Caroni light on the tar
Velier Caroni Light Trinidad Rum 1989
Velier Caroni Light Trinidad Rum 1989Lighter Caroni, stunning nose, hot on the palate
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1989
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1989Milder, cocoa-and-wood Caroni, light on the tar
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1991
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1991Fruity, milder Caroni light on the funk
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1991
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1991Soft, fruity Caroni light on the tar
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992Dirty, oily Caroni with tar and tropical fruit
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992Classic tar-and-fruit Caroni, reduced but rich
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992Deep, dirty, tar-and-menthol Caroni benchmark
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992Heavy Caroni, tar and rubber meet fruit
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1993
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1993Soft, sweet, unusually tame Caroni
Velier Caroni High Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994
Velier Caroni High Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994Dirty, tarry Caroni, slightly softened by 52%
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994Balanced, dirty-industrial Caroni at drinkable strength
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994Dry, tarry Caroni for dedicated sippers
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994Powerful, dirty 1994 Caroni for sipping
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 21 1996
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 21 1996Tar, rubber and tropical fruit in balance
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 15 HTR 1998
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 15 HTR 1998Softer, tar-and-toffee entry-level Caroni
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 17 HTR 1998
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 17 HTR 1998Dirty, balanced Caroni with tar and dried fruit
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 12 HTR 2000
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 12 HTR 2000Fresh, dirty entry-level Caroni
Velier Caroni High Proof Trinidad Rum (EU) HTR 2000
Velier Caroni High Proof Trinidad Rum (EU) HTR 2000Dirty, oily Caroni: tar, rubber, menthol
La Maison & Velier Caroni High Proof Trinidad Rum (US) HTR 2000
La Maison & Velier Caroni High Proof Trinidad Rum (US) HTR 2000Dirty, tarry Caroni that opens up slowly
Velier Caroni Millennium Magnum HTR 2000
Velier Caroni Millennium Magnum HTR 2000Dirty, industrial Caroni with tar and menthol
Velier Caroni 30th Release Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 30th Release Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1996Sweet, balanced Caroni with tar and chocolate
Velier Caroni 31st Release High Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 31st Release High Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1996Oily, chocolatey Caroni, a touch soft
Velier Caroni 32nd Release Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1998
Velier Caroni 32nd Release Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1998Oily, tar-and-rubber Caroni at full proof
Velier Caroni 33th Release High Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1998
Velier Caroni 33th Release High Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1998Softer, fruitier, very drinkable Caroni
Velier Caroni 34th Release 100 Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996
Velier Caroni 34th Release 100 Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996Balanced, dirty-sweet 1996 Caroni, softened
Velier Caroni 35th Release Heavy Trinidad Rum (Trespassers) HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 35th Release Heavy Trinidad Rum (Trespassers) HTR 1996Heavy, dirty Caroni with tamed 70% ABV
Velier Caroni 36th Release Heavy Trinidad Rum Guyana Stock HTR 1994
Velier Caroni 36th Release Heavy Trinidad Rum Guyana Stock HTR 1994Dirty, tar-heavy Caroni, very woody and dry
Velier Caroni 37th Release Heavy Trinidad Rum Guyana Stock HTR 1994
Velier Caroni 37th Release Heavy Trinidad Rum Guyana Stock HTR 1994Dry, roasted Caroni with petrol and cocoa
Velier Caroni 38th Release Tasting Gang Blended Trinidad Rum 1996
Velier Caroni 38th Release Tasting Gang Blended Trinidad Rum 1996Soft, coconut-vanilla Caroni, light on funk
Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996
Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996Dirty, complex Caroni with fruit and sweetness
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Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996
Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996Dirty, complex Caroni with fruit and sweetness
Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996
Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996Dirty, complex Caroni with fruit and sweetness
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Nita „Nitz“ Hogan 2000
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Nita „Nitz“ Hogan 2000Dirty, powerful 2000 Caroni, long finish
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Vijay „Vijay“ Ranmarine 1996
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Vijay „Vijay“ Ranmarine 1996Roasted, tarry Caroni with a softer side
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 15 HTR 1998
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 15 HTR 1998Softer, tar-and-toffee entry-level Caroni
Velier Caroni 34th Release 100 Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996
Velier Caroni 34th Release 100 Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996Balanced, dirty-sweet 1996 Caroni, softened
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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.
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