Review by: The Auditor

Papalin is a project from Velier that is dedicated to blended rums. With this project Velier, who purports themselves as a “tropical dependent bottler” works in tandem with the distilleries to craft these blended products where the ageing takes place on their site. Previously in this line they did a Papalin Jamaica which was a collaboration between Hampden Estate and Worthy Park.

This release, Paplin Haiti, is a blend of 4 different Clairin’s from 2017 (Sajous, Vaval, Casimir, and Le Rocher). The Clairin are blended with a rum from Cane Syrup (Providence). Then this blend is aged in a variety of casks including Ex-Caroni, Mount Gay, Buffalo Trace, and Cognac casks. After 4 years of ageing in Haiti this rum was bottled at cask strength with no additives.

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Distillery: Sajous, Vaval, Casimir, Le Rocher, and Providence

Bottler: Velier

Region: Haiti

Still: Pot

ABV: 53.1%. Cask strength.

Age: 4 years. Distilled in 2017. Bottled in 2022.

Cask type: Ex-Caroni, Ex-Mount Gay, Ex-Buffalo Trace, Ex-Cognac

Price: $60.00

Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Lemon Zest, Brine, faint glue, passionfruit, Toasted Brown Sugar, slight oil, Green Apple, banana, figs, Floral

Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel, Lemon Zest, Brine, Glue, slight oil, Green Apple, Banana, Figs, minerality, Black Tea, Blueberry

Finish: Medium length finish, Brine, Glue, Oil, Green Apple, Lemon Zest, figs, Minerality, Cacao, Black Tea, Blueberry

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Conclusion: There is a lot going on here, but it all meshes together for me. Each time you come in for a drink you can something different, a bit of fruit notes from what I presume is the Cognac casks, heavy brine and minerality, glue, a bit of oil, Green apple. It all works well together and really forces you to pay attention. However, the Vieux Sajous that Astor has for sale is a notch above this for me.

Final Score: 88

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.