Aroma visualization from community tastings
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Dhanraj „Dan“ Maharaj HTR 1996
Sip this one slowly and neat — at 66.3% it needs 15 minutes in the glass to open. Then you get classic 1996 Caroni: tar, rubber and leather over oily caramel, with roasted, charred wood running through the palate. Several tasters call it the best of the 5th Employees series, though most agree it sits mid-pack among 1996 Caronis rather than at the very top.
The community says- Tar and rubber
- Long oily finish
- Great alcohol integration
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The look inside the bottle
How does Velier Caroni 5th Employees Dhanraj „Dan“ Maharaj HTR 1996 taste?
Aggregated from 55 community reviews.
Dirty, roasted 1996 Caroni at cask strength Loved as a proper dirty Caroni — tar, rubber, roasted caramel, long finish. Most rank it the pick of the 5th Employees, but agree the cask leans it a touch too woody.
Caroni fans who want tar, rubber and roasted wood at full proof
Beginners and anyone who dislikes heavy, dirty, high-ABV rum
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
27 of 55 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Recommendation
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One difference each to this rum.
Rated better
Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996
9.4/101200 €
Milder
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1994
9.1/10878 €
Similar rating, cheaper
Velier Caroni 34th Release 100 Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996
9.1/10793 €First choice: 36 of 38 tasters who tried both prefer it.
How is Velier Caroni 5th Employees Dhanraj „Dan“ Maharaj HTR 1996 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 9.0 sits in the “Excellent” band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
100% rate it 8 or higher. 12 selected write-ups from 55 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
This one caught me off guard because it was completely different from the rest. The nose had the wood with rubber and tar with fruit, vanilla and caramel, but I also found a minty note in there. Not as heavy in the typical Caroni flavours as the others. The palate complex and well balanced and at the same time soft and dry, an eye opener for me. Smoky wood and rubber, tar and fruity notes follow with chocolate and nice herbal notes trailing behind. The finish is very dry with rubber, dried fruit and chocolate. This one needs to rest for at least 15 minutes or more to release its full potential.
Review by mto75
die 5th Employees Serie nochmal alle drei zusammen verkostet. An der Nase sind sich Dan und Breeze sehr ähnlich, mit Trockenfrüchten, Karamell, Wachs und Politur. Der Roop wirkt hier ein wenig frischer (floraler) wenn man das bei Caroni überhaupt so nennen kann 😉 Am Gaumen hat der Breeze ein wenig mehr Komplexität zu bieten als der Dan, der sehr stark auf der röstig-verkohlten Schiene unterwegs ist. Der Breeze dagegen kann mit mehr ‚Werkstatt‘ und mehr Süsse aufwarten. Der Roop tanzt auch am Gaumen aus der Reihe, er kommt nicht so brachial daher.
Review by Joachim Guger
Eine sehr, warme und volle Caroni-Nase. Das ölige Karamell verleiht die Aura eines tropisch gereiften Demeraras. Sehr, sehr gediegen, nicht besonders komplex. Ein Wahnsinn im Mund, ölig, voll, sehr komplex. Ein Gewürzbasar. Der Rum bleibt lange im Mund, was sehr schön ist. Ein Wahnsinn auch, was mit den fünften Employees abgeliefert wurde. Am besten gefielen mir der Dan, dicht gefolgt vom Breeze. Schade auch, dass von diesen Flaschen kaum jemals eine geöffnet werden wird.
Review by Filip Šikula
Sedmý a poslední zaměstnanec večera. Ve vůni je to kuže, dehet a potom sladké tóny karamelu a hořké čokolády. V chuti je to krásně komplexní, spousta máty a kaučuku. Jednoznačně největší požitek je u tohoto kousku ale v závěru, který je velmi velmi doouhý a ukazuje nové a nové věci.
Review by Beach-and-Rum 🏖️🌴
Ein 1996 Caroni der irgendwie schon die typischen Marker hat aber er sticht zwischen den teilweise sehr guten Abfüllungen nicht so richtig heraus. Der Alkohol ist mir hier ebenfalls ein wenig zu präsent. Schon lecker aber in der Welt der Caronis reicht es nur fürs Mittelfeld.
Review by Lawich Lowaine
Surprised by the profile, which resembles the Spanish Ron, but very good... the criticism is that the finish is short and leaves an impression of not enough. Apart from that, the nose is superb. This blend of chocolate and herbs is frankly surprising...
Review by Jakob
Epic Velier Caroni Tasting 2023: The sweet 1996 profile is there, the long time in the barrel is already clearly recognizable with more present roasted aromas. Very good Caroni in the lower mid-range of the vintage.
Review by Simon Leroux
Plus équilibré que les autres de la 5ème série Employees. Pas très marqué pour le côté Caroni mais intense, boisé et agréable.
Review by Adrien B
Nez amande, cuir, colle cleopatrre, griotte, fraicheur Bouche : puissant, fidèle au nez, grosse longueur, rancio, fraîcheur,
Review by Sebastian Kornett
Für mich der beste von den 5th Release aber ich muss sagen, dass mir alle drei sehr gut gefallen.
