Grenada 30 years 1993 - 2023 #3 Valinch & Mallet

Nose

Soft and inviting with ripe banana, papaya, guava and pineapple. Peach, apple and gentle spices follow, while the mature cask character remains beautifully integrated in the background.

Palate

Rich and fruity with banana, soft fudge, juicy peach and orange. Notes of apple, honeyed sweetness and delicate spices add depth without overpowering its elegant character.

Finish

Medium to long, warm and fruity with peach, banana and apple, followed by cane sugar, gentle spices and a light touch of oak.

Grenada, the southernmost of the Windward Islands, has a rum history closely connected with the centuries old cultivation of sugar cane in the Caribbean. One of its most important historic names is River Antoine Estate, where rum has been produced since 1785. The distillery is renowned for its traditional methods, including the use of a water powered wheel to process the sugar cane.

Rum from Grenada comes in several distinct styles. Alongside powerful traditional white rum, the island has also produced molasses based and matured expressions. As a result, Grenadian rum can range from intensely characterful and robust to rich and approachable. Names such as River Antoine, Clarke's Court and Westerhall have each contributed to the island's rum culture in their own way.

It is precisely this combination of historic production methods and more modern distilling techniques that makes Grenada fascinating for rum enthusiasts. Although less famous for rum than Jamaica or Barbados, the island possesses a clear identity of its own and a rum tradition deeply rooted in Caribbean history.

Valinch & Mallet is an independent bottler founded in 2015 by Italian whisky enthusiasts Davide Romano and Fabio Ermoli. The company was formally established in London, yet its identity clearly reflects the background of its Italian founders. The name combines two traditional warehouse tools: the valinch used to draw samples from a cask and the wooden mallet used to loosen its bung.

The focus is on carefully selected single cask whiskies, complemented by rum, Cognac, Armagnac and other distinctive spirits. Selection is not determined by age or reputation alone, but by balance, character and the way provenance and maturation come together. Bottlings are generally released at cask strength, at natural colour and without chill filtration.

Ranges such as The Young Masters Edition, Lost Drams and The Spirit of Art reveal different sides of the company. The latter is particularly recognisable for combining rare spirits with artworks displayed on the bottle. Through transparent cask details, limited outturns and a broad international outlook, Valinch & Mallet appeals to enthusiasts who enjoy expressive and individual bottlings.