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

Caroni 1998 Rum Nation 23 Year Old Small Batch 50cl

Lot: 6033295

Caroni 1998 Rum Nation 23 Year Old Small Batch 50cl

Winning Bid: £180

Currency Estimate

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Lot:
Distillery: 
Caroni
Age: 
23 year old
Vintage: 
1998
Region: 
Trinidad
Bottler: 
Rum Nation
Cask Type: 
n/a
Bottled Strength: 
55.4%
Bottle Size: 
50cl
Distillery Status: 
Closed
Production method: 
column still
Base: 
Trinidad molasses
product Details

Caroni 1998 Rum Nation 23 Year Old Small Batch 50cl

The Caroni distillery is said to have been established in 1918, however there are several historical references that suggest distilling was happening there earlier in the 20th century.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.

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. 

This was distilled in Trinidad in 1998 and bottled in 2021. A small batch release, it was bottled from a 7 years finishing period in Ex-sherry casks.

 One of 860 bottles.

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.