CARONI 1998 Full Proof "Caroni Estate 1975" One of 2750 bottles.

Nose : concentrated, appealing, candied. Oak has made its entrance! This Caroni unveils its opus in three parts. The initial nose is woody (white oak) and spicy (spice bread, cinnamon, cloves). The second part is an explosion of apricots, plums and exotic fruits (flambéed banana). Caroni takes its time in revealing its true character in the third and final part. A handful of empyreumatic and mineral notes (hot tar), enveloped in musk, simply jump out of the glass. The epilogue is floral and heady.

Palate : intense. The palate is hit by a tidal wave of flavours: oak then spices and finally hot asphalt. A drop of water cools things down and the palate becomes mellow, highly fruity, mentholated and camphoric. Rum and raisin ice cream, liquorice sweets and a soft note of liquorice sticks, followed by animal and liquorice notes.

Overall : warm, takes its time. Bourbon vanilla and ripe banana come first, followed by a touch of aniseed. The finish is delicate and smooth with aromas of white oak, cream, butter, vanilla and salted butter caramel. Its final flourish is however very ‘Caronian’: mineral!