Valinch & Mallet Long Pond The Spirit of Art VRW 2005

2023 and I still love it though at the last bottle 😊 Another wonderful bottling from Valinch & Mallet. Happy that I got my hands on 2 bottles. Remember to rest for 15-20 minutes to release all those wonderful flavours. 2021.12.10 Sitting in my recliner right now enjoying this wonderful rum. No wonder people like it, real funk and fruits from Jamaica. I have the entire series and the general quality level is very high.

Delicious combination of fresh, fruity Jamaican aromas with vanilla-oakwood flavors reminiscent of Barbados and a present spicy note. Overall, a very appealing complexity. The VRW Marque demonstrates its diversity here and is convincing across the board. Very drinkable.

The fruit, the balance, the age, the esters, the complexity. Really, really good! At the beginning it has nutty, chocolaty notes, later these change into very nice fruity notes. Everything is very well integrated.

This is a Long Pond just the way I like it... complex with funk, fruit, spice, wood and toasty sweetness. That's exactly how it should be, it's a good thing I still have a bottle to call my own. V&M did a great job and got a perfect bottling

Very tasty VRW with an extremely complex nose. Edit: Tasted again at Crosstasting Long Pond 2095/2006. Light esters and some solvent on the nose, lots of floral/perfumed aromas, but also lots of fruit and spice. Perhaps the most complex nose of the round. The whole thing continues on the palate, slightly soapy (not disturbing) and lots of fruit here too. Less intense than the other representatives, but just as much fun :)

incredibly harmonious easy Sipping long pond. seeeehr cool, I would have liked to buy a bottle...🤤 nice mix of dark chocolate, baked banana with sesame, espresso, ginger and orange+grapefruit zest, some mirabelle plum and pear, maple syrup and roasted pecans. It's not until the finish that the signature baked banana comes through subtly with a nice freshness of toasted sesame and mint. brutally delicious stuff!⚡ I like it even a good bit better than the Velier vrw 12y 💯 for me the best VRW on the market!

Pas de grosse surprise, les solvants typiques de la Jamaïque s’offre au nez immédiatement. Mais la salade de fruits tropicaux fait très vite son apparition. Le nez est très élégant avec une touche de miel très gourmande. L’ensemble est très agréable avec des effluves de légères épices et de boisé. En bouche, c’est dans la trame du nez, très fruité, à nouveau sur les fruits tropicaux et la fraise. C’est très léger et équilibré avec un boisé tout en douceur. Les 56.8% sont parfaitement fondu. Belle longueur plus sur le café qui s’estompe agréablement au fil du temps.

The nose starts intensely with bourbon and vanilla, complemented by (over)ripe tropical fruits. The typical Long Pond umami note is also present in the background. The alcohol is not disturbing on the nose and is well integrated. The palate is again bourbon-like at first, but tropical fruits, vanilla and oak are quickly added. The meaty notes are again in the background, but the oak comes to the fore. The rum finishes with a long aftertaste with a focus on roasted notes and oak. The fruit and a slight bitterness are also present. A wonderfully balanced, medium-bodied Long Pond from start to finish.

Für mich sicherlich einer der besten VRW, aber bei den ganz hohen Wertungen gehe ich nicht mit. Mit 56,8% eher wenig ABV, aber wirklich gelungene Abfüllung. Jetzt ab in den Mai Tai damit. Danke @Mentalo für das Sample

Amazing Long Pond, this one is a great pick from V&M, not that common nowadays (except for the just released Hampden sta(r)um). Fruit and balsamic vinagre. Fruits are mainly red dried fruits and will be heavily present drink side too. A bit of wood adds to the profile but the finish is the most amazing thing. Loooooong and consistent with what the nose suggested

Classic Long Pond profile. Nose is both funky and round but there is something that bothers me. I'm having a hard time finding what it is exactly. Anyway, palate is better in my opinion. Much more balanced and less herbal. A good rum overall.

Alcohol integration could be better

Tout simplement parmi les meilleurs long pond que j’ai pu déguster. Grosse claque. Il est superbe 🤩😍🤩 Complexité et longueur 🤩🤩🤩 c’est du lourd

Oak, vanilla, raisins and glue - really great re-entry after the DryJanuary. The alcohol is superbly integrated, the finish remains cookie dough.

L’odeur impressionnante avec un citron vert bien présent, et un coter amer en bouche qui m’a très perturbé ! Mais très bon rhum !