Aroma visualization from community tastings
Swell de Spirits T.D.L Private Garden No. 14 (Clos des Spiritueux) 2005
Tar, rubber and campfire smoke roll out of the glass — this is a TDL Trinidad rum finished in a Caroni cask, and the cask runs the show. Underneath sit menthol and eucalyptus freshness, burnt caramel and a little dried fruit, with an oily sweetness on the palate. At 61.6% it's warm but the alcohol sits well; a few drops of water round it off. Blind, most tasters would swear it's a straight Caroni.
The community says- Dirty Caroni notes
- Menthol freshness
- But: Heavy smoke
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The look inside the bottle
How does Swell de Spirits T.D.L Private Garden No. 14 (Clos des Spiritueux) 2005 taste?
Aggregated from 24 community reviews.
Smoky, tarry Caroni-cask Trinidad at cask strength Widely liked as a Caroni cask done right — dirty, smoky, industrial notes dominate the TDL base. The heavy smoke isn't for everyone, and a few find the finish salty.
Caroni fans who want tar and smoke
anyone who dislikes smoky, peaty spirits
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15 of 24 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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How is Swell de Spirits T.D.L Private Garden No. 14 (Clos des Spiritueux) 2005 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.4 sits in the “Very good” band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
88% rate it 8 or higher. 16 selected write-ups from 24 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Thunderbird
Most helpful positive review
The Caroni barrel did a great job! I could almost imagine that there was still a good amount of residual moisture. The fresh T.D.L aromas (mint, menthol, eucalyptus) are still perceptible, as is a burnt caramel sweetness ... but that's it. The rest is a nice strong dirty caronia aroma. I like it a lot... Blindly I would have guessed a pure but weaker Caroni
Review by HenryL
Most helpful mixed review
Sehr rauchig in der Nase. Blind hätte ich auf Whisky getippt. Im Mund dann deutlich angenehmer. Der Rauch bleibt zwar aber wird von dreckigen Caroni Noten eingehegt. Für mich führen die zwei Rumstile die ich einzeln sehr gerne mag hier aber nicht zu einem stimmigem Gesamtbild.
Review by SaibotZtar
Uiuiui ... The Caroni finish is clearly noticeable... lots of dirty notes in the nose ... Dried fruit, chocolate, tar, rubber, some leather polish and a pleasant sweetness. The rum needs easily a 3/4h time rather more ... On the palate there is first an oily sweetness ... immediately comes a brutal smoky note that I don't like at all (I don't like smoky at all) ... this remains almost alone on the tongue for a long time ... A little later there is some fruit and bitterness (rubber, leather), very light mint and some barrel. For me, however, the smokiness predominates, which personally pushes the points down. Without this smoky influence it would certainly have been an 85+. Alcohol perfectly integrated.
Review by mto75
First of all, I looked up what I had noted in the other two 2005 TDLs I had tasted so far (Rhum Attitude, Swell PG #4). There were yellow fruits, floral, subtle menthol and buttery cookies. This one is clearly different, much more on dirty notes (bicycle inner tube, tar, engine room). The Caroni cask has clearly left its mark. Also dried fruit and caramel. I would be blind here without any problems with Caroni. Charred barrel on the palate and the torched remains of the old tire dealer, almost like the 94 Velier Guyana Stock. But I think it's good 😁One minus point for the finish, which is too salty for me...
Review by Skyfly
Den intensiven Caroni-Einfluss riecht und schmeckt man von Anfang bis Ende. Da starken Rauch- und Torfaromen erinnern ein wenig an ein Ex-Islay-Fass, was mir persönlich leider nicht so sehr zusagt. Dennoch ein guter Rum, der zweifelsohne die Gemüter spalten wird.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#6009 30.11.2025 Enjoying a few samples while watching Rambo IV. Nose Medium intense, wood, light roasted, faint smoke, light caramel, mint, light tar, faint rubber, light apple, citrus. Palate Medium intense, warm, wood, faint smoke, mint, light chocolate, light olive, faint salt, light rubber, light caramel, light tar, fruits. Finish Long and warm, wood, faint smoke, light coconut, light varnish, light tar, light peach, mint. Empty glass Mint, light tar, light rubber, chocolate, light caramel, light olive.
