Also meine Favoriten sind nicht Ăźberraschend.
Absoluter Favorit ist der Rasta Morris TDL (RX15322) aber auch Clarendoni (RX16068) vor dem Fine Drams Clarendon 1997 (RX16023).
Der RC Ed.40 Australia 2007 (RX17845) hat mich auch ziemlich beeindruckt.
12 Likes
Still havenât touched that sample 
itâs promising
8 Likes
Die ganzen neuen Raritäten konnte ich bisher leider nicht probieren, wird aber nachgeholt. Stattdessen gab es hin und wieder mal etwas aus der Standardrange verschiedener Destillerien. Dabei hab ich den Appleton 8 (RX6875) und den Chairmanâs Legacy (RX7604) wegen ihres tollen Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnisses fĂźr mich entdeckt.
Aber wie gesagt: bald gehtâs an die Raritäten und nach dem lesen dieser Kommentare freue ich mich umso mehr ein Sample vom RX16023 ergattert zu haben.
15 Likes
Yes but others seem to not share my super-high rating, putting it somewhere in the 87-90 point area.
For me it was my first Velier Demerara and really an eye opener about the quality of guyanese tropical rums.
6 Likes
For me the best rums I have tasted this year were:
- Mhoba Cellar Selection 2022 V&B Glass Cask & Brandy Cask,
- Dead Reckoning Mutiny South Pacific,
- Tamosi Trinidad 2000.
I have also tried some nice expressions at the Rum Love Festival in Poland.
12 Likes
This year I was most pleased with RX16841 and RX18021 and in third place RX17301. Jamaicas and Trinidad gems.
12 Likes
2023 was no exception when it comes to the expansion of the RumVerse.
Considering the new releases of the year, here is my top 3 (no specific order) :
Fine Drams Clarendon 1997, definitely a highlight for not only an original format, a price that defies the odds but also an outstanding and complex rum that elevated Clarendon to the top of the game (while it was usually seen as a secondary player to Hampden and Long Pond and New Yarmouth who came up recently too).
Rum Sponge Enmore 1992, a wonderful dram that is dark, powerful yet super elegant and set a high standard for Decandent Drinks and the other Enmore that could be released in the future (1992 became a serious contender of the great Enmore vintages in my opinion)
Velier Caroni Paradise #4 was an absolute delight. Although I had to battle to get a few drops of it (those at the WL will know what I mean 
) this rum was the true essence of what makes Caroni a legendary rum, especially the 1996 vintage.
18 Likes
Beautifull ranking ! I couldnât taste all those rums unfortunately.
From those I had the opportunity to taste, if I had to chooser 3 this year (difficult choice) :
- Long Pond 2006 from Swell for Cave Saint Seurin (RX16714)
- Foursquare Raconteur (RX15940)
- TDL 2001 Rasta Morris (RX322)
All in all a lot of great offerings this year, canât wait to see what 2024 brings!
Thank you to this great community to enable me to enjoy such wonderfull rums!
Cheers,
Q.
12 Likes
Auch wenn ich noch nicht alle neuen Releases tasten konnte, habe ich bislang auch so meine Favoriten.
Wie Chris schon geschrieben hatte, ist die Dichte der guten Rum-AbfĂźllungen stetig gewachsen, was sehr positiv ist. Umso schwerer ist es dadurch allerdings, besonders herausragende AbfĂźllungen festzumachen.
FĂźr mich war dieses Jahr âClarendonâ der klare Gewinner. Angefangen und ganz vorne weg der RX15606, gefolgt vom RX16023 und RX16024, sowie dem Blend Clarendoni (RX16068).
Weiterhin bin ich ein Fan von den Enmore-AbfĂźllungen. Da liegen bislang der RX16489 (Distilia) und der RX14311 (Tamosi) vorne.
Eine besondere positive Ăberraschung war fĂźr mich der NavyBlend vom RC (RX14138). Das ist fĂźr mich ein Blend der alle positiven Aromen der drei Ländern vereinigt und perfekt verkĂśrpert.
Und abseits vom Rum muà ich einfach auch eine Abfßllung vom GotA erwähnen. Der 89er Hontambere hat mich dieses Jahr echt geflasht.
