Velier Chelo Vieux Sajous (Ex-Caroni Casks) 2017

Caroni tasting The taste is rich and intense with notes of dark honey, licorice, citrus and nutmeg.

Overall a great, very smooth and soft Clairin. Tasted this aged Clairin at the Sweden Rumfest, May 2023. It’s from Mr. Michel Sajous distillery Chelo and released by Velier and Mr Luca Gargano. It’s made from cane syrup in pot still whereafter it’s tropical aged for 5 years in Ex-Caroni Cask.

I thought the caroni cask would give it some extra special flavor instead it just makes the clairin softer!An undemanding everyday drink that still contains all the scents and aromas of Haitian sugarcane!

I am somewhat ambivalent about this rum, I expected a clear Caronieinfluss! From this, however, is only fleeting something to perceive..if at all rather in the finish! On the nose predominate sour fruit flavors, on the palate initially a heavy sweetness, which in turn changes to a light sour fruitiness, later join licorice notes with a hint of dirty notes to it.The finish contains first licorice notes, approaches of dried fruit and later a touch of tar!The alcohol is barely perceptible, a little more percent would certainly have done him good!I would almost call him a sipper!Overall, a good rum, just different than expected!

A little too dry and vegetal for me. Not really what I like to drink but the finish is rather nice. 2nd tasting: First of all the Caroni cask is nothing more than a marketing gimmick in my opinion and I believe that we will see more bottlings like this one in the future. I really favor my Clairin’s unaged. Here, the sweetness present overshadows most other notes except for the vegetal and slightly earthy ones. There’s a dryness and creaminess present as well. Add a little fruit, wood and very subtle spices and the result is a rum that makes me regret my bottle purchase. Luckily I purchased a sample as well, so I’ll be able to get rid of the bottle at a future date. I just reflected upon my rating and came to the conclusion that 78 points are too high. Reducing it to 75 points.

#4656 16.03.2024 just relaxing with John Wick 4 and a few rums 😊 Nose Light wood, faint roasted, fruity, ester, solvents, light olive, floral, light grass. Palate Oily, light wood, faint roasted, fruity, ester,light grass, glue, faint olive, medium dry, faint salt. Finish Medium long, oily, light wood, fruity, ester, light grass. The empty glass has some medicinal, light anise and herbal notes.

This is nice. But I don't get any of the Caroni. I get a bit paranubes anejo vibes. But to be honest, it could do a bit less on olive and salt for me.

Very good Clairin. The barrel aging makes it very harmonious and brings an exciting going pole to the "wild" base product. The Caroni influence comes through rather subtly. With a few drops of water, the Caroni comes through more.

Compared to the Casimir GRF clearly less fruity, more wood notes, astringent, more acidity, seems older. Caroni I can not really rausschmecken. Too bad, I expected something more.

Spirits Museum Tasting 29th of March 2025. A nose of dried herbs, pineapple and tropical fruit with a fermented edge. Sweet tropical fruit and dried herbs on the palate, with a fermented, metallic edge. The finish is short, on dry herbs.

Nose: hui! 😋 Palate: not pfui, but really not intoxicating, is somehow too sour for me, we will not be friends.The great smell saves the rhum at 70 points over the finish line.

8,6:On the nose, very complex first impression, as there is a mix of vegetal, fruity, woody, medicinal notes like solvents, esters.A sugar cane honey is herbaceous and flowery, quite earthy, with hay and olive, spicy.Tropical fruits like banana, pineapple are overripe, with a help creamy, buttery roasted wood notes like nuts. On aeration, citrus, dried and red fruits arise, some meaty notes and, from ex Caroni cask finish, a rubber. 8,4:On the palate, the attack is again diverse, creamy with an olive, grass, tropical overripe fruits, esters, glue, pepper, brine, tar and rubber from ex Caroni finish.The wood is roasted with a caramel, leather, the sugarcane honey and licorice intermingle.When resting the rum nicely, the cane becomes flowery, herbaceous, earthy, the wood resinous, the fruits red and citrus. 8,3:The finish is long, dry and tannic, smoky, dirty, most of palate notes continue, a confectionery crunchy bread note nicely rounds the finish..

Leicht aufgewertet, aber weiterhin etwas enttäuschend. Die Sajous-Süße überlagert fast alles. Im Abgang kommt dann leicht Caroni durch. Habe da auf mehr Balance gehofft, wie beim Sajous im Bielle Cask. So kann ich auch direkt zum 5 Jährigen Sajous greifen.

Also geteert wurde hier schon. Das Finish nehme ich also durchaus wahr. Wie hier schon öfter formuliert ist der Rum sehr weich. Das macht ihn zu einem schönen Sipping Rum, allerdings geht mir das wilde eines jungen clairins zu sehr verloren um ihn höher zu bewerten.

I think the reviews reflect more the disappointment of those who thought you taste more Caroni than the actual taste of the rum. He is very nice mild and creamy, but otherwise still has the character traits of Sajous Clairins (about to the same extent as in the last release). In short: at the release price top, but does not taste like Caroni. The label should appeal to collectors ...