The Trinidad comes from a distillery many haven’t heard of – Ten Cane Distillery. Ten Cane Rum was introduced in 2005 by Moet-Hennesy Louis Vuitton and it was meant to use artisianal processes such as pot still distilling and tropical ageing but it never took off and so in was fully discontinued in 2015.
This rum is possibly a blend of sugar cane juice and molasses, pot still distilled in 2008, aged for 7 years tropically and 4 years continentally in cask no. 80 which I assume it was ex-Bourbon. Bottled in 2019 at 63% ABV with a limited number of 232 bottles and free of additions.
On the nose the alcohol jumps right out making it quite spicy. Earl Grey tea, nutmeg, pink pepper, Pimento Dram and leather. Dusty old book shelves, molasses, maple syrup and hints of hot asphalt. Cola, red chilli and pencil shavings. Mellow isn’t a word I’d use to describe this. Caramel and ripe pineapple as well.
On the palate seems quite oak driven. Black coffee, molasses, chewy wood, chocolate sauce and stout. Vanilla and coconut with a touch of liquorice. Dried plums, blueberries, walnuts, burnt tobacco and smoked almonds. Has a barbeque vibe to it, but just the wood on fire, not the food. A hint of menthol, but quickly overtaken by bitter dark chocolate notes. The finish is long with black pepper, raw cacao nibs and Guinness.
Alright, definitely not light, this is heavy and woody… maybe not as much as a Caroni, but not far off. Intense wood and spices! This was selling for €90 and it’s a fair price. The balance could’ve been better with a bit less oak influence, but it was delicious nonetheless.
The Duchess Trinidad 11 Year Old score:
Flavour/taste: 58/70
Value for money: 14/15
Transparency/purity: 15/15
Overall: 87/100
Cheers!