Velier Clarendon Exclusive for Guiseppe Begnoni EMB

"Again a tad rounder than Velier's Monymusk 1995. Great profile with a dose of extra power that doesn't come at the expense of overly strong alcohol. Aromatic with inspiring depth and balance. Extremely impressive."

"One or the top shot of the EMB Vintages... (pre 2000) This rum is also at the top of a line-up of high-flyers. Insanely complex with typical mint, menthol, wood but also beautiful tropical fruit. Slightly less bitter than the competition."

"Sensationally fruity nose that virtually explodes. So many individual aromas that are present at the same time, but still distinguishable. In addition to the spices, caramel, woody notes and leather, the fruit side in particular is extremely diverse. And behind the well-stocked fruit stand (tropical & continental) there is also a nebulous note of well-ripe jackfruit. Delicious. More menthol and wood on the palate - as you would expect. But still fruity. Nose is 9.4 for me, palate more like 9.0 ... I give it a 9.2."

"Dark, intense with a beautiful grilled pineapple part and hints of charred barrel! The anise is very present and the hints of coffee give it a nice hint of bitterness! For those who like things out of the 'ordinary must drink this monymusk!"

"Super horny nose. Solvent, glue, polish, old dresser and then fresh banana bread. Dried fruit, tropical fruit. Warm, full, complex and slightly pungent alcohol.Warm, full, fat and oily in the mouth. Great barrel maturity, more than decent for its age and considering the time spent in the tropics. Alcohol very well integrated but still burns out the throat.Finishes with oak and herbs. Great monymusk and great Jamaican. Tasted together with the 1995. This is a lot more mature and barrel dominated, much less fruity."

"Wow, what a mega nose - ripe and elegant. I like it much better than the EMB from Habitation Velier."

"A true avant-garde, this Clarendon is a nugget that already foreshadowed the bright future of Clarendon today. The nose is particularly appealing, with exotic fruit, dried fruit and hints of cherry. The oak goes hand in hand with roasted notes, tobacco and cocoa. The spices are varied and intense (cinnamon, vanilla, pepper, chili, aniseed and clove). If there's a medicinal edge to the esters, glue and varnish, the caramel and pastries add a little roundness. Aeration gives a complex, very harmonious profile. The attack on the palate is extremely powerful, first herbaceous and minty, then bitter with tannins, before medicinal notes take over. The woodiness is very intense, with roasted notes, cocoa and espresso coffee. The spiciness comes through strongly with hints of anise, cinnamon, pepper and vanilla. Tropical fruit and caramel are more distant. The alcohol is well integrated but still perceptible. It's best to take precautions. The finish is almost eternal, with a vast aromatic spectrum: exotic fruitiness, bitter tannins, ester and glue notes, menthol, tobacco, black tea, spicy heat and woody, roasted notes offer a grand spectacle that stuns the palate. A very complex and intense rum that requires patience and experience to be fully appreciated."

"Un nez surprenant dans lequel on retrouve d'abord la marque d'un long vieillissement (bois, cuir, cacao, amande, noix) bien équilibré (tabac, piment, anis) avant de passer à un profil beaucoup plus jamaïcain (fruits tropicaux : papaye). La bouche est dans la même veine. La finale est longue et asséchante. Un très beau rhum. D'une certaine façon, ce rhum me fait penser à un Port Mourant."

"Im Vergleich heute zwei EMBs von Velier. RX432 (Warren Khong 1995) und RX674 (Guiseppe Begoni 1997) beide sind sehr komplex und gut. Im Vergleich finde ich, dass der 1997er Jahrgang hier ein wenig die Nase vorne hat. Aber beide sind nach meiner Meinung nach ausgezeichnet, obwohl sie geschmacklich verschieden sind, was sehr faszinierend ist."

"I just got this bottle today and I just had to have a go at it right away and wow, just wow, close to the perfect rum for me :-) The nose is wonderfully fruity from opening the bottle and while it was resting I had to sniff it several times. Besides fruits there is spices and barrel with a touch of esters and varnish. The palate is matching the nose and then some. Intense and warm as well as well balanced and complex. Fruits and spices from the start then chocolate, tea, coffee and ester. The finish is forever with oak, spices, coffee and some orange peel to top it off."

"This is just insanely good stuff. Alcohol integration is superb which puts the Velier (from memory) in the top spot for the 97 EMBs. Looking forward to the cross tasting of this beautiful vintage."

"Botltle 298/442. Nicely balanced, exceptional rum. SDR23"

"Une pépite ❤️"

"Very nice EMB, although long not as horny complex and fruity as the 95. In particular, the lychee, mint, sandalwood, chocolate note I find extremely exciting, but the needs quite a bit of time to open so completely! Finish is relatively short compared to other EMB's ... Otherwise, the rating would be higher."

"Intensive, schöne und fruchtig-würzige Nase. Sehr voll und rund. Hier wieder die getrocknete, geschwefelte Aprikose im Vordergrund. Dahinter Sauerkirsche, Johannisbeere, Ananas und Rosine. Süße von herbem Waldhonig und Vanille. Am Gaumen hab ich als erstes einen herb-süßen Charakter und sogleich auch bitter-würzig-salzig. Dann schiebt sich etwas fruchtiges von Passionsfrucht und Papaya dazu. Muskat und Vanille unterstreichen den auch holzigen Ton. Hinten kommen noch etwas Tee und Minze. Im Abgang bleibt er holzig fruchtig und geht in Richtung Schwarztee mit Minze. Toller, alter Monymusk!"