Swell De Spirits TDL 2009 12 Year

Review by: The Auditor

Review #1213; Rum #527

This bottling of rum was bottled by independent bottler Swell De Spirits, an independent bottler run by a family in France. This rum was distilled from molasses at Trinidad Distillers Limited in 2009. It aged for 5 years in Trinidad and 7 Years in the UK in an ex-bourbon cask. It was bottled in 2022 at cask strength with no additives or filtering.

Distillery: Trinidad Distillers Limited

Bottler: Swell de Spirits

Region: Trinidad

Still: Column

Cask: Ex-Bourbon

ABV: 64.5%

Nose: Baking spices, Nutmeg, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Toasted Coconut

Palate:   Medium oily mouthfeel, Nutmeg, Vanilla, Raspberry, Dark Chocolate, Toasted Coconut

Finish:  Medium length finish, Nutmeg, Raspberry, Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, Toasted Coconut

Conclusion: This is a very good rum. Nice flavors, good balance, but it lacks some of the more interesting industrial notes and complexity the TDL rums I hold in higher regard tend to have.

Final Score: 85

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.

Published by The Auditor

Unknown's avatar

I have drank my fair amount of single malt but got started writing reviews about Single Malt and Bourbon in 2018. Over 1000 total reviews later and I focus mainly on Sugar Cane Spirits now. However, single malt is a still a spirits category I enjoy greatly as is Agave and Brandy. I wouldn’t go as far as to call myself an expert but I am the resident Rum obsessed writer for Malt Runners.

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