T.D.L Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 44

 #5015 31.12.2024 Enjoying a set of samples while cooking New Year Dinner. Nose Wood, light roasted, light tannins, dried fruit, light mint, faint herbs, light citrus. Palate Oily, fresh, wood, light tannins, light mint, light citrus, dried fruit, faint chocolate, spice, faint herbs. Finish Long and warm, fresh, wood, light tannins, light citrus, mint, light berries. The empty glass has light chocolate, menthol, light smoke and light caramel.

 I have enjoyed the RC Ed. 44 in the 2-3 tastings so far, not outstanding, but really very good. Nicely spicy and not as "bright" as the FRC (RX18188) recently, but more like dark green, rich leaves with a less dominant menthol note. Contrary to other opinions, for me the TDL has nothing that suggests Caroni, but is a rum with a very typical TDL profile. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything, it's just a personal impression. In any case, I would have given the rum 88 points at the first tasting, and today, after a tasting with a lot of time, I raise it to 89 points with a clear conscience - excellent choice of cask, Dirk!

 Comparatively closed up on the nose. Rather wood forwards on the nose as well as on the palate which reduces the liveliness of the profile somewhat. Enjoyable bottling with all the right 2000s TDL markers, just not my favorite out of the bunch.

 Now the Rumclub also has its TDL from 2002 and this is already very round on the nose with lots of yellow fruit and almost perfectly integrated alcohol. The palate is also typical TDL with peach, mint and menthol, but it is "dirty" at best in the approach, but it remains a well-balanced, very drinkable bottling.

 Solid 2002 TDL bottled here by the Rum Club. Typical notes of the new (from the year 2000) TDL profile. In addition to the usual mint and menthol, there is also some peach, which I like very much.

 Tasted together with RA T.D.L 2002 The rum club shimmers a shade darker in the glass. In direct comparison, the nose of the RA is more defined. The mint in particular is more clearly recognizable. With the Rumclub, everything is a little masked. It seems to want to make up for this on the palate: a real herbal explosion sets in after 1-2 seconds! At this point, the RA becomes more "dirty" and the Rumclub stays more with the herbs and floral notes and is clearly sweeter and fruitier. This continues in the finish: the RA dabbles more in the dirt while the Rumclub remains very straightforward with the mint, sweetness and fruit. Very good rum, for me one point behind the RA, which seems more versatile and complex. I have to say that the bottle of RA has been open for a while, so the comparison is a little off.

 Franconian Tasting Gang 19.04.2024 Crosstasting CDI TDL 2003 16yo (RX944) with the RumClub ed.44 TDL (RX19670). For me, this is the winner of the two. Not as strong on the nose, but rounder, creamier and more elegant on the palate.

 On the nose, a nice fruity note at first, with wood, chocolate and a hint of eucalyptus. On the palate again fruit, yellow fruit, again wood with chocolate, a slight bitterness that comes across very pleasantly. This is followed by great fresh eucalyptus notes that remain present in the finish. The 15 years of tropical maturation suit it very well, beautiful complexity. Excellent rum in my eyes.

 The 2002 / 21yr RC Ed. 44 has to prove what it can do against the 2001 / 21 yr Rasta Morris. The RC is a little paler in color, on the nose it is also a little more restrained than the RM. The RC is more on herbal candy and medicinal notes. The RM is more on dried fruit / passion fruit and dirty notes. On the palate, the RM is more intense and has a longer finish. Conclusion: I like the RC, but if I had to choose one of the two, it would be the RM.

 Peach, menthol, mint. Strong bottling, powerful and yet with very good balance. For me, it is much more similar to 03s than to 01 vintages. I would like the finish to be a little more multi-faceted.

 For me, the first RdL is still the king of the 2002 TDLs. Unfortunately, the sample has been empty for a long time. Here in the crosstasting between the second RdL, the old RA, the RC and the TWJ for Macau, it's probably all about the other places on the podium. I've had the RC in my glass a few times and have always found it difficult to rate it. On the nose it is fruitier but also greener than the RdL #2, the herbs are not as unique here as in the others. Instead, the mango and peach are more pronounced. As in the RA, there are citrus notes here that are reminiscent of bergamot or grapefruit, but are somewhat more acidic overall than in the RA. As in the nose, the mint is not such a dominant note. In the finish, I have a long-lasting freshness like after brushing my teeth and perhaps a clear mint for the first time. It's actually much better than I remember from my first approaches. For me, it's on a par with the RA.

 A beautiful, old Trinidad. Nose: the typical fresh mint right up front. Intense and simply delicious. Next to it, sour-sweet fruits such as gooseberry and passion fruit with a splash of lime, rounded off with apricot. A light caramel sweetness in the background and a contrasting vinegar-like note. I like it very much. 8.8 Palate: fresh mint up front, now with a little more eucalyptus and slightly salty-bitter. Immediately has a bacony effect, interesting! Gets a slight fruity twist in the direction of gooseberry, but the bacony umami mint remains. Beautiful Trinidat profile with a very respectable age. 8.6

 Der Rumclub reiht sich mit seiner Abfüllung ebenfalls in die Reihe der sehr guten 2002er T.D.L ein. Es ist schon erstaunlich wie viele gute es mittlerweile sind. Aber die hohe Nachfrage zeigt, dass sie auch vonnöten sind 😉

 On the nose iced tea peach and some mint and spices. On the palate, the peach and mint notes again, plus something smoky/charred. The finish is medium-long. ABV very well integrated. Quite a round TDL.

 Direct comparison CDI TDL 2003 16yo (rx944) with the RC ed44 TDL (rx19670). To summarize briefly: The CDI clearly wins on the nose and the RC is actually slightly tastier on the palate - also due to its better alcohol integration.