Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996

At the Last Caroni, the typical workshop smells tend to fade into the background. I smell delicious baked goods, spices and vanilla. But also dried fruit and prunes. In the mouth, rubber and tar come to the fore again. There are also roasted notes, olives and light grassy notes. A very long and beautiful finish. A great rum. One of the best Caronis!

Epic Velier Caroni Tasting 2023: Schier endloses Bouquet. Die klassischen Caroni-Noten gehen ein grossartiges Wechselspiel ein mit Früchten, Holz und einer exquisiten Süsse, woraus sich eine fantastische Komplexität ergibt. Nicht nur im Vergleich mit anderen Abfüllungen des bemerkenswerten Jahrgangs 1996 ein herausragender Vertreter des Caroni-Stils. Absolute Caroni-Spitze.

Absolut scheußlich schmeckt und riecht wie frisch asphaltierte Straße

Incredibly complex and yet easy sipping. A real Caroni highlight!

Wow, simply a masterpiece! Definitely one of my absolute favorites by Caroni. Everything that makes up this style comes into its own here perfectly, the dirty notes of tar and rubber complement the intense fruit notes, spicy wood nuances and the depth of the aromas wonderfully. Mega complex and the JG. 1996 simply shows everything that Caroni has to offer. This rum definitely lives up to all the hype.

The Last was my first rum, a crush and the cause of my passion for rums. I reserved its review for my five hundredth review. Bu also with friends who generally rated it very highly, even blind. A complex, warm nose with machine shop (tar and rubber), caramel and fruit. A marked vegetal side, vanilla and pastry. Well-integrated cedar wood and a hint of lime. Wild, aromatic herbs on the palate. The alcohol is marked but domesticated. The aromas invade the palate, first towards the back, then towards the front. A remarkable evolution on the palate. As on the nose, the mechanical workshop supports and never dominates. Incredibly complex aromas. Warm spices and brown sugar. The finish is also hyper-complex, with a vegetal side dominating first, followed by fruit, pastry and cedar wood. A finish that summons all the aromas in turn. At the very end, incense is revealed. A rum that has just been opened, and that will gain even more with oxidation. Already an absolute! I feel like I'm in a tropical circus, in a city orchard, with strong smells, loud music, thrills and lots of different circus acts. Wow!

Still absolute top notch out of 96 and out of the Velier Caronis overall. Leaning a bit more towards the dirty notes vs. 30th and 34th, yet still incredibly balanced, delivering everything you would expect (and more).

What a Caroni ! Round, yet complex, little dirty, just perfect! Benchmark Caroni! Again and again - the Last!

My absolute benchmark what (for me) Caroni concerns. There just fits everything ... fruit, spice, wood and some dirty flavors (tar, leather wood polish) all harmoniously merged into a work of art of rum ... I could spend hours with it ... sip for sip a pleasure.

Update: tasted again against the Velier 21 - the reference. It is a good round better (in the nose and on the palate) in terms of balance and the aromas in detail. Really great. Wow, a feeling of enlightenment, like with my first Caroni. Sensational nose, wonderful palate and everlasting finish. Perfect balance of dirt, wood, sweetness and fruit. I am very happy that I was able to try this wonderful rum and hope it wasn't the last time 👌

A true masterpiece. Alcohol integration is perfect. Typical 1996 profile with sweetness balancing Caroni notes and cofee, dark chocolate adding more complexity. Very expressive rum, incredible profile, what else ? As we say, "Last" but not least 💘

Great Caroni with all the flavors you would expect from a Caroni. The dirty flavors are very pleasantly present, but do not displace the fruity flavors. A nice sweetness accompanies the whole thing. Probably the best Caroni we've had in the glass.

Small Caroni blind tasting with 4 great Caronis. The Last could also be tasted blind. It was a little rounder and more complex than the other 3 Caronis tasted. Nevertheless, it is not overwhelming. A rum for every day if it didn't have its price. :) Update: Tasted again at leisure. Almost a little subtle on the nose. But then the rum explodes in the mouth. The 23 years of maturation give it a good wood influence, but not at all unpleasant. Fruit and dirty components are also present. The finish is long and warm. It feels like you can still taste the rum hours later. A real highlight.

Discover and enjoy. Extremely versatile and something really great. Endless finish, wavy and with a bang. Incredibly full and rich rum. Great depths of flavor such as blackcurrant, cassis, grenadine and immediately mint, clove, cardamom, some green apple, pome fruit, caramel, subtle vanilla. And the dirtiness isn't too dominant, but rather provides a very fitting backdrop. In addition, you hardly notice the alcohol, perfectly integrated🔝

Absoluter Ausnahme caroni! An Perfektion, Komplexität und Vollmundigkeit fast nicht zu überbieten! Dreckig, dennoch weich, süß und mild... Bringt alles zusammen was ich mir von einem guten caroni erwarte. Zum damaligen Kurs aus heutiger Sicht ein Schnäppchen. Wahnsinnig lecker!