Spirit Gallery T.D.L Trinidad 2003

Sensational TDL. Typical notes that one expects from newer TDLs, after 2000. In addition to the "normal" ones like mint/menthol, tropical fruits, I find some cassis/blackcurrant here, which I really like. Rightly in the list of the top bottlings of 2023 (RumX evaluation)

After I tasted the rum solo yesterday and was quite impressed by it, it has to go up against another 2003 today: my choice is the CdI Caksus (RX11936), which I gave a whopping 89 points to back then. And what can I say: it has a really hard time against this brand new TDL from the still very unknown Bottler Spirit Gallery! If one is ahead on the nose and then the other 😉, although neither of them is yet highly recommended, but rather greets you shyly with slightly alcoholic vapors, the heavyweight from Spirit Gallery turns up the heat on the palate and literally pushes the Caksus against the wall. To put it plainly: the CdI Caksus gets the maximum palatable flavors out of the 56.3%, especially menthol, while the Spirit Gallery, by virtue of its (fairly well integrated) 60%, mainly presses a huge spice onto the palate (menthol plays a rather subordinate role). Conclusion: The Caksus TDL is more the light-footed, good-humored lightweight boxer who plays at the top of his class, while the Spirit Gallery TDL is the impetuous, somewhat fierce heavyweight boxer at the beginning of his career, who can hardly walk with power, but already has a lot of potential. A somewhat unequal fight, which fortunately still ends in a draw.

Impressive notes of cassis, plus the expected intense mint-menthol profile paired with spicy-woody barrel influences, which tend to act in the background - aromatically without the big fireworks, because the fruitiness is very much dominated by the blackcurrant, as mentioned, but that doesn't make the rum any less fascinating. Great, pronounced aromas, wonderfully round and oily mouthfeel - I like it very much.

Edit: TDL battle! For me, the best of the lot. The nose is from another world, with lots of fuits, menthol, spices, yellow and red fruits, notably blackcurrant and dried apricots. The palate follows with lots of fruit, and a tea-bag background. Mint turns to chlorophyll and eucalyptus. The finish is endless. In short, my best TDL to date, powerful and complex.

This is a high-end TDL... it combines all the good flavors of mint, menthol, fruits, spices, herbs and sweetness. For me, it's comparable to the Rasta Morris... only one small drawback: the alcohol could be a little better integrated. But that only makes a small difference

WOW ... Wonderful noses black currant, mint, eucalyptus honey ... very tasty . On the palate similar game the red fruits dominate at first... then mint and eucalyptus come through nicely . Really good 2003 👍

It takes a while for everything to unfold on the nose, then I have yellow and red fruits, dirty notes, caramel. The freshness is also there, but not as dominant as in the RA 2001, for example. Fruity, dirty on the palate, menthol at the back, tannins/barrel. Very long, never-ending finish. An excellent TDL! Amazing that such a young IB could track down such a pearl!

Super Nase! Sehr frisch, Teer, trocken, Früchte und würzig. Im Mund dann sehr kräftig, würzig, leicht pelzig, Karamell und konzentrierte Kräuter. Karamell und Kräuter im Abgang. Ein Kraftlackl aus Trinidad mit superinteressanter Nase.🤩 Dank nach Bonn!🙏

Once again a very good, typical representative of the TDL of the 2003 vintage with the classic clear minty notes.

Whaou ! Quelle découverte , une magnifique trouvaille pour un tarif tout à fait cohérent. J adore les TDL eh bien là je suis comblé il y a tout ce que j aime .au nez on a un melange épicé fruits rouges, bois exotique, sucre brûlé, une touche de fraise . C est bien lourd !en bouche l alcool passe bien. On a toujours le cassis mais complété par une belle fraîcheur mentholée/ chlorophylle. une belle longueur boisée fraiche et de la vivacité avec un côté quinquina. Du début jusqu'à la fin , un véritable plaisir !

In the test WDC, RC(Edt.52?), Hunter Laing and the one from Spirit Gallery. The differences are clearly recognizable, the WDC and RC are more on the Spanish chocolate side, whereas the SG and HL are the absolute minty alcohol bombs. There's a bit too much mint in both for me, which overpowers almost everything. Sorry, it's a little too much for me. But it's a matter of taste, unfortunately not mine. Otherwise they are all good bottlings, although I would put the WDC and RC more in the easy sipping category.

Sehr leckerer und runder TDL mit den typischen Aromen von gelben Früchten und Minze, könnte für meinen Geschmack aber noch etwas mehr Minze/Krautigkeit mitbringen. Edit: Nochmals verkostet gegen RX17301, der für meinen Geschmack einfach nochmal einen Ticken runder ist und das bessere Verhältnis von Krautigkeit zu gelben Früchten bietet, außerdem für meinen Geschmack der Alkohol dort noch etwas besser integriert. Nichtsdestotrotz für mich beides top Abfüllungen.

Ein typischer TDL des Jahrgangs 2003, der zu einer Mischung aus roten Früchten und Frische neigt. Im Mund erinnert er fast an einen alten Cognac Borderies, mit einer leichten Dirty-Note, die daran erinnert, dass wir uns in Trinidad befinden. Ich bin sehr froh, dass ich diese Abfüllung probieren konnte, die offensichtlich der großen Mehrheit derjenigen, die sie probiert haben, gefallen hat.

Un nez fabuleux sur les fruits rouges, l’ananas, le menthol, et les épices. Un côté très sale nous vient mais ça ne prend pas le dessus ! Ce nez est aussi floral, avec une pointe de lavande. Aucun doute, on est bien sûr un TDL ! Une bouche à la hauteur du nez, merveilleuse. Tout s’emmêle : du menthol, du cassis, du chocolat noir avec une amertume maîtrisée, un côté très rôti et une pointe d’agrumes sur la fin. Cette bouteille est vraiment incroyable, un TDL extrêmement équilibré, avec une belle longueur et une puissance superbe. Magnifique sélection de Spirit Gallery, un des meilleurs TDL que j’ai bu à ce jour !

Fantastic 2003 TDL! Brings absolutely everything I expect from a good TDL. Mint, menthol and eucalyptus that freshens the whole mouth without being too one-dimensional and intense are joined here by red fruits in the form of cassis, dark juicy blackberries, red and black currants like red fruit jelly. Orange peel brings warmth and freshness. In the finish, peach and passion fruit, as well as lychees like in a great homemade iced tea based on strongly brewed black tea, plus menthol and eucalyptus without end and slightly burnt caramel.... Alcohol perfectly integrated. Grandiose bottling!!!🇹🇹🐢