April Auction starts Friday 12 April. Bottle deadline 8 April.

Caroni 1998 Rum Nation 18 Year Old

Lot: 10629

Caroni 1998 Rum Nation 18 Year Old

Winning Bid: £145

Currency Estimate

Important: Currency exchange rates are constantly changing; this feature is to be used as a guide price only. All final transactions occur in British Pounds (£).
Lot:
Distillery: 
Caroni
Age: 
18 Year Old
Vintage: 
1998
Region: 
Trinidad
Bottler: 
Rum Nation
Cask Type: 
N/A
Bottled Strength: 
55%
Bottle Size: 
70cl
Distillery Status: 
Closed
Production method: 
n/a
Base: 
Trinidad molasses
product Details

Caroni 1998 Rum Nation 18 Year Old

The Caroni distillery is said to have been established in 1918, however there are several historical references that suggest distilling was happening there earlier in the 20th century. It became part of the Tate & Lyle firm in 1936, who used it as a base for expanding their eventually considerable sugar operations in Trinidad. Caroni was a key ingredient of the British Navy rations, where its famous high-ester 'Heavy' rums helped to make up the signature flavour. Sadly, with the decline of the Trinidadian sugar industry, Tate & Lyle sold a 51% controlling stake to the government in 1970, before it became fully nationalised in 1975. Despite being self-sufficient in molasses, the newly established Caroni (1975) Ltd continued to lose money for the next 25 years until the government tried to minimise its ownership, selling off 49% of its share, just enough to retain control. Angostura were the preferred bidders, but a dispute over the value of Caroni’s warehoused stock scuppered the deal, and Caroni was closed for good in 2003.

In the end, Angostura still acquired the majority of the circa 18,000 warehoused Caroni barrels for blending. These remained in Trinidad, as did a large batch of casks later acquired by Velier's Luca Gargano in 2004. A great number of casks also found their way over to Europe as well though, imported by Bristol Spirits and the Main Rum Company, resulting in a proliferating number of sought after continentally aged releases from independent bottlers like this over the years.

This is a 1998 vintage, bottled by Italian firm Rum Nation and matured for 12 years tropically and 6 years in England. Bottled in 2016 from 20 casks.

Rum Nation was founded in 1999 by Fabio Rossi, CEO of Rossi & Rossi and modelled after his highly successful whisky bottling company, Wilson & Morgan. Since its inception it has earned a good reputation for producing some excellent quality and value drinking rums, especially at the premium end of the spectrum.

Important Notice

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Please note: Due to the various ages of bottles and their seals, condition of liquid is at the buyer's discretion and no claim can be lodged against failure/leakage in transit.