Distilia Caroni The Last Cask, Phoenix, Artist (Yu Chuan) 1999

GRF13: I was able to enjoy this drop twice in the glass... from my point of view, this is one of the best continental Caronis I've been able to taste so far. Surprisingly, in addition to the expected dirty aromas, dark fruits are also clearly perceptible. The alcohol is very well integrated. Warm, creamy and soft, it spreads across the palate and unfolds its play of aromas... this continues in a long finish... Top barrel selection

More on the dirty side, but overall great complexity! On the second tasting, I am impressed by the complexity. In addition to slightly dirty notes, there are also beautiful hints of fruit with tropical notes.

Typisches Caroni-Profil mit klassischen Teer- und Gummiaromen, eingebettet in schwere Karamellsüsse. Eichenholz, dunkle Gewürze, Fruchtanklänge. Sehr leckeres, rundes Profil. Toller Vertreter des 1999er Jahrgangs.

8,5:On the nose, the first impression we get is fruity with citrus, flowery and industrial, dirty with notes like tar, rubber.The wood is roasted, spicy and sweet with burnt sugar, vanilla, caramel, leather. On aeration, the molasses is earthy, dried fruits are stronger and the wood presents nuts. 8,7:On the palate, the attack is fruity and woody, the fruits are tropical with mango dried with apricots, raisins, there are dark berries, as the wood is roasted, spicy with caramel, allspice.The industrial notes are slowly gaining speed with dirty, rubber notes, some menthol could not be overlooked.The molasses is vegetal, minty, dark with black tea, there are pencil shavings. Resting brings out smoky, meaty tones with bacon, dried currants, green pepper. 8,6:The finish is long, as the palate notes linger on and the rum becomes dry and tannic..

Actually a very tasty continental Caroni. Dirty with lots of rubber, but with nice accompaniments of fruit (dry, tropical and dark berries), caramel/burnt sugar, wood and spice. I also smell some fizzy drinks. Pleasantly dry on the palate with some menthol on the spices.

My first '99 Caroni. Overall, it already has the typical Caroni notes, but what I don't quite like here is that it's still alcoholic/sharp-edged even after a while, unlike others I've already had in the glass. That ruins it quite a bit, even if it is very complex. I would have expected a bit more from it. In my opinion, it's a little overrated because of its name.

My first 1999 Caroni, insanely intense board for the Taiwan market that Rob Bauer has brought here. "Typical" caroni rubber and tar notes, yet lots of depth and intensity. Nice fruitiness and freshness together with the dirty rubber tire profile. Personally, it's just a little too strong for me, with 2-3 drops of water it becomes more accessible.

#5161 20.03.2025 Running some samples at home. Nose Medium intense, wood, light roasted, spice, light caramel, light leather, faint nutts, dried fruit, faint rubber and tar. Palate Oily, wood, light roasted, raisin, light cherry, faint mint, faint caramel, light rubber and tar, medium dry, light tannins. Finish Long, wood, light tannins, faint smoke, light mineral, light cherry, faint caramel, medium dry, light rubber, faint tar. Empty glass Wood, dried fruit, light caramel, light leather.

Definitely the winner of the Last Cask series, I was able to taste it at the GRF and now again in peace. It is very well integrated with great caroni notes. I find it surprisingly sweet on the palate with a slight red berry flavor.

Very nice Caroni, with the typical dirty notes and nice fruity notes, which were missing from the previously tasted 98 from RA at the Rumfest. Especially on the nose, I had associations with a welding workshop or hot metal and machine oil. Great stuff.

I haven't had many 1999 Caronis in my glass so far and they have disappointed me. The bottling from Distilia is more convincing. The alcohol is well integrated. The typical Caroni dirty notes come into their own, along with a slight sweetness and fruitiness.

I clearly enjoyed this juice. Tasted on the evening of 31/12/24, it took me at least three hours to drink the glass, so good it was. We find the distillery's usual markers with a bit of tar, rubber, fruit in a mess, beautiful, caramel note I really enjoyed it 😍😍 Nice length in the mouth and alcohol, perfectly integrated

Excellent aromas of vanilla different fruits and rounded technical notes. A complete bomb to the nose. Taste is quite astringent, but in a good way and irresistible. The finish is again excellent. Plenty of rubber and hospital, tropical fruits, vanilla and more.

Heavy, powerful Caroni profile, but much fruitier and less ashy-bitter on the finish than many continental matured Caronis. Simply very harmonious, rubber and dirt and sweetish, fruity wood notes for balance. Perhaps the cask spent a few extra years in the tropics before it went to Europe? Just a guess, but a pleasantly different Caroni that knows how to convince in the nose, mouth and finish.

Tasting Distilia Artist (Yu Chuan). Un nez ample et généreux, complexe, avec de l’atelier mécanique aussitôt suivi par les fruits tropicaux et un côté pâtissier très agréable. La première bouche est un peu chaotique, puis les fruits, les notes d’atelier mécanique et un côté végétal et rafraîchissant s’accordent et s’équilibrent. La finale est longue, harmonieuse, équilibrée et la fraîcheur persiste jusqu’à la fin.