The Last Caroni Reviews: 100th Anniversary v. Employees 3rd Release ("Buju")

This here represents almost certainly my last ever flight of Caronis. And let me start by saying that it's important to make sure you get rid of your rinse water before filling your glass with something expensive and irreplaceable.

(It's okay, I'd already cleaned the glass once earlier in the day and I avoided a drowning incident.)

So, Caroni! The legendary shuttered distillery of Port of Spain, Trinidad, former supplier of the British navy and other rum blenders and now hot ticket collector's item. You can read a little bit more about the stuff, say, here: https://www.10best.com/interests/drin.... I blinded one of these a year and a half ago (   • Blind Tasting/Review #2: Caroni 2000 High ...   ) and since then I've managed to recruit two other boston rounds (both Velier releases) from my pals Tan and Jose... and I expect to see no more after these. They're both good and both distinctively Caroni, but they're also hilariously priced and I can't recommend either one except as an investment asset. Stats:

Caroni Navy Rum "100th Anniversary" 90 Proof (Velier/Maison du Whisky, 18 years old, 2018 release; 51.4% ABV), 85/100
Caroni Heavy Rum Employees Special Edition 3rd Release: Ganesh "Buju" Ramgobie (Velier; 7 barrels, aged 1998-2020, 22 years old; 67% ABV), 88/100

And, well, what is there to say? The Caroni spirit speaks louder in the former, but I like the latter - which is more of an oak bomb - better. And, even though I'm glad to have tried them and said my goodbyes, I'm left a little cold. Once one is past the novelty of the Caroni burning tires note, ultimately I think one is left to enjoy just a traditional column still rum that's spent a long time in oak (I was actually reminded of a 15yo Belize:    • The Dry-A-Thon: Russell's Reserve 10 v. PM...   ). And if what you're in the market for is a really good English-style rum with a ton of oak and a pronounced industrial character, then what's wrong with South Pacific pot distillate (   • Fijian Rumparison: Transcontinental Rum Li...   ) or the pretty widely available Vendome bottlings coming out of St. Lucia (   • St. Lucia 2005 Rumparison : Chairman's Res...   )? Especially when one can grab a fifth of of each plus a shot of Caroni at a nice bar (for bucket list purposes) and still have spent way less money than buying a full bottle of either product here?