Habitation Velier Long Pond 2019 STCE Pure Single Rum

Habitation Velier Long Pond 2019 STCE Pure Single Rum is part of the highly anticipated release from VELIER. In 2016 VELIER launched the Habitation Velier range, being the world’s only range of Pure Single Rums acting as a reference point to the type of rum produced by each distillery’s unique pot still.

The term ‘Pure Single Rum’ defines a rum from a single distillery, distilled exclusively in pot stills. Pot still rums are more complex and typically more suitable to long ageing. The vintage Pure Single Rums are entirely aged in the tropics, ensuring a natural, accelerated aging compared to European ageing, at the expense of higher angels share.

After closing from 2012 to 2017 for renovation, the Long Pond distillery was almost destroyed in a fire that ravaged much of its equipment in 2018. Luckily, however, the flames spared its famous John Dore stills and no less legendary Blair column stills. Continually putting the heart of the run into play, this version enthusiastically and, with youthful abandon, expresses the deeply mineral, empyreumatic and medicinal character for which this magnificent ester-rich rum is so well-known

Tasting Notes

Colour : Topaz.

Nose : Rich, heady. The incredible first nose is empyreumatic (apricot kernel, turpentine, diesel), exotic (persimmon, mango, guava), oxidative (balsamic vinegar, macerated fruit) and syrupy (hot cane sugar). Allowed to breathe, fragrances of vetiver, lavender honey, lime and jasmine give an idea of the breadth and complexity of the aroma palette.

Palate : Taut, lively. On the attack, notes of petrol and very ripe mango appear alongside chocolatey and spicy (ylang ylang, clove, saffron) flavours. On the mid-palate, roasted pineapple and plantain banana juicily and smoothly enrich the flavour palette’s exotic register. The even fruitier end of the palate reveals notes of peach, pear, kaffir lime and coconut.

Finish : Long, concentrated. The powdery finish (cocoa, rice pudding, grated ginger) is remarkably soft. The slender end of the finish gives its own take on the exotic register of the nose and palate. On the retro-nasal olfaction, a vanilla, spicy (cinnamon, ginger) and herbaceous (sugar cane) cane sugar spreads across the palate. The empty glass is in turn medicinal (elastoplast), camphoric and mellow (artichoke heart).