Trinidad's old Caroni distillery closed for good more than twenty years ago, but the casks that once held its thick, tarry rum are still finding new work elsewhere. At Christian Drouin, six of them were given six months to hold a 17-year-old calvados – and pushed it in a darker, entirely different direction.
Expert description
Experimental de Christian Drouin 17 Year Old Caroni Angels Small Batch No 6 is a French Calvados finished in casks from the closed Caroni distillery and bottled at 48.8%.
This bottling is the sixth release in Drouin's Expérimental range, where a 17-year-old Pays d'Auge calvados is moved from its usual oak casks into six used casks that previously held rum from Caroni in Trinidad. The Caroni distillery closed in the early 2000s, and its casks have since become sought after in both rum and whisky circles for the powerful, oily character they impart. The calvados spent eight months in these casks before bottling, at a strength notably higher than Drouin's standard releases.
The result is a noticeably darker, richer calvados than usual, where the apple is still there but now dressed in smoky oak and a hint of the tarry, earthy character Caroni casks are known for.
Tasting notes
Nose
Cooked and candied apples meet oily oak and burnt caramel, with a touch of leather in the background.
Palate
Full and oily, with stewed apple, farmhouse cider and a lightly smoky edge that brings burnt wood to mind.
Finish
Long and dark, where roasted apricot, brown sugar and a hint of petroleum-like dryness from the Caroni cask linger well after the last sip.
Specifications
Name: Experimental de Christian Drouin 17 Year Old Caroni Angels Small Batch No 6
Distillery: Christian Drouin
Region/Country: Pays d'Auge, Normandy, France
Type: French Calvados
Age: 17 years
ABV: 48.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in rum casks from the Caroni distillery
Distillation method: Double distilled
Bottled: August 2022
Number of bottles: 1,506
Edition: Expérimental Small Batch No. 6, Caroni Angels
EAN no.: 3297367048173
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a tulip-shaped glass, without ice, so the dark, oily notes can fully unfold.
Flavour profile
Bold · Oily · Smoky · Fruity · Dark
Did you know?
The Caroni distillery in Trinidad closed more than twenty years ago, yet its casks are now so sought after among rum and whisky fans that they trade almost like a category of their own. Getting hold of six of them for a calvados is unusual even within Drouin's experimental range.
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