Angostura 1919 is a reference to a date in the history of the Angostura company when a fire destroyed a large part of the distillery and the aging warehouse. Almost by divine intervention, barrels of rum labeled 1919 were spared and when opened found to be of unusual character. While every rum has a story, to my taste Angostura 1919 is maturing. When first launched, the taste of vanilla was overpowering, but over the past few years, this rum has become more refined in the blending process and when I tasted it a earlier this month a new balance had evolved from its adolescent beginnings.
Vanila still dominates the pallete of flavors, but hints of butterscotch, cocoa, toasted oak and tropical fruit can be found in this rum which, according to Angostura, has been aged at least eight years in used American bourbon barrels.
The finish approaches the elegance I have come to expect from aged rums. Despite the sweetness of the body, the finish is smooth and long enough to inspire a taste for another sip of this quintessential Trinidad rum.