Swell de Spirits T.D.L Private Garden #4 2005 18yr 62,1%

"This is a special TDL, not as classic as I was used to, but very tasty. The nose is very fruity and soft, I also perceive a slightly nutty, savory aroma. On the palate it is very creamy and initially exudes a heavy sweetness, followed by fruit, chocolate and later slightly dirty nuances... very pleasing, the whole thing, The finish is characterized by light wood, vanilla, roasted nuts and sweet fig. I like it very much"

"Edit the second: It still doesn't convince me, sorry. I'm glad the bottle is empty now. After splitting this one and only sipped it briefly, I tasted it again today together with Jarek. I gave it a good half hour in the glass before my co-taster arrived. It developed steadily on the nose during this time. As Jarek aptly put it, in a blind tasting we would probably both have categorized it as a Barbados. For me, it is too well-behaved and the typical T.D.L markers are not clearly recognizable. Nice for sipping. It's not bad, but it didn't really blow me away or trigger any euphoria. The alcohol is well integrated, but it's a little too one-dimensional for me and the finish is too short. In contrast, I find the 2006 Bristol that I had in my glass afterwards much better."

"Incredibly beautiful successor to the already grandiose swell private garden #1. Red fruit jelly and mint tea meets dark chocolate-caramel mousse, plus caramelized banana, some tart-fresh eucalyptus tea, fresh vanilla pulp and dried fig. The sweetness is really nice and generally the alcohol is perfectly integrated here and virtually imperceptible. Grandiose bottling! As if the best of the rather chocolaty TDL's meet with the rather fresh, dirty TDL's and make a perfect baby.😃🙈😍"

"#4804 09.08.2024 Relaxing with some samples. Nose Fresh, fruity, light wood, vanilla, faint caramel, faint nutts, balanced, cherry. Palate Medium intense, wood, fruits, vanilla, light coconut, cherry, light roasted, faint caramel, faint varnish. Finish Medium long, round, fruits, cherry, faint medicinal, wood, faint caramel, faint mint. The empty glass has light metallic and some fruit candy."

"Swell de Spirits explore TDL sous ce Millésime 2005, qui débute sur un nez très doux, arrondi par les arômes caramélisés et pâtissiers. Le fût de chêne a fait son travail, en incorporant des épices douces mais marquées (piment doux, vanille, poivre), et surtout des notes chocolatées, caféinées et des traces de fruits à coque. Après aération, les fruits tropicaux sont plus distincts, notamment la banane et la mangue, mais c’est l’orange qui occupe une bonne partie du verre. Un profil plus classique de chez TDL, qui perturbe presque par cette douceur et presque « monotonie ». En bouche, on retrouve davantage de caractère avec un fruité qui vient en attaque (pêche, mangue, banane, fruits rouges, agrumes). Le bois, les épices et les notes rôties viennent en soutien, appuyées par des notes beurrées et pâtissières toujours aussi gourmandes. Si on décèle un soupçon de menthol et d’eucalyptus, c’est surtout le côté mielleux et sirupeux du jus qui l’emporte. L’alcool est très bien intégré. La finale est de longueur correcte, laissant transparaître les saveurs décrites précédemment, les fruits exotiques et l’eucalyptus donnant le pas, avant que le chocolat noir, les épices et le bois viennent contrebalancer le profil avec un côté légèrement amer, sur le rôti et le cuir. Un TDL bien exécuté, qui souffre néanmoins d’une comparaison avec d’autres TDL plus pêchus en faisant passer la gourmandise avant la complexité."

"Rather classic TDL, i.e. without the present mint-menthol aroma that characterizes many post-2000 TDL releases. However, this does not mean that this release has to hide - what happens here between caramel, vanilla, chocolate, dried fruit, wood notes and spices is really fun. Smooth, but not at the expense of finesse and elegance. Great!"

"Leckerer und runder TDL, der in die fruchtige richtung ( orange ) geht, dem es aber insgesamt an Tiefe und Komplexität fehlt. Der Abgang ist sehr kurz. Alles in allem hab ich mir mehr erwartet und bin zum Glück nur an ein Sample gekommen."

"I'm not an expert, but being the first to post a review, for what it's worth here's what I thought : The nose is delicious, soft and very balanced. Lots of flavours starting with wood, dark chocolate and vanilla. Then come many tropical fruits especially ripe banana. Tones of tar and smoke follow along with caramelized nuts. As the glass empties gradually came some flavours of orange, grape and funnily some slight tones of moka. In the mouth, it begins with wood, butter and dark chocolate. Vanilla is following with banana, mango and red fruits. A warm taste of copper accompagnies the whole thing. The finish is long, woody, with tropical fruits, chocolate and vanilla still there along tones of copper. The empty glass was pretty interesting and delicious too : mixed flavours of coffee, vanilla and unexpectedly incense, frangipane and pastries that I wouldn't have imagined to find there. This is a very good, balanced and complex rum with alcohol so perfectly integrated that it seemed to be pretty under the 62.1 % rate written on the bottle. Not comparable for example with Velier's Warren Khong 2010 Hampden Diamond <H>, also very good but whose 62 % are really hot in the mouth. I had already had some very good Caronis, this was my first TDL and I'm glad to have bought this bottle."

"Un nez très fruité ( plutôt du fruit rouge ), du bois ciré type meuble ancien, puis le caramel et une touche de chocolat qui viennent ajouter une belle gourmandise. En bouche, le pamplemousse domine amplement et un beau menthol en fond. Le bois et le piment relèvent le tout. Finale longue sur le pamplemousse et le menthol"

"Incredibly soft but tasty TDL"