Colour: Straw.
Nose: That’s fruitier than expected! It’s powerful but the alcohol integration is pretty good for this ABV. Apricots, peaches, sugar, candied fruits, bananas, wet wood, leather, white pepper, lemons and vanilla.
Mouth: Warm and astringent, surprising? Bananas, yellow fruits jam, peaches, apricots, spices, nutmeg, burnt wood, candied fruits, mirabelle plums with some salty and iodized notes. There’s a pleasant sweetness that contrast with that power.
Finish: Long, bitterish and slightly salty. Burnt wood, smoke, sugar, bitter cocoa and some floral notes.

A very atypical Uitvlugt, I enjoyed it even if it could be more complex and balanced.

Score: 86

Colour: Deep gold.
Nose: Did you said Demerara? Tar, rubber, tyres, fuel, leather, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramelized pineapples, candied lemons, peppermint, basil with some exotic fruits in the background. Well-balanced nose.
Mouth: Easy to sip, the glass goes down very fast! Wood, cocoa, fuel, smoked beef, leather, tar, mint, vanilla, sea water and very salty black olives. It’s less fruity than the nose and slightly bitterish as well.
Finish: Mid-long and bitter. Burnt wood, bitter cocoa, dark chocolate and vanilla.

A nice every day Caroni, release price was about 100€, I should have buy a case of those!

Score: 87

Colour: Same colour as the reduced one, deep gold.
Nose: This one is dirtier, the Caroni DNA is even more present! Leather, tobacco, wood, nutmeg, white pepper, iodized notes, brine, milk chocolate and bitter oranges.
Mouth: Nice oily texture. That’s powerful but the alcohol integration is very good. Pineapples, mangoes, oils, diesel, tyres, solvents, ginger, toasted bread and mineral notes. This is quite evolutive, the mouthfeel start with sweetness, then it becomes warmer, it reminds me some very nice rums I had the chance to taste.
Finish: Long and Caroni signed-off. Vanilla, peppermint, dark bitter chocolate, dark smoke and pastries.

Are we really in Guyana right there? In a blind tasting I would have say with no doubt it’s a Caroni, and this is what I actually think.

Score: 90

Colour: Light copper.
Nose: The Caroni notes are less present than the first release but they’re still present. The alcohol integration could be a bit better. Sardines, anchovies, leather, fuel, tyres, engine oil and wood. That’s not the most complex nose of the line-up.
Mouth: Fruitier than the nose. Pineapples, mangoes, wood, diesel, engine oil, grilled sardines, vanilla, leather, tobacco leaves, ashes and oranges. This optimum proof makes him more mature and refined, I love it.
Finish: Long, drying and slightly bitterish. Peppermint, vanilla, smoke and some floral notes.

A great example that a great reduction doesn’t means a reduction of flavours. Good job!

Score: 88

Colour: Light copper.
Nose: Like the Optimum nose, the aromas seem a bit muffled. The alcohol integration could be a bit better as well, even if it’s clearly decent. Wood, mint, praline, dark chocolate, eucalyptus and black olives. There’s a pleasant freshness I didn’t notice with the Optimum proof.
Mouth: Drying and astringent at first sip. Exotic fruits, caramelized pineapples, engine oil, ashes, papayas, passion fruits, diesel, burnt wood and cocoa. It’s more bitterish than the Optimum proof.
Finish: Long and more fresh. Peppermint, Jamaican pepper, butter and milk.

Close battle but in this case, I enjoyed a bit more the Optimum proof!

Score: 87

Colour: Gold.
Nose: Very different than the two first, there is a sweet side we didn’t had before. Coffee, buns, butter, vanilla sugar, pastries, fuel, oils, bananas and exotic fruits in the background. What a nice balance between those sugary notes and the Caroni signature aromas!
Mouth: More dirty than the nose. Bananas, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, mangoes, engine oil, burnt rubber, burnt caramel, tyres and toasted bread. It becomes more and more bitterish.
Finish: Long and very fresh. Burnt wood, peppermint and dark bitter chocolate.

This time the Optimum proof make it more Caroni, more dirty. If you like this kind of Caroni you should look for this bottling.

Score: 88

Colour: Gold.
Nose: Boom! That’s powerful at first. Caramelized fruits, vanilla sugar, butter, buns, oranges, leather, tobacco and cocoa. That’s clearly more fruity than the Optimum one.
Mouth: Very pleasant oily texture. It’s slightly bitterish. We met exotic fruits again, mangoes, papayas, nutmeg, pineapples, wood, engine oil, tyres, dark chocolate, caramel and black olives. The mouth is warm and quite evolutive, I love it.
Finish: Very long and warm. Chillies, vanilla, burnt wood, bitter chocolate and honey.

This one was my first Le Gus’t Demerara experience, it made me want to go further, I just love it.

Score: 90