Caroni 22 Year Dayanand Yunkoo Balloon 1998 700mL

This Caroni honours Dayanand "Yunkoo" Balloon, who spent ten years working at the distillery. Distilled in 1998 and bottled by Velier in 2020 at 68.3%, it is a well-balanced heavy Caroni from the fourth Employees release.

About This Bottling

Balloon's rum was distilled in 1998 and spent its whole life in Trinidad. In October 2019 the chosen casks were combined in a neutral tank, and the rum was bottled in 2020 without reduction at 68.3%. As with the other Employees bottlings, six casks were picked by Gargano with a panel of 26 Caroni enthusiasts, producing 1,180 bottles. One specialist reviewer singled it out for its balance, and it is often rated among the more rounded bottles of the release.

Tasting Profile

• Nose: Tar and varnish over ripe tropical fruit, molasses, leather and baking spice.
• Palate: Oily and explosive, dark sugar and pepper, with petrol notes and a firm backbone of oak.
• Finish: Intense and persistent, drying slowly on spice and wood.

Serving & Food

Treat it as a slow evening dram. Pour a small measure, cover the glass for a few minutes, and add water little by little until the heat eases. It suits a cheese board with aged Gouda, or a plate of candied ginger.

How to Enjoy

Rum enthusiasts comparing Caroni vintages, and fans of full-strength, oily spirits.

Product Details

About the Distillery

Velier began as a small family importer in Genoa, founded by Casimir Chaix in 1947. Luca Gargano bought it in 1986, started bottling whisky in 1992 and rum in 1996, and in 2004 came across the untouched Caroni warehouses in Trinidad. Those casks turned Velier into the main custodian of the closed distillery's rum. The Employees series, launched after the main Caroni releases, gives the labels to the people who worked at the site, many of whom lost their jobs when it shut. Each release takes rum from the remaining casks and marks one of their names.