Velier National Rums of Jamaica Long Pond 12 Year 2007 TECC

Review #1204; Rum #518

This release is a bottling done as a collaboration between Velier and National Rums of Jamaica, the umbrella company for Clarendon and Long Pond. This is a molasses based rum that was distilled in a pot still in 2007 using dunder and muck at Long Pond to make a high ester rum that was aged for 11 years in Jamaica. This produced 11 barrels that were blended together and came out with an ester count between 1500-1700 gr/hlpa, the TECC mark, which is the highest mark they produce.

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Distillery: Long Pond

Bottler: Velier x National Rums of Jamaica

Region: Jamaica

Still: Pot still

Cask: Ex-Bourbon

ABV: 62.5%

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Nose: Touch of motor oil, lime juice that’s been left sitting out too long, grapefruit, a touch of salt, charred pineapple, over-ripe berries, black tea, smoked meats

Palate:   Thick oily mouthfeel, sweaty, spoiled lime juice, grapefruit, brine, charred pineapple, over-ripe berries, hot asphalt, black tea, smoked meats

Finish: Long finish, lime juice, grapefruit, brine, asphalt, charred pineapple, over-ripe berries, black tea, smoked meats

This is a beast of rum. Its challenging in a good way, but it is a challenge. That very acidic lime juice / grapefruit note steers the entire thing as does the industrial and kind of “sweat” notes. At times it reminds me of the smell of a shirt post run but after it dries. A 12 year tropically aged high ester rum that is just strange and delicious. One ounce will last you forever and this is a really special rum. The only thing that prevents this from being a 10 for me, is that it is such a bruiser and is so challenging that I could not just crush this.

Rating: 9/10