Velier Caroni 4th Employees Dayanand „Yunkoo“ Balloon 1998
Highly praised, powerhouse Caroni: massively intense, dirty tar‑and‑rubber profile with menthol, wood and dark fruits, long warming finish and surprising balance for the huge ABV.
Seasoned Caroni fans and lovers of intense, dirty, high‑proof rums who enjoy tar, rubber, wood and menthol with buried tropical fruit and don’t mind giving a glass lots of time.
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How does this rum taste?
Explosive, dirty, menthol-heavy Caroni
If you love heavy, dirty Caroni like other 1998 Velier releases, this is a must-try—same tar and rubber punch, dialed up in power with extra menthol and oak complexity.
Beginners, anyone sensitive to high ABV, or drinkers who dislike petrolly, rubbery, smoky profiles and prefer soft, sweet, easy‑going sippers or gentle wood influence.
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About the Caroni distillery
The Caroni distillery is located in Trinidad. Rums from Caroni have been reviewed 9,807 times with an average of 8.8/10.
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Epic Velier Caroni Tasting 2023: Intense HTR, wood, spices, tobacco and menthol flank the typical tar, rubber and petrol aroma profile of heavy Trinidad rums. A very good representative of the 1998 Caroni vintage.
The rum would have knocked out the other two Caroni's in the flight blindfolded. Undisputed nose-and-palate heavyweight champion. That's what a Caroni has to be like!
A Caroni representing the distillery's heavy style. The nose is very intense at first, with notes of oil, smoke and spices, then gains in subtlety after aeration with some fruity notes, caramel and hazelnut. The attack on the palate is powerful, heavy and very warm, with notes of tar and rubber. The smoky, spicy side is as present as ever, with a hint of leather and bitterness. Still, red fruits and citrus fruits lurk in ambush, making it easier to drink. The finish is long, dark, smoky and woody, with tannins drying out the palate. A hint of mango also makes itself felt. An unpolished, complex Caroni that reveals much more after aeration.
Yesterday I had the unique opportunity to compare this rum with other 98s, including Paradise #2. Compared to the Paradise, this one is quite different, very brute with a high alcohol content that is not perfectly integrated, becomes milder with time, nice menthol notes!