The Duchess - Distilled on La Reunion
Savannah - cask 5 - 1 of 238 bottles 
2003 - 2022 - cask strength at 67,2%

whiskyfun: 90 (see below)
rumratings: 9,0/2

La Réunion 19 yo 2003/2022 (67.2%, The Duchess, cask #5) 
La Réunion suggests either Rivière du Mât or Savanna. Right, everybody says it's Savanna. The name The Duchess is a seal of quality, unless she would be the Duchess of Sussex, naturally (but we're republicans, not out business). Colour: dark amber. Nose: it's full of walnut stain, pipe tobacco, old varnish, the darkest, strongest chestnut honey, and an avalanche of ganache (chocolate and raspberry in this case). Some very old, sooty and flinty oloroso too. With water: that's funny, some sugarcane and some shoe polish coming out, esters, rather black olives this time, albeit in moderate amounts, and a serious amount of liquorice and chocolate. Mouth (neat): careful, it tears you apart. Very heavy juice, all you would detect is some bitterer marmalade. No chances taken… With water: the best part, it becomes very tarry and salty, and ridden with precious tobaccos, cold meats and walnuts. Nocino! Finish: very long, thick, saucey. Chocolate and say sauce. Something floral in the aftertaste, perhaps borage? Comments: in France when you say rum/rhum, everybody thinks Martinique or Guadeloupe, but La Réunion, a.k.a. l'Île Bourbon, should never, ever be overlooked. Now, where did they find this cask?! They are very rare, I think.
SGP:563 - 90 points.