Rum Nook: Overview 90 – Velier Foursquare 2006 10 yr previous.

After DDL selected to let Luca Gargano go, and never invite him
handy decide superior barrels of previous Demerara rums anymore, various
individuals within the rum neighborhood has been eagerly awaiting Mr. Garganos subsequent transfer.

Effectively, there may be all the time the Caroni releases and his Rhum Rhum
facet venture.

After which he went and created the Habitation Velier
expressions, which seem to be an totally superior venture. I haven’t tried them
but, so I wouldn’t know for positive, however they appear extra instructional and creative
than anything.

Furthermore there may be the newish Gargano Classification system, which
goals to seperate batch from steady nonetheless rums. A technique to classify worth in
rum as a substitute of style and/or color.

It operates in 4 classes:

– Pure single rum: Pure pot nonetheless rum from a single
distillery.

– Single Blended rum: Mix of pot and column nonetheless rum from
a single distillery.

– Rum: Conventional column nonetheless rum.

– Industrial rum – or simply rum: Trendy multi-column nonetheless
rum.

I first encountered this in november 2014 at a Velier tasting session, which centered totally on the Clarins and a few the 2014 Demeraras. Since then it appears that evidently the system has been additional developed earlier than ending up the way in which it’s at the moment.

Sadly it hasn’t caught on in all places within the rum
world but. I’m positive it should sooner or later, however for now there may be numerous leg
work to be finished. Fortunately, Mr. Gargano has assist from rum legend Richard
Seale, and collectively they push for extra readability, transparency and fewer bullshit
within the rum world.

If you would like extra data and a shitload of solutions to numerous
questions you haven’t even requested about this new means of classifying rum but,
please discuss with the hyperlink on the backside to The Floating Rum Shack, the place Richard
Seale has gone into nice element about it.

You realize, go learn it it doesn’t matter what. It needs to be necessary
studying for anyone who’s enthusiastic about rum, wether you assist the Gargano
Classification or not.

However we’ve got been ready for one thing else. The following massive
factor from Velier to take the crown from the majestic Demeraras.

This can be the very first step: The Velier Foursquare 2006
Single blended rum.

Having it on my desk, it’s not a shock, that Mr. Gargano
went to Mr. Seale for a collaboration. It appears fairly apparent that the
Godfather of indie bottlings would go to the Godfather of distillation and
unadulterated rums for his subsequent venture.

Mixing distillates from a copper double retort pot nonetheless
and a standard coffey nonetheless, collectively they’ve created a ten yr previous rum,
which spent 3 years in ex-bourbon casks and seven years in ex-Cognac casks. A
double maturation if you’ll. All 10 years had been spent in tropical local weather,
reaching an Angels Share of greater than 72%.

Being bottled at 62% ABV I’m anticipating a quick and aggressive
journey. However seeing how the cask power CdI Barbados 16 yr previous turned out, my
expectations are huge.

Normally a yield of two.400 bottles would imply that it ought to
be pretty straightforward to return by. Nevertheless it’s not.

Apparently it offered out on the distributors in only a couple
of minutes. And simply days after being launched, it’s ”rupture définitive” all
over the place.

Sadly, which means that it’s already a ghost, even earlier than
being correctly obtainable, and subsequently most rum lovers can have a tough
time attending to attempt it.

I really feel fairly priviledged and lucky to have been in a position to
snag a bottle and get to jot down about it. So out of respect for the individuals who
could not get an opportunity to attempt it, I’ll attempt to make an additional effort this time.

Velier is again. The easy two tone paintjobs (this time darkish
purple and beige), the black monster of a bottle and the easy label work, which
simply mentions the issues it’s essential to know, and leaves every part else behind.

By now you need to know, that I adore it. As a result of I do. No
different rums on my shelf silently screams this sort of superior.

The liquid has a pleasant bronze color, and when twirled it
creates an nearly invisible layer of residue on the glass. Sooner or later a hoop
of droplets seem, however they appear reluctant to ever transfer.

Huge and daring nostril, with numerous depth and intrigue.

Not thunderous and heavy just like the previous Demeraras, however extra
like one thing feathery gentle, which and been concentrated past all cause.

The primary many wiffs focused on a thick presense of
caramel, accompanied by juciy, chocolate coated, grilled bananas and a saucy
vanilla cloud.

So far as I’m involved, this doesn’t should evolve. The
scents are so enormous and wealthy and completely balanced.

