Caroni Employees United Special Edition 6th Release 1996 – 66,6% | Bottled 2021

Caroni Employees United Special Edition 6th Release is a historic and emotional rum from the legendary Caroni Distillery in Trinidad. Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2021 at 66.6%, this is the sixth – and final – release in the Employees series. Only 754 bottles were produced, making this bottling a rare collector’s item for passionate Caroni enthusiasts.

This special blend was selected on Friday, April 12, 2019, when Luca Gargano and 26 dedicated Caroni Lovers split into eight tasting groups. After a full day among barrels and intense tasting, four barrels from 1996 were selected and put together. All barrels have been fully tropically aged in Trinidad, creating extreme concentration and depth.

With an angelic content of over 85%, this is a rum of massive intensity and depth – the essence of heavy, oily and industrial Caroni style that only the most iconic bottlings possess.

Production and background

• Distillery: Caroni Distillery
• Origin: Trinidad
• Distilled: 1996
• Bottled: 2021
• Number of bottles: 754
• Blend: 4 casks from 1996
• Maturation: Fully tropical aged in Trinidad
• Angelic content: > 85%

This 6th Release is dedicated to Fredi Marcarini, Rudy Moore and the 15 former Caroni employees who were reunited in 2017. The series pays tribute to the people who created Caroni’s legacy and each bottle carries the story of the distillery’s heyday and its final closure.

Tasting notes

Aroma: Intense and deep with tar, burnt sugar, dark molasses, smoke, leather, oil and dark chocolate.

Taste: Powerful and concentrated with classic heavy Caroni notes of asphalt, machine oil, roasted spices, dark caramel, tobacco and dried fruit. The alcohol is prominent but integrated into the massive structure.

Finish: Extremely long and complex with smoke, oak, bitter cocoa and lingering industrial character.

The story of Caroni Distillery

The Caroni Distillery in Trinidad was founded in 1918 and closed in 2002. The distillery was known for its heavy, industrial style with high levels of congeners and a distinctive oily profile. After closure, the remaining casks were purchased and preserved, making Caroni one of the most sought-after and collectible rums in the world today. The Employees United series is a tribute to the people behind the production, who today are an inseparable part of the Caroni legend.

• Manufacturer: Caroni Employees United
• Series: Special Edition 6th Release
• Distillery: Caroni Distillery
• Country: Trinidad
• Distilled: 1996
• Bottled: 2021
• Number of bottles: 754
• Aging: Fully tropical matured
• Angelica content: Over 85%
• Quantity: 70 cl
• Alcohol content: 66.6%