Review by zabo
Das Caroni Fass ist hier schön präsent könnte man sagen. Gefällt mir mir im Grunde genommen sehr gut, aber da ist diese komische rauchige whiskyartige Note, die mir persönlich nicht zusagt, was eine bessere Bewertung verbaut hat.
Review by Joachim Guger
Schöne Nase, Caroni ist gut erkennbar, könnte auch Lagavulin sein.🏴🏴🏴 Im Mund dann sehr kräftig, pelzig und viele Kräuter. Im Abgang geht es ähnlich weiter… Rauchig, Lagavulin kommt wieder ins Spiel. Mit etwas Wasser wird er weicher und runder. Gut gelungenes Finish! Danke nach Bonn!
Review by Mentalo
Das Caroni Fass Finish überlagert viel vom T.D.L. Paar fruchtig-beerige Noten, leicht Karamellige Süße und bisschen Menthol. Ansonsten dominiert der Caroni. Leider mit einer ausgeprägten rauchigen Noten. Vor allem der Abgang ist penetrant rauchig und süß. Leider nicht meins.
Review by Romain de L
Joint Singapore Toulouse dégustation with Benbrt ! Interesting nose - a bit stable / straw / acid. Frank attack but smooth, quite smoky, whisky type, fruits as well - quite a long finish Lacks a tad of amplitude
Review by BnBrt
2e dégustation: je suis moins convaincu par le nez. En bouche, la finale est fumé, tourbé et très longue. Très agréable Un très bon rhum. Je trouve le nez incroyable et plein de promesses, mais pas toutes délivrées. Nez très intéressant caramel à l'ouverture puis sur le fruit confit, pruneau avec une pointe de fraîcheur (agrume ?). Quand il s'ouvre un peu sur le cuir. Très intéressant. Attaque franche, je ne retrouve pas le fruit - plus gras, un côté "passage à l'étable" avec le cuir et le tabac blond et du fumé. Longueur très intéressante, un peu de cuir qui ressort.
Review by DeMaddin
Das Caronifinish bügelt ziemlich viel nieder. Die typischen TDL-Noten sind nur noch zum Teil wahrnehmbar. Was die Sache sehr spannend macht.Hier dominieren eher die dreckigen und vor allem rauchigen Noten aus dem Caronifinish. Der TDL wabert im Hintergrund.Blind hätte ich hier auf nen gemütlichen Caroni getippt.
Review by Johannes
Leider ein Whisky Finish dabei, das ich gar nicht mag.
Review by Mc Pirate
Premier nez sur le foin et le lait ! Odeur très fermière et me rappelle le passage des vaches dans la machine à traire. Le végétal l’emporte d’une petite longueur. Bouche très forte avec du sucre sur le bout de la langue puis de l’alcool avec beaucoup d’exter !
Review by John Coffey
Très marqué par le fut c'est incroyable..on sent bien le côté fumé
Review by Steven Quam
Tasted 2026-08-14 outturn 140 bottles · 5 - Nose — Clearly Caroni-inflected. An industrial quality, some Sharpie. Apple. Oak. An aged-agricole character underneath. - Palate — The nose carries through, with an industrial, rubbery streak alongside and a campfire quality. The governing image: eating a feta-mint salad at a campfire — fresh mint front and center, a little pine nut. Red apple. Peach. Perhaps the tiniest touch of orange. - Finish — Short to medium. Fruit lingers, peach especially. Residual flavors pleasant. Verdict — 9 / 10 (t8ke) · The marriage of TDL distillate with the Caroni cask is the whole point, and it lands — mint and red-apple/peach fruit from the distillate, industrial rubber and campfire from the cask, with no seam between them. Scored above where I'd expect consensus to land. The finish is the weakest element; the profile is carrying the score.
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Market value
Avg. community purchase price 168 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about Swell de Spirits T.D.L Private Garden No. 14 (Clos des Spiritueux) 2005
A rum from Trinidad, bottled by Swell de Spirits, at 61,6%.
Community purchases
40 bottles logged by 28 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
15% opened, 2 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Swell de Spirits T.D.L Private Garden No. 14 (Clos des Spiritueux) 2005?
Community paid 140–160 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
40 purchased · 29 tasted · 18 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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