Samaroli Trinidad TDL 2003 55°° (red)

Samaroli Trinidad 2003 is a molasses rum selected and bottled for spirits merchant Benoît De Fays.

This rum was distilled in 2003 at Trinidad Distillers Limited, in Trinidad and Tobago, in the Caribbean. This unique cask, number 29, was selected by Silvano Samaroli.

The distillate was repatriated to Scotland to age for many years. It was bottled there 19 years later. A total of 305 numbered bottles were produced.

Nico's tasting notes

The nose immediately makes you want to bite into this intense, colorful fruit paste, coated in tangy sugar. The lychees and mangoes are ripe and fresh, as are the apple, apricot and quince, along with a few crunchy-skinned blackcurrant berries.

With aeration, we discover a certain acidity of tannins and engine fat that was nestled in the heart of the fruit, right down to the seeds and pits. This is what Trinidad rums are all about, adding extra character to our enormous fruit paste.

On the palate, fresh, green tannins bring lively acidity and a slight astringency. This acidity soon moderates, turning to grape seeds, kumquat and lime zest. From this rather full-bodied approach emerges a concentrated fruit paste, with almost tarry accents.

The finish accepts a few almonds and kernels at the table, creating a pastry-like profile down the line.

"An impressive aromatic palette for this extremely fragrant, but also quite full-bodied rum..."