This comparative tasting gathers six Caroni Employees 5th and 6th releases bottled under Velier’s “Very Special Great Bottle” (VSGB) series in 2021. Each rum commemorates one of the legendary workers of the closed Trinidad distillery. A deep dive into the stylistic nuances of these high-ester, cask-strength icons, exploring both their raw intensity and their unexpected finesse. 25yo, rocketfuel ABV, full tropical aging. Let’s go!
CARONI EMPLOYEES UNITED 6th RELEASE 25yo 1996 66,6%
Colour: Mahogany, red lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Heady citrus notes melted into intense burnt plastic shades. Lingering resinous and vegetal notes, rotten pepper, and tomato leaf. Clearly high esters, though a bit less precise than some peers. Fresh cedarwood in the background.
Palate: High-acidity profile, yet surprisingly well-integrated despite the devilish ABV. Extreme acidulous notes on blackcurrant and blueberry jam. Heavy tannins in the aftertaste, ending on burnt caramel and cooked tarragon.
Last Notes: A touch of kirsch and nutty tones. Still very citrus-forward, with hesperidic brightness and a robust oak structure. Back on the palate, spiced aromas lead to cigar-like tannins.
Undeniably Caroni, wild and aromatic, but slightly imprecise, with a lack of full wood integration.
88/100
Caroni Employees Mahesh Bridgelal 25yo 1996 6th release 64.6%
Colour: Mahogany, red lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Briny and salty at first. Full of tropical fruit, overripe mango, and banana, with warm spices (paprika, ras el hanout) and subtle precious wood in the background.
Palate: Thick texture. Cola sweets and licorice at first, then dark, meaty notes and mentholated freshness. Herbal tones of green pesto, savory, and parsley. Ends on pineapple stew and cinnamon.
Last Notes: Pleasant wet rancio on undergrowth. Slightly yeasty, with hints of Parmesan and bread dough. Delicate pear eau-de-vie and apricot liqueur.
Brutal and delicate at once. A lovely Caroni, only missing a touch of precision to go higher.
89/100
CARONI EMPLOYEES DHANRAJ MAHARAJ 5th RELEASE 25YO 1996 66,3%
Colour: Mahogany, red lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Heady burnt tones of plastic and coal. Floral shades on potpourri and jasmine. Passion fruit brightness. Chicken broth and smoky wood in the background.
Palate: More structured than expected. Burnt wood, plum eau-de-vie aftertaste, camphory depth. Slightly dusty. Bold oak presence.
Last Notes: Briny black olive tapenade, citrus zest, charcoal, and precious wood. Herbal finish on toasted bread and cooked herbs.
Strong oak structure and solid personality, but missing finesse and layering.
87/100
Caroni Employees Dirty Harry Seeharack 6th Release 1996 25YO 66,2%
Colour: Mahogany, red lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Candied orange and gingerbread at first. Vanilla and caramelized carrot. Toasted notes of dark chocolate and cocoa powder.
Palate: Thick texture. Explosive acidity on berlingot sweets. Intense fuel merged with rancioted fruit. Liquid licorice and black tea nuances. Perfect length and great alcohol integration.
Last Notes: Resinous and oxidative shades, old tawny Port, precious wood. Heady perfume of vine peach and mango stew. On the palate again, acacia honey, raisins, and marzipan.
Generous, complex and beautifully layered. One of the most complete of the series, though maybe a tad too woody.
88+/100
Caroni Employees Breeze Manmohan 5th Release 1996 25YO 66,7%
Colour: Mahogany, red lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Yeasty notes at first, followed by breakfast tea and candied citrus. Christmas spices, papaya, mango. A refined mix of ruby Port, cigar, and verbena infusion.
Palate: Superb tannic structure, lifted by menthol freshness. Reminiscent of mid-aged Tuscan wines. Heavy texture, with camphor, orange liqueur, and nutty rancio, a bit like Grosperrin Orange d’Or liqueur.
Last Notes: Honey, pistachio, candied citrus, caraway and ginger spice. Finishes on cinnamon and long-steeped tea.
Stunning Caroni. Deep, balanced, and aromatic.
89+/100
Caroni Employees Roop Toolsie 5th Release 1996 25YO 66,1%
Colour: Mahogany, red lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Magnificent rancio, halfway between very old Pineau (50/60yo) and overripe tropical fruit (kiwi, passion fruit). Crushed almond, fresh basil, marijuana leaf, and a hint of modeling clay.
Palate: Exquisite and layered. Starts on banana sweets, then unfolds into amaretto, dried figs, cardamom, modeling clay (!!), kirsch, hard cider. Perfect alcohol integration and infinite length.
Last Notes: Fresh cardamom, cedar-like brightness, modeling clay, new paper, ink remover, like an old school desk. Pear, citrus, hazelnut, pistachio, camphor, and a final lift of Capovilla peach eau-de-vie and bergamot.
A masterpiece. You expect an ester monster and find delicate balance and precision instead. Perfect wood integration. A true gem, and my favorite out of these six rarities.
91/100
Tasting through these six Caroni Employees bottlings was a rare privilege. Each of them tells part of the story of the legendary Trinidad distillery, not only through its unmistakable aromatic signature, but also through the people whose names now live on these bottles. Beyond their raw power, these rums capture a human legacy preserved and shared thanks to Luca Gargano and Velier, whose vision continues to make such historical spirits (almost) accessible to enthusiasts.
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