Compagnie des Indes 1994 Trinidad Caroni 21-Year

Nose: Rather reserved nose, there are almost no typical Caroni aromas. Instead, quite flowery aromas, vanilla, light wood, some honey sweetness with bright fruits (possibly melon). Barrel aromas are a little deeper and you can imagine the dirty aromas in the background. That means some leather and that's it. No tar or gum.
So this is a completely different Caroni, comes across more like a normal rum. Quite light and sweet with fruity aromas.
Possibly this was the rum that was diluted and bottled as Felicite Gold Rum, for more information:
https://in-spiritus-veritas.blogspot.com/2019/09/caroni-felicite-gold-original-aus-den.html

Taste: Sweet start with honey and vanilla, then after a while light fruit, but also orange. Then the leather develops with tannins and the sharpness increases. Vanilla and light wood from the bourbon barrels. The leather rises towards the finish, some earthy aromas (there may be some tar and wood varnish, which I can hardly perceive in the combination).
The finish is sharp, again with vanilla, the light wood and the leather.

Aftertaste: leather, vanilla, wood, wood lacque

Conclusion: I wouldn't have recognized in my nose that it was a caroni. I would also have guessed an unspectacular rum that I would hardly have paid any attention to. But it surprises a little more on the palate. Nevertheless, this typical dirty caroni component is missing and that's why it's only half a caroni for me.

Overall rating: 83 points

Sweetness: 2/5
Fruit: 3/5
Spice: 4/5
Complexity: 3/5
PL (325 €): 1 / 5

7,6:On the nose, the first impression we get is not very pleasant, as the rum is heavy with metallic, synthetic and chemical touch, gunpowder as we were in some industrial work shop or similar. As it settles down, almond, citrus and tar could be noticed.
Well, it looks like aeration is urgently needed, as we get a bit different colours with red fruits, honey, marzipan, some nuts, pear, going towards overripe tropical fruits. Basic medicinal notes stay, bit are more muted now.
If well rested, the rum becomes darker with molasses and licorice, roasted with coffee, spicy with ginger and vanilla. We also find meat, peat and tobacco notes... Trinidadian dirty navy rhum as it is... Caroni.
8,4:On the palate, the attack is fruity with citrus and woody with tannins, roasted, medicinal with solvents, copper, burnt sugar, quite spicy. Quickly becomes dry, toasted with nuts, tropical fruits as maracuja, prunes. There is a nice honey touch and some caramel, tea. Going into more whisky notes with meat, peat, musty/ashy touch and tobacco. We cannot miss tar and finally herbal hints... Complex and well balanced, tasty.
8,1:The finish is long, woody, dry with tannins, dried fruits and vanilla, later with overripe tropical fruits, that become candied and honeyed, a bit spicy, musty and tar...

Better than existing reviews show...It shines, becomes round, tasty after a nice rest...Trinidadian navy rhum...

This is a different and very pleasing, smooth Caroni. I have been lucky enough to taste this CDI caroni twice. It is smooth, silky and it will warm your palate with classic Caroni flavors and a great nose. Truly one of the best Caroni-bottlings I have tasted.