CARONI GUYANA 23 ans 1996 HTR Blend The Last Edition 20196

Nose : powerful, rich. Straight away, the initial nose invites us to admire a painting of oranges placed upon a bed of tarmac. Further developing these asphalt notes, the aromatic palette is saturated with mineral notes (basalt, manganese, schist). Gradually, a handful of exotic fruits (passion fruit, mango), apple jelly and dark chocolate emerge from an ocean of molten lava. In the distance, we catch a glimpse of vanilla pod, lemon and candied pear.

Palate : ethereal, complex. The deliciously exotic (passion fruit, mango) attack quickly moves into terpene and phenols (tarmac, diesel, earth). In the archetypal Caroni style, the mid-palate alternates between being mineral, fruity (orange, lemon), roasted (coffee), vegetal (pipe tobacco) and floral (gillyflower) registers. Next, jams (marmalade, fig) and new florals (jasmine, petunia) help bind the end of the palate.

Overall : long, very assertive. Without departing from the minerality that acts as its backbone, the start of the finish is like smoking a delicately spiced cigar. Suddenly a superb note of ripe banana takes over the entire palette of flavours. On the retro-nasal olfaction, passion fruit mixes with lime blossom honey and orange blossom. The very dense empty glass is mentholated, mineral, herbaceous (savory, thyme, oregano), chocolatey and roasted (coffee).