You may have noticed our latest hiatus (there seems to be one every year by now…) and once again, there has been a reason of course. But that will get it own announcement, just have some more patience. In the meantime, we have a bunch of TDLs, the majority of which should fall into the “winner” category (i.e. those blends from the early 2000s). Let’s start with a “real” T.D.L., however.
Rasta Morris T.D.L. 2007 13YO (67,3%): I am afraid that this is a soulless multi-column product with a few waxy notes and vanilla but let’s see. Nose: Wax? Check. Vanilla? Check. Soulless? Not totally so. There’s this odd note of sulphur but deep down I even believe to find a bit of mint, which is so characteristic for the early 2000s blends. Chocolate and honey are other, more subtle notes. Palate: Extremely smooth when judged by the high abv, I get notes of mint, chocolate, hazelnut, pear and candle wax. Finish: Rather short, with pear, vanilla and a whiff of mint. While it is not a great Rum, it is actually fine for what it is. Put differently, I think this is all you can and should expect from these types of T.D.L.s. 
(73/100)
Now on to the beauties.
Nobilis T.D.L. 2003 20YO (62,3%): Nose: This is already a very mature and woody distillate, something that Nobilis seems to be looking for with their selections. At least most of their bottlings are heavily cask-driven. Compared to the younger 2003s, this is decidedly more subtle and less minty. Instead, we get oak, eucalyptus, floral notes somewhere between lavender and violets and caramel vla perhaps. Not quite up there with the greats of the batch, at least as far as the nose is concerned. Palate: Very elegant and dangerously easy to sip. I get lots of vanilla, mint, greek yoghurt, sandal wood, eucalyptus and related notes, green tea as well as almonds, I think. Even though nose and palate are barely any different from one another, I really prefer the palate with this one. Finish: Relatively short with vanilla, oak, wax and spices. Not at all what you’d expect from this profile. It is good but personally, I prefer the slightly younger, more aggressive 2003s. (84/100)
Rom DeLuxe T.D.L. 2002 20YO (63,1%): I have only heard good things about this and indeed, I love these 2002s. Nose: Oh yeah. Mint, mint, mint and green fruits such as kiwi and bergamot. Then lemon balm, a hint of ginger, sugar cane juice and the perfect amount of wood. I’ve got to say, it is incredibly mouthwatering. Palate: I still get plenty of mint, but the palate is much more shaped by spices such as cloves, pepper and even though it is not really a spice, ginger. The intensity is high even though it is relatively one-dimensional in a sense, I am not missing much. Finish: Medium long to long, with mint, bergamot, spices and a certain sweetness that I’d attribute to sugar cane. Superb! (88/100)
Rasta Morris T.D.L. 2001 21YO (63,8%): And we are here. The Caroni that never was. Nose: Oh yeah, it is dirty. And minty. The perfect symbiosis if you want. Engine oil, mint en masse, menthol, sweet honey, rusty scrap, not too little oak and rich chocolate. My oh my, what a nose this is! Palate: This combination of mint/ menthol, engine oil and oak is simply the nuts. With the second sip I also get rich chocolate, a pronounced astringency and a lovely cup of espresso. This one ticks all the boxes for me. Finish: Long with mint, oak and chocolate. Here and there also a few spices from the cask. I may have said this before, but you won’t have to mix your Mint Julep anymore if you have this Rum. (89/100)