Papalin 2017 Haiti 4-Year

So this one caught my eye the other day as a new release in my favorite local rum stomping ground. This is an intriguing blend of 5 different Haitian rums, including Clairins, that have been tropically aged in Haiti for 4 Years across 32 different barrels, including an Ex-Caroni cask, then bottled by Velier at 53.1% That’s a lot to take in, it’s also very intriguing. Velier doesn’t tend to miss. I tend to like Haitian rum. I love Clairins. While I also absolutely adore the only Caroni I own, this is a first for me having a rum partially aged in a Caroni cask

So with all the craziness and intrigue does the rum live up to the hype and does it lay the parlay.

This rum has a delightful nose on it. Wafting from the Glencairn I get dominant Butterscotch and then Sherry before switching gears to Blackberries and White Grapes. Then to my great delight the scent switches gears again. Now I get strong Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Passionfruit Pudding, and chopped Peaches in Cream. The whole combination really is quite nice and a very pleasant olfactory experience.

The palate bears some semblance to the nose but is also its own show. Taking a sip I get Passionfruit Pudding, Peach Yogurt and Butterscotch. There is also a distinct but toned down Sour Cream note. Then the taste morphs again. Now I get old Rubber, a slight hint of Cognac and then a fascinating umami note that best correlates to Grilled Salmon Skin followed by Blanched Orange Peels. Surprisingly it all works quite well. There is a very distinct and present yogurt/sour cream note on this rum that is rather fascinating. And I think it works quite well.

The finish is deceiving in that initially you think it is a curt one note… and then it lingers, and then changes, and then changes again. And now it’s been 10 minutes since the glass is down and I am still getting different notes. Ultimately, you the aftertastes here are incredibly long, but only because it keeps slowly shifting.

After swallowing the first post-palate note is Peach Yogurt. And at first I thought that was all there was. Then after the glass was down a while I started tasting Charred Cedar Plank and Mineral Water (like flat sparkling water). About 10 minutes later I start tasting Chargrilled tomatoes. That’s funny. The 30 minutes out I start tasting Burning Rubber. Is that the Caroni Cask influence? Who knows.

This is indeed a rather intriguing rum but it takes a while to get there and is not quite as intense as some aged high ester rums. The complexity is very much there and is *very different* but a bit more subtle and drawn out. It’s a rum that you have to spend time with to really appreciate - which I do. This rum has a very noticeable and distinct yogurt and sour cream notes, so if that’s your thing, you won’t want to miss this.

This rum pretty much hits all spectrums of the palate sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami - though it is not especially intense in any particular aspect. The umami aspect is pretty interesting though: grilled salmon skins and charred tomatoes. Even if light those are some pretty interesting notes on an aged rum. The Caroni influence does indeed come though, at least on my bottle, though it’s on the finish and I have to wait a bit to get it.

Short Description: Grilled Salmon Skins heavily basted in Peach Yogurt with a Butterscotch drizzle

ABV: 53.1%

Country of Origin: Haiti

Nose: Butterscotch, Sherry, Blackberries, White grapes, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Passionfruit Pudding, Peaches in Cream

Palate: Passionfruit Pudding, Peach Yogurt, Butterscotch, slight Sour Cream, Old Rubber, slight hint of Cognac, Grilled Salmon Skin, Blanched Orange Peel

Finish: Peach Yogurt, Charred Cedar Plank, Mineral Water, long afterwards slight Charred Tomatoes, even longer still Burning Rubber

I have little to add Mujuru's excellent review beyond a few photos. Somehow, flavors of young clairin, molasses rums, and wood aging meet with little discordance. Most rum fans should find something to love here.

Tento rum je blendem clairinů z palíren Vaval, Sajous, Casimir a Le Rocher, které byly destilované v roce 2017 a rumu vyrobeného ze sirupu cukrové třtiny v destilerii Port - au - Prince v roce 2018. Rumy dozrávaly v sudech po rumu Caroni, Mount Gay, bourbonu Buffalo Trace a koňaku.

Aroma: Krásně plná vůně přezrálého torpického ovoce, cukrový sirup, svěží travnatost a rozkvetlé květiny.
Chuť: Hutná, sirupová, ovocná. Lehce pikantní.
Dozvuk: Tinkturový, lehce bylinkový se stopou ovocné travnatosti. Delší.
Sladkost: 0/3
Ochutnán vzorek
Perfektně vybalancovaný a komplexní mix haitských rumů.

Voní nádherně, bylinky, květiny, seno, pečený ananas, dřevo - divokost Haiti skvěle zakulacená. Chuť trochu pokulhává za vůni. Jsou určitě hlubší a sofistikovanější rumy. Tento rum je parádní ve své šťavnatosti. Je to na pořízení láhve. Za vuni davam 92 bodu, chut 88.

Výrazná ovocná vůně se shnilou trávou.
Na jazyku překvapivě jemný, následuje trochu ostřejší rumová chuť, typická pro rumy z Haiti, případně Jamajky.
Poněkud krátký dozvuk.
Rum je příjemný a mohu jen doporučit, ovšem těžko jej seženete.

5 rums and numerous barrels make this very complex yet slightly directionless. Aroma is very subtle with a slight white spirit aroma. Taste is a little more pronounced, slightly funky and estery, almost meaty, every now and then I get a hint of sherry or vanilla that disappears just as quickly. Mellow alcohol burn.

This is even better than I thought/hoped it might be!
I popped into my favourite wine/liquor shop, and the manager said, 'Try this!', and it's fantastic.
It has all the Clairin madness, but has a few years in cask to soften the edges, and it makes it not just a sipper, but a pot still blockbuster with it.
Smell and taste are burnt rubber and mad phenolics. Complexity coming out of its ears, and a finish that not just lingers, but I can still taste an hour later!
I love it, and now have to find a bottle. The wine shop only had an open bottle tosample, none to sell!

barva zlatá
- vůně výrazná ovocná a zkvašenost
- chuť výrazná, nasládlé žluté ovoce, koření, pepř, techničnost
Extrémně dlouhý ovocno technický závěr 👌

Not the biggest fan of.most aged clairin but this one retains nice freshness and complexity. Very good.