Aroma visualization from community tastings
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1988
Here's the twist: this 1988 Caroni doesn't taste much like Caroni. At 43% it's diluted soft and round — caramel, toffee, brown sugar, coconut and toasted oak, with only a whisper of the tar and rubber the distillery is famous for. Several tasters said the nose reads closer to a Foursquare than a Trinidad rum. Very easy-drinking, but light on the dirty edge people chase here.
The community says- Easy, round sipper
- Caramel and coconut
- Diluted at 43%
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The look inside the bottle
How does Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1988 taste?
Aggregated from 18 community reviews.
Soft, diluted Caroni light on the tar A gentle, sweet-leaning Caroni that many find pleasant but underwhelming — the tar is faint and the profile stays light, so hardcore fans feel it misses the point.
People who want an easy, sweet-leaning Caroni to sip
Caroni fans chasing the heavy tar and rubber
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
6 of 18 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1988 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.3 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 →
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Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Community voices
What does the community say?
11% rate it between 6 and 8. 7 selected write-ups from 18 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Lawich Lowaine
En dégustation aveugle je n'aurai jamais reconnu Caroni. Il s'approche en effet d'un rhum espagnol. Il a quand même un bon goût mais manque de puissance pour être un top rhum
Review by Jakob
Epic Velier Caroni Tasting 2023: Lags somewhat behind the other releases, partly due to the dilution and partly due to the blended profile, which comes across as somewhat colorless overall with its light notes due to the reduction to drinking strength. Typical LTR sweetness meets very subtle HTR notes. Doesn't pick me up enough in direct comparison.
Review by TheRhumhoe
Un Caroni extrêmement léger qui a sûrement perdu beaucoup de son potentiel avec son degré amoindri. Le nez fait davantage penser à un Foursquare qu’à un rhum de Trinidad : caramel, toffee, sucre brun, fruits secs, noix de coco, noisette, boisé rôti, muscade, vanille et cannelle trompent les narines avec une grande douceur. Il y a un peu plus de notes terpéniques sur le goudron après aération, mais ça s’arrête là. Un profil déroutant, pour ne pas dire un petit peu décevant. L’attaque en bouche confirme l’impression du nez et la mauvaise réputation globale de cette cuvée : mis à part un soupçon de goudron et caoutchouc en attaque, on retrouve un rhum très doux et gouleyant sur le caramel, le chocolat, le chêne toasté, les épices douces, le cuir, les fruits secs et la noix de coco. L’alcool est ici noyé dans la douceur de ce profil atypique pour la maison. La finale, très douce et d’une longueur correcte, n’a pas d’arômes qui lui permettent de se distinguer : on retrouve ces notes caramélisées, pralinées et chocolatées qui vont avec les épices douces, le chêne, les fruits secs et la noix de coco. Ce Caroni léger et doux comme un caramel mou a de quoi étonner, mais aussi décevoir un peu : difficile de ne pas faire le parallèle avec Foursquare, mais avec un nom plus accrocheur et un prix plus déroutant.
Review by Johannes
Epic Velier Caroni Tasting: Very diluted, few Caroni notes, quaffable, little complexity, tastes almost like a Spaniard.
Review by Oliver
Reminiscent of a "Light Caroni". Tasty and extremely drinkable. Original bottling for the market in Trinidad. Liquid history.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#4219 19.08.2023 we had our yearly meeting among old friends. When we do this once a year its without partners, cellphones and other gadgets. Just some nice rums, a piece of paper and a pen and most fun of all, a blind tasting. The theme of 2023 was Caroni and we had a great time and spend no less then 10 hours talking and tasting. This one was not my favourite it was not that well balanced. Lightly fruity with a leather note. Draws really nice curtains in the glass and the empty glass has some nougat and very light chocolate.
Review by blood-line
First caroni for me… sample from a Distilia evening , I was impressed how much this could be a refined oak whisky , but it hase more Arame’s sweetness as Sherry as we know in whisky , I was not blown away for my first tasting , r The aroma and smel were nice caramel and a bit floral , but the tasting itself start pretty flat , directly wood wood wood and bitterness , I was pretty disappointed to be honest, luckily the evening went better and better , not my favourite , for this one , to flat , no layers , to easy and wood bitterness
Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Barrel Aged Thoughts
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Details about Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1988
A Column Still Rum from Trinidad, bottled by Velier, at 43%.
Community purchases
15 bottles logged by 14 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
0% opened, 0 emptied and repurchased.
What does Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1988 cost?
Community paid 382–2,187 €.
Current best price: 999.00 € – within the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
15 purchased · 21 tasted · 13 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.
To Caroni →You may also enjoy
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Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1989
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1989Milder, cocoa-and-wood Caroni, light on the tar
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1993
Velier Caroni Blended Trinidad Rum 1993Soft, sweet, unusually tame Caroni
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1984
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1984Tarry, very woody old Caroni, divisive palate
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1983
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1983Soft, lighter Caroni with muted tar and funk
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992
Velier Caroni Heavy Trinidad Rum HTR 1992Heavy Caroni, tar and rubber meet fruit
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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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