Aroma visualization from community tastings
Bristol Caroni HTR 1997
Tasters land close to agreement here: a proper Caroni, just leaning a touch more fruity than tarry. The nose is all "garage" — motor oil, diesel, leather, tobacco — before red fruit, mango, orange and vanilla push through. On the palate it's smoky, oily and oaky with caramel and citrus. A few wish it hit harder on tar; one found it slightly less complex than other 1997s.
The community says- Classic garage nose
- Oily full body
- Slightly short finish
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The look inside the bottle
How does Bristol Caroni HTR 1997 taste?
Aggregated from 50 community reviews.
Oily, smoky Caroni that leans fruity Loved by Caroni fans as an elegant, oily 1997 — dirty nose, fruitier palate. Some want more tar or find it a shade less complex than sibling releases.
Caroni and heavy Trinidad-style fans
Newcomers or anyone put off by tar and rubber
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
16 of 50 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is Bristol Caroni HTR 1997 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.5 sits in the “Very good” band. 96% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Community voices
What does the community say?
12% rate it between 6 and 8. 11 selected write-ups from 50 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
This is yet another release of the 1997 Caroni and it has just gotten better with even more aging. A nice Trinidad and Tobago blend that shines beside the other 1997 releases. You may want to add a drop or two of water if you think it bites too much or you just leave it to rest for 15-30 minutes. A wonderful nose transferring into a full bodied complex rum with a long warm finish.
Review by Boletus
Mindestens 15 Minuten lang nach dem Einschenken duftet dieser Caroni hauptsächlich nach Leder, Tabak und den charakteristischen „Werkstattnoten“, bevor er den Früchten und den sanfteren, getoasteten Eichenaromen Zugang gewährt. Im Mund folgt ein köstliches Wechselspiel von Gewürzen, tropischen Früchten und tiefgründiger Eiche, ohne dabei die ledrige Seite, welche der Geruch angekündigt hat, zu vernachlässigen. Ein toller Rum!
Review by Mike H.
My dry January lasted four and a half days but I just couldn’t refuse to sample this Caroni 😂 Lovely dirty nose, more fruity taste wise. A very good Caroni!
Review by Piotr Ignasiak
On the nose solvents and cherry, some vanilla. In taste more woody and citrusy than the Replica, only other Caroni I had. Somehow less interesting than the other one, less complex, although I do enjoy a more bitter profile.
Review by Vincent D
Always a nice experience to discover a Caroni. This one is at first quite light on the nose, rather sweet. Then we feel that it rises in power with smoked notes. In the mouth, it is first sweet and caramelized then it becomes heavier and thicker. Solvents, tar, burnt arrive to mark the Caroni territory.Sympathetic tasting :)
Review by Maxime Clr 🇫🇷
A superb nose of wood, spices and citrus. Mango and tropical fruit are also present, along with orange and butterscotch. Very, very good on the palate! Vanilla, caramel and coconut mingle with citrus and wood. A superb bottle with a fairly low ABV, but it's hyper-concentrated! An elegant caroni without being exceptionally dirty.
Review by Djehey
This is good... Not very marked on the tar side.
Review by Jakob
Crosstasting 1997er Caronis aus kontinentaler Lagerung: Sehr nahe an den Schwesterreleases von Bristol, die HTR-DNA ist bei allen klar erkennbar. Mein Favorit ist das jüngste Release der Reihe dank seiner expressiven „Jugendlichkeit“, wir bewegen uns aber durchweg auf hohem Niveau.
Review by Adrien B
Joli b fruité noyau fruit rouge. Forêt noire avec feuille de menthe. Très frais.
Review by Nicolas Sicilia
On sait direct où l’on est ! Le nez tabac cuir garage sale !! Bref très Caroni ce nez ! Du bois aussi pas mal de bois En bouche l’alcool est juste ce qu’il faut ! En bouche C’est brûlé fumé ! Un peu de caoutchouc et une petite fraîcheur légère ! Un très beau rhum bien Caroni mais je préfère un poil plus de fruit
Review by Arnaud Faverjon
Excellent with its dirty accents, its mechanical, motor-oil side, with wax, camphor, controlled woodiness amidst some red fruit. The only downside is a slightly short finish.
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Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by The Secret Rum Bar
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Expert review by Le Blog À Roger
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Expert review by In Spiritus Veritas
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Details about Bristol Caroni HTR 1997
A rum from Trinidad, bottled by Bristol Classic Rum, at 56,4%.
Community purchases
58 bottles logged by 48 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
15% opened, 4 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Bristol Caroni HTR 1997?
Community paid 201–367 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
58 purchased · 50 tasted · 22 wishlist · as of
About the Caroni distillery
The Caroni distillery is located in Trinidad. Rums from Caroni have been reviewed 10,324 times with an average of 8.8/10.
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Bristol Caroni Caroni Distillery 1998
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Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 17 HTR 1998
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 17 HTR 1998Dirty, balanced Caroni with tar and dried fruit
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 21 1996
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 21 1996Tar, rubber and tropical fruit in balance
Bristol Caroni HTR 1974
Bristol Caroni HTR 1974Diluted but gorgeous fruity old Caroni
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Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
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