Caroni Rums
The closure of a distillery that gave birth to legendary rums.
In recent years, Caroni rums have taken a special place in the hearts of rum lovers and collectors. These frantically sought-after bottles are becoming increasingly rare. Let's take a look at this incredible story that has led to what is now known as "Caronimania".
If 2004 is the starting point of the history of Caroni rums as we know them today, its origins go back to the beginning of the 20th century. Indeed, the Caroni distillery, located in the heart of the eponymous plain on the island of Trinidad, began operations in 1918. Initially equipped with a cast iron still, replaced over the years by simple stills and column stills, it had its own sugar mill in order to ensure its supply of sugar cane locally.
The Caroni distillery quickly specialised in the production of "English Rums", better known as "Heavy Rums". These rums with a very singular style were particularly appreciated by the soldiers of the Royal Navy, which used to provide a daily ration to their sailors. This type of rum was widely produced in Jamaica and the former English colonies.
Unlike French agricultural rums, which are made from fresh cane juice, these rums are distinguished by their powerful and dense flavours, derived from molasses. Some enthusiasts even agree that, because of their aromatic structure, Heavy Rums could appeal to whisky lovers. They are fatter, rounder, complex and are usually distilled at very high proof.
As the Caroni distillery rarely produces bottlings under its own label, it remained for a long time the privilege of a few connoisseurs. This contributed to its mythical status as soon as it closed. Indeed, the Caroni distillery, owned by the State of Trinidad and Tobago, closed its doors in 2002, after 84 years of activity. Everything was left in place, abandoned. The equipment, the column and above all the precious oak barrels filled with rum.
This liquidation should have put an end to the history of the Caroni distillery, but fate decided otherwise and this was the beginning of the "Caronimania".
On 9 December 2004, Luca Gargano, general manager of the Maison Velier, an Italian company specialising in the import of exceptional spirits, went to the island of Trinidad as part of a photo trip on the theme of rum in the Caribbean. Accompanied by his photographer, Fredi Marcarini, Luca found himself in front of this abandoned distillery, whose column even resembled the "Tower of Pisa".
There he saw a lady bottling white rum. The lady explained that during the previous year, they had been closed down by government decision. Luca then proceeded to ask her if there were any barrels left in the distillery. The lady pushed open a few doors and Luca was confronted with what he could not have imagined in his wildest dreams: an incredible stock of rum consisting of about a hundred barrels, mainly vintages dating back to the 1980s, the oldest of which was from 1974.
Following this incredible discovery, Luca contacted the liquidator in charge of the Caroni distillery, Rudy Moore, to obtain some samples of this rum. After receiving and tasting the samples, Luca contacted Rudy again to negotiate the purchase of this treasure. The man managed to buy back the stock, in 4 times to be exact, because at the beginning the liquidator wanted to sell the whole distillery with the walls and the equipment and not just the barrels.
So, on April 1st 2005, the first 74 barrels of Caroni rum were shipped to Europe. Upon receipt, Luca decided to bottle the precious contents without delay. The result was the first Caroni. Two years later, Luca bought another part of the stock, which he also decided to bottle immediately. In 2008, he acquired yet another part of the casks and sent them to Demerara Distillers Ltd. in Guyana, a colleague of his, to be stored.
Finally, in 2011 Luca bought back all the remaining casks, some of which he had not purchased at the time due to their young age, the 1996, 1998 and 2000 vintages. Finally, in 2017, Luca repatriated his casks temporarily stored in Guyana.
In 2012, Velier began bottling the last 100% Trinidad vintage, the 2000 vintage. Unlike the other Caroni rums, this particular vintage will be reduced to 50% in order to express its full potential due to its young age. The others are generally bottled at their natural degree, known as "brut de fût" or "full proof", in order to preserve their incredible balance.
To this day, Velier still owns about twenty casks, the last of this beautiful story which, once bottled, will unfortunately be over.
The Caroni rums on the market today are highly coveted rarities. The long ageing process and the favourable climate of this small island off the Venezuelan coast have made it a world reference. These are very special rums, with beautiful petroleum notes, the distillery's signature, and a rich aromatic bouquet that takes us on a journey through fruit, wood and spices with every sip.
We are pleased to be able to offer you some of these historic rums. The opportunity to taste such rums is rare, reserved for a privileged few as their quantity is limited. Each sip contributes to the exhaustion of these exceptional rums produced by a small distillery that now belongs to the past....
CARONI RHUM - Heavy Full Proof - 20 years - 34th Release - 1996 - Bottle of 70 cl
CARONI RHUM - 100° Imperial Proof - 21 years - 1996 - Bottle of 70 cl
CARONI RHUM - 100° Proof - 23 years - Bottle of 70 cl
CARONI RHUM - Navy Replica - Extra Strong - 18 years - 2000 - Bottle of 70 cl
CARONI RHUM - Compagnie des Indes - 22 years - 1993-2016 - Bottle of 70 cl
CARONI RHUM - Rum Nation - 21 years - 1997 - Bottle of 50 cl
CARONI RUM - different cuvées and vintages available.
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