Review by Oliver
Clear winner at the bottom of the 5th Employees. But not in the Caroni top class.
Review by Johannes
For me from the series the best!
No reviews match this filter.
Expert reviews
2 critics scored it, averaging 9.1/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Zucker und Zeste
Read full review →
Expert review by In Spiritus Veritas
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Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
What this bottle last achieved at auction. A research indicator, not a forecast.
Auction results 822 € – 1447 €
from 8 sales, latest 05/2025
Prices incl. buyer's premium — what a buyer pays, not what a sale nets you.
Avg. community purchase price 980 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about Velier Caroni 5th Employees Dhanraj „Dan“ Maharaj HTR 1996
A rum from Trinidad, bottled by Velier, at 66,3%.
Community purchases
68 bottles logged by 56 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
5% opened, 3 emptied and repurchased.
What does Velier Caroni 5th Employees Dhanraj „Dan“ Maharaj HTR 1996 cost?
Community paid 54–1,520 €.
Current best price: 1095.00 € – 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+ →
68 purchased · 57 tasted · 16 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
All releases in this series
Velier Caroni 1st Employees John „D“ Eversley HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 1st Employees John „D“ Eversley HTR 1996Heavy, tarry Caroni with dark fruit
Velier Caroni 1st Employees Dennis „X“ Gopaul HTR 1998
Velier Caroni 1st Employees Dennis „X“ Gopaul HTR 1998Hot, tarry cask-strength Caroni for sipping
Velier Caroni 2nd Employees David „Sarge“ Charran 1996
Velier Caroni 2nd Employees David „Sarge“ Charran 1996Heavy, tarry Caroni with dark sweetness
Velier Caroni 2nd Employees Kevon „Slippery“ Moreno HTR 1998
Velier Caroni 2nd Employees Kevon „Slippery“ Moreno HTR 1998Fierce, tarry Caroni that needs air
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Vijay „Vijay“ Ranmarine 1996
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Vijay „Vijay“ Ranmarine 1996Roasted, tarry Caroni with a softer side
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Ganesh „Buju“ Ramgobie 1998
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Ganesh „Buju“ Ramgobie 1998Dirty, woody 1998 Caroni at full proof
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Nita „Nitz“ Hogan 2000
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Nita „Nitz“ Hogan 2000Dirty, powerful 2000 Caroni, long finish
Velier Caroni 4th Employees Balas „Brigade“ Bhaggan 1998
Velier Caroni 4th Employees Balas „Brigade“ Bhaggan 1998Dirty, smoky Caroni that runs dry
Velier Caroni 4th Employees Dayanand „Yunkoo“ Balloon 1998
Velier Caroni 4th Employees Dayanand „Yunkoo“ Balloon 1998Heavy, dirty Caroni — tar, rubber, menthol
Velier Caroni 4th Employees Basdeo „Dicky“ Ramsarran HTR 2000
Velier Caroni 4th Employees Basdeo „Dicky“ Ramsarran HTR 2000Fruity, menthol-heavy tropical Caroni at cask strength
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Dhanraj „Dan“ Maharaj HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Dhanraj „Dan“ Maharaj HTR 1996Dirty, roasted 1996 Caroni at cask strength
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Roopnarine „Roop“ Toolsie HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Roopnarine „Roop“ Toolsie HTR 1996Dirty, tarry 1996 Caroni at cask strength
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Deodat „Breeze“ Manmohan HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Deodat „Breeze“ Manmohan HTR 1996Sweet, tarry Caroni for patient sippers
Velier Caroni 6th Employees United HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 6th Employees United HTR 1996Woody, spicy Caroni, less dirty than usual
Velier Caroni 6th Employees Mahesh “Sonny Black” Bridgelal HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 6th Employees Mahesh “Sonny Black” Bridgelal HTR 1996Deep, tarry Caroni with roasted, bitter edge
Velier Caroni 6th Employees Ricky “Dirty Harry” Seeharack HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 6th Employees Ricky “Dirty Harry” Seeharack HTR 1996Dense, tarry 1996 Caroni for the faithful
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Velier Caroni 5th Employees Roopnarine „Roop“ Toolsie HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Roopnarine „Roop“ Toolsie HTR 1996Dirty, tarry 1996 Caroni at cask strength
Velier Caroni 6th Employees Ricky “Dirty Harry” Seeharack HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 6th Employees Ricky “Dirty Harry” Seeharack HTR 1996Dense, tarry 1996 Caroni for the faithful
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Deodat „Breeze“ Manmohan HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 5th Employees Deodat „Breeze“ Manmohan HTR 1996Sweet, tarry Caroni for patient sippers
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Vijay „Vijay“ Ranmarine 1996
Velier Caroni 3rd Employees Vijay „Vijay“ Ranmarine 1996Roasted, tarry Caroni with a softer side
Velier Caroni 6th Employees Mahesh “Sonny Black” Bridgelal HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 6th Employees Mahesh “Sonny Black” Bridgelal HTR 1996Deep, tarry Caroni with roasted, bitter edge
Velier Caroni 6th Employees United HTR 1996
Velier Caroni 6th Employees United HTR 1996Woody, spicy Caroni, less dirty than usual
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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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