Edit:
Habe heute den TRC REV (RX17202) im Glas und muss ihn ganz weit vorne dazu fĂźgen ! Eine hervorragende AbfĂźllung
13 Likes
Stimmt genau, es war der krĂśnende Abschluss der groĂen Verwallrunde. Acht Tage durch die Tiroler/Vorarlberger Alpen. Wir hatten sogar Neuschnee im August und Temperaturen von -4C bis 24C. Es war wundervoll
6 Likes
Und ich habe was von dir ein Sample vom guten Rhum Rhum bekommen 
Danke nochmal
5 Likes
I tried too few of this yearâs releases - I have a bottle of the Fine Drams Clarendon 1997 and a Sample but opened none.
Usually, Iâm out even with samples if bottle prices reach 600âŹ/liter - knowing I miss a lot of great rums. Iâd love to taste the Sponge Enmore 1992, as I love the FRC MEC 1992 (one of the best rums I ever tried). But I donât want to afford this.
As a wish for next yearâs Best Rums: What about a Values-for-Money category? Rums with average price below 100⏠or 200⏠or other price buckets. Perhaps weâll find some more surprising release there.
My personal highlights of this yearâs releases are the Asta Morris TDL 2001 (RX15322) and the RomdeLuxe TDL 2002 (RX15565). Two similar but very different rums (one heavy and dirty, the other much brighter more fruit-driven) show that TDL has become one of the most interesting distilleries for IBs during the last few years.
An older release I had the chance to try and buy an open bottle is RX433 a lovely Port Mourant, which made me spend a lot of my rum budget on PMs lately.
19 Likes
For me, the release of the legendary Appleton 17 (RX12458) was the highlight.
Romdeluxe Wild Series 50 (RX17725) was also tasty, and then Foursquare Raconteur (RX15940)
11 Likes
For me 2023 was a year Iâve got a little bit tired of tasting new bottlings and samples. Unfortunately. 
Only @mto75 helped me out of my routine. Many thanks! 
I was rather focused on enjoying a beautiful dram from one of my few open bottles or I was looking out for older releases from my sample watchlist. From there I had some obvious highlights (RX1997 
and RX1269 
).
The best rum Iâve had in 2023 was â as mentioned several times before â RX207 
(Thanks @Rodolphe). It left me mourning that there has never been a Savalle in the (discontinued?) El Dorado Rare Collection. Other highlights were some dusty bottles I found in bars (RX4550 and RX7584 to be mentioned)
Coming back to the topic: Best bottlings in 2023.
Rare and excellent Clarendon stands out: RX15606, RX16023 und RX16069. 
In my opinion Worthy Park runs little bit under the radar. RX14225 is excellent! Also, a highlight of 2023.
Otherwise, there was a constant stream of new New Yarmouth 1994 (always a favourite), Hampdens (no esters for me 
), TDL, Chairmans etc. My general impression was that the level of quality reached a plateau on a very high level, but Iâm wondering who will drink this sheer amountâŚ
16 Likes
Indeed, RX433 is fantastic (and it still pops up here and there).
7 Likes
I really enjoyed these 2 Jamaican rums I had in Paris:
From older rums probably the best I tasted were:
- Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) 1996 23yr (RX38)
- Albion El Dorado Rare Collection AN 2004 14yr (RX120)
And special darkhorse is Cameronbridge 45 ans 75ème Anniversaire D.Laing (LMDW), which was brought to me by whisky friends in Paris and it was excellent.
14 Likes
My overall favourite is RX18175, but Iâve tried so many good rums that a choice is almost impossible.
A few highlights are:
Fine Drams Clarendon 1995/1997
Esperance 6y excellence rhum
TDL 2009 CoR
Foursquare Raconteur
Mount Gay Qa_Bn
Appleton 1993
11 Likes
Top Rums for me released in 2023:
- Fine Drams Clarendon EMB 1997 RX16023
- Grays New Grove 2010 RX13444 absolute different to the 2009 LMDW, which is also absolute fantastic!
- Fine Drams NY 1994 RX16027
Raconteur, Rasta Morris TDL, Mhoba Antipodes, some NY 1994 like Swell de Spirits are also very tasty 
17 Likes
Mein Favorit der neueren AbfĂźllungen ist auch der RX16023. Der 1997er Clarendon ist einfach top und die 0,35l Flasche hat diesen Top Stoff erschwinglich gemacht.
15 Likes
Top3:
Rasta Morris TDL 21y
Rom de Luxe TDL n.42
FineDrams Clarendon emb 1997
11 Likes