Nevertheless it does evolve from right here. Not in an enormous means, however the
delicate overtones appears to shift and alter as you sniff alongside.

First some loopy ripe and candy oranges peek in, then very
gentle oaks.

After some time there may be even an natural degree, which a contact
of menthol.

And at last some roasted almonds and a unusually nice
glue odor.

Stunning. Simply stunning.

Including just a little water attracts it near different Foursquares.
Significantly the CdI cask power one.

First a brutal wave of bananas and oaks with caramel on the
facet, which nearly makes you lose your steadiness.

However then a blast of menthol and brine rapidly retains you standing.

As you begin to come to once more, you are hit with an important layer of liquorice.

Then the large drying impact and tannic aftermath set in, and begins to take away your face at an all to gradual tempo. I’m
unsure I’m that massive af fan of it, because it offers the rum a tough and repellent
nature. As if it tries to scare you off on the very finish.

However it’s one thing totally different for positive. Maybe that is the
cognac casks talking.

With a few drops of water, it mellows out just a little
bit, and the assault of the tannins is partially averted. Being a cask power
lover, I hate to say it, however just a little water truly improves this rum fairly a
bit.

Not too lengthy, however numerous scrumptious heat.

The sharp drying impact intensifies and tends in the direction of an
industrial vacuum cleaner at occasions, however at the very least it clear every part up fairly
properly. However sooner or later, you’re going to miss your face, and surprise had been it went.

Funnily sufficient it left me loopy thirsty. It’s prefer it sucked
the water proper out of my physique, and left me barely dehydrated. Higher take
one other sip.

Score and last
ideas

There isn’t a doubt. This can be a enormous rum for positive.

That is actually a rum innovation
 

I’ve determined that I’m not a fan of the insane dryness. It
form of cripples my expertise just a little. Fortunately it may be averted nearly
utterly by including a few drops of water.

I extremely suggest getting this rum, in case you can. No query
about it.

Worth is excessive for the €100 I paid for my bottle. To
be capable to get your fingers on such an important drink for a worth like that, is
past superior.

And considering that it went for €80 in a number of locations in
Italy, it immediately makes just a little extra sense why it offered out at gentle velocity.

2.400 bottles is lots – or at the very least it was only a yr or
two in the past.

The Velier Diamond 1996 16 yr previous yielded round 800
bottles, and was obtainable for greater than 2 years.

Hell, the English Harbour 1981 25 yr previous was round 5.700
bottles, and was obtainable for nearly 10 years earlier than beginning to disappear.

How 2.400 bottles offered out so quick is past my creativeness,
if some speculative douche bag didn’t purchase up a number of hundred of them. It was
actually a matter of minutes on some webshops from ”obtainable” to ”offered out”.

Mr. Seale and Mr. Gargano aren’t content material with this both,
and they’re allegedly engaged on one thing new in the intervening time. Mr. Seale
publicly acknowledged that anyone caught speculating for revenue on a secondary
market with the Foursquare 2006, received’t be capable to purchase any of the longer term
launch. I form of like that, however how on earth are they going to drag that off?

First step would clearly be to create a blacklist of all
the dangerous boys.

They might embody this listing with the bottles purchased by
distributors and instruct them to not promote to individuals on the listing. That’s
nonetheless a bit arduous to implement, I reckon.

The obvious answer, could be for Seale and Gargano to
administer all retail gross sales themselves, and in that means make it possible for the
blacklisted individuals could be minimize off.

However then once more, blacklisted individuals would most likely nonetheless be
in a position to purchase by proxy or on secondary markets. Any effort to creating it arduous for
them, will nonetheless be appreciated, as it will make a future launch obtainable
to a a lot wider viewers.

Solely time can inform the way it will all prove.

It doesn’t matter what, it’s nice to see Velier again within the recreation
of issuing majestic rums of nice origins.

And considering again on how nice this rum turned out with simply
just a little little bit of water in it, the conclusion just about writes it self.

I had hoped to be knocked flat on my ass by the Foursquare
2006, however sadly it didn’t.

Nevertheless it lured me in with its stunning nostril, then sucked my
face off with the vacuum cleaner of dryness, earlier than enjoying lots nicer (with
water in it) after which it left me with an odd, glad smile on my face.

There may be just a bit extra left to be desired, and
subsequently I can’t transcend a…