What's "it"? The need to examine high and overproofs both without and yup, with water. The last time we checked in, and under pubic, er public duress, the Caner admitted that yes, he's tried that last OP with water too, but didn't think it important to report his findings. There I speculated that maybe - just maybe - he'd finally put his superfragilistic ego on hold long enough to accept the great consensus of true expert tasters and add a few drops of water to release and explore an OP fully. To dilute the barrel strength whiskies and rums to the sweet spot, say 43 to 46%.
It was not to be:
His latest review of Velier Albion 1994 at 60+% (121 proof) is yet another exercise in extreme look-at-me-mom verbosity in an attempt to demonstrate his OP sipping bravery - at full fackin strength - ans using the most non-descriptive phrases ever! And I mean ever. To wit:
Wow. If nothing else we will never doubt the bravery of the labially clouted Lone Caner "Give me another one, Mistress!", lol. No quarter asked, none given. Sheer power and a right good labial smacking for this lookame writer. This whole review could have been reduced to a short paragraph in terms of content. And we all would like to know what this one would be like properly diluted to the sweet spot - and I don't mean that one. And then he makes this bizarre statement (is he still on his acid trip?)..."The Albion 1994 rum is seventeen years old, and bottled at a beefy man-strength 60.4%, which made the tasting I conducted an equally nervous and exhilarating business. Even the dark, brooding bottle (somewhat relieved by a thick white cardboard enclosure), loomed menacingly over my seemingly defenceless glass; I don’t believe I’ve ever had so intimidating an experience since the "SMWS R5.1 Longpond 9 Year Old Rum – Review"...
The Albion wanted to prove to me that its ominous appearance was no accident. A thick-yet-sharp, fruity scent lunged right out of the glass, ready to fight, with sulphury notes of burning rubber and sun-warmed asphalt... The taste in the mouth was shamelessly aggressive, packing so many steroids that it wouldn't surprise me if one day it would decide to grow out of the bottle. ...it thundered along like a mack truck...
Yes it was strong, yes it was a beefcake (come on, 60.4%? of course it was)... Frankly, it was one of the best, meanest, hairiest shots of my experience...it evinced the phantasmorgical labial clout of an acid trip... And as befit such a powerful drink, the finish was epic; long and lasting and just held back from bursting into flame..."
Caner my labially clouted friend, listen up. The DDL stills have been reported to death, so surely you must know these by now. Yes, all the above ARE wooden, but the PM is actually two pot stills run in batch mode with the first (3,000 gallons) feeding the second pot (2,000 gallons). Batch, not continuous. OTOH the Enmore is a classic wooden. two column Coffey still (with 25 and 32 plates) which DOES (and can only be) run continuously in exact accord with its design. Thus Velier's claim on its labels is EXACTLY correct. You need to lean back long enough to regain your senses."...although the box and bottle refer to a wooden continuous still, that can't be right since there's no wooden still in Guyana except those that hail from Enmore, Port Morant or Versailles (with only PM being continuous)..."
In a final phantasmagiorgiastic moment, he spurted the following to conclude his personal journey into the heart of labial darkness. In re Velier, he confidently congratulates them thusly...
"Yet in attempting to gain market share and widespread acceptance; as they have; they too timidly shy away from issuing rums of real power. Velier's full proof line seeks to rectify this shortfall, and does it ever succeed. The Albion 1994 17 year old bashes the throat, buckles the knees, and brings tears to the eyes as it trumpets its beefcake badassery to the world. It may lack some creature comforts and doesn’t condescend to Pavlovian palates conditioned to softer 40% rums…but for those seeking a raw, powerful experience with a taste that reaffirms their cojones, this uncompromising, snarling medicine is just what the doctor ordered."
Flat Ass Bottom Line
Caneman, you came (pun intended) so close. You'd actually posted three short, descriptive and accessible reviews. And you actually mentioned water (though you still did not report the results). We were all so hopeful, so supportive. You could almost hear the cheers as you seemingly approached the finish line "You can do it Caner, you can do it! Do it Caner! Do it!!!". But it was not to be. Nope, somehow your Roget's beckoned, and your labial Mistress - massively strong and undiluted "grog" as you mistakenly called it - recaptured your quivering tongue and you just had to turn away, and lean back in for more punishment.
What a shame. So near, yet so far. The simple and unvarnished truth.
1. Barrel strength releases are valued not to grow chest hair, but rather for their pure value. The buyer's dollars are greatly extended, and he/she can thence dilute the product to personal taste (no doubt in the low to mid 40's).
2. This is not to say that the rum ought not to be tasted at full strength, but certainly not if its truly an OP (as this will ruin the tasting), but that all barrel and higher proofs need to be expertly diluted to find the sweet spot.
3. Please review and understand the many, many posts of the DDL stills, and those regarding the continuous operation of the Coffey design. Velier's claim that this attractive rum is made with "...a wooden continuous still", is exactly right: the Enmore.
Addendum: thanks to Blade Rummer who noted this review was actually from 2013. I'm on the Caner mailing list, and somehow today's release redirected me to one of his older reviews. The Caner may yet redeem himself.
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http://thelonecaner.com/ddl-albion-1994 ... um-review/
