Swell de Spirits T.D.L Private Garden No.1 Clos des Spiritueux 2000 22yr 57,5%

"Very fruity and inspiring floral nose. Incredibly intense and almost perfume-like. Creamy and multi-layered on the palate. The typical mint is added on the finish. Perfectly integrated alcohol. Excellent T.D.L!"

"A nose to die for. The most expressive rum I've ever smelled. Fruit, banana, blackcurrant, cocoa notes, mint. On the palate, it explodes. Blackcurrant is very present. It's sweet, delicious and very fruity. The profile changes with each sip, however, and they also turn out to be more woody, with notes of coffee. The alcohol is there, very discreet despite the 57°. Ideal. Matching finish and pleasant length on the palate. 89 for not putting it right up there with Swell's <>H. But the profile is so different that it surely deserves to be. Superb. Edit: a piquant candy. Taste, close your eyes, travel :)"

"Mint, red fruit jelly and baby bananas and other tropical fruits on the nose. In addition, some smoke and acacia honey. Taste then again smoke, honey, mint and tropical fruits some lime zest and bitter cocoa nibs. In addition again passion fruit bananas from madeira. Reminds me somehow discreetly both taste and nose of an 86er will, just with really a lot of fruit to it! Extremely positive surprise! Absolute exception TDL. Chapeau to swell de spirits for another excellent barrel selection!"

"The next TDL Crosstasting is coming up. This time the 2000 vintage: the Tamasoi against the Swell. The nose of both rums immediately makes it clear what makes the 2001-2003 vintages so special. The nose here is not flat, but the tar, menthol and heavy roast aromas are missing. The noses are very similar. The Swell shows mostly caramel, toffee, sweet cocoa plus ripe to dry fruit (crumbly apple, ripe banana, dried dates). I do not find the tart sweetness of black currant (typical in Cabernet Sauvignon) here. The Tamosi still brings a tart plantiness that adds a bit more complexity. In the mouth it becomes a bit more interesting, but still remains very "Spanish". The aromas of the nose are joined by a few more tropical fruits and a hint of herbs. The finish is very soft and smooth, with no intrusive bitterness and just a bit of tart tea. Alcohol integration and ripeness are great, but aromatically this is clearly lacking for me. Honestly, I do not understand how the ratings can be so different and the Swell should be one of the best rums 2022. This hype passes me by. For me, both rums are about the same on, the Tamosi with the slightly more interesting nose but a rather thin mouth and the Swell which is intense and round but lacks the tension. The Swell is maybe a touch ahead at the whole distance."

"That was unexpected... Insanely good! Excessive fruit on the nose complemented by vanilla, chocolate and honey. Very round! In the mouth, this particular bottling shows a new facet and comes around the corner with roasted flavors like coffee. Absolutely mild and very honey and caramel intense. The finish fuses the nose and mouth into an intense and complex experience. Bombastic!"

"Un T.D.L de chez Swell de Spirits qui mérite qu’on s’y attarde pendant un certain temps. Le nez est légèrement fermé au début avant de s’ouvrir sur un bouquet plus aromatique. Les fruits tropicaux et le cacao rivalisent de gourmandise sur une douce trame de caramel et de sucre brun. Le menthol est assez discret, il ne vient qu’après une longue aération pour apporter son lot de fraîcheur. Le boisé et les épices sont homogènes et élégants. Un rhum très rond, gourmand mais complexe sur lequel on peut rester pendant de longues heures. En bouche, on a un rhum d’une autre dimension : les notes de fruits rouges, notamment le cassis et la groseille, explosent en bouche, accompagnés par une salve de fruits exotiques (ananas, mangue, banane) et une vague de verdure sur le menthol, les notes florales, l’eucalyptus et les herbes aromatiques. Le rhum est ici crémeux et surprenant de gourmandise, allant du chocolat et la poudre de cacao aux notes mielleuses et confites, en passant par le café, les noisettes grillées, les épices douces et le boisé fin. Un spectacle alliant élégance, intensité, complexité et gourmandise. La finale est extrêmement longue, très fruitée (cassis, fruits secs, banane, mangue, ananas) et très gourmandise sur le chocolat et le cacao, le miel, le caramel, la noisette, le café et la vanille. Les épices et les notes fumées rajoute de la vivacité, tandis que le menthol et l’eucalyptus confèrent douceur et subtilité. Un rhum extrêmement bien élaboré, complexe, exubérant et à la hauteur de sa réputation."

"The first thing to mention here is the design of the bottle. Most beautiful bottle 2022.In the nose pineapple, lots of honey, smoky and fermented. Balanced, alcohol perfectly integrated.In the mouth it continues similarly, now also hazelnuts and tobacco.A beautiful rum off the beaten path. Remarkably complex and delicate."

"Sehr fruchtig mit vielschichtigem Aromaprofil, dass sich mit der Zeit und einigen Sips zeigt. Parfümartig - Erinnert an industriell hergestellte Geschmäcker in Fruchtgummi(-bonbons). Alkohol top integriert, sehr harmonisch. Elegant und komplex. Aber auch weich und geschmeidig. Er lässt aber insgesamt wenig Spannung aufkommen."