The magical Long Pond distillery remains extremely limited in availability, and old barrels have become exceedingly rare on the open market. So when we had the opportunity to snag the last of this cask at under-market pricing, I did not hesitate. To be perfectly frank, this would have sold out on its own, but I needed an excuse to open a bottle. It turns out writing reviews is the perfect cover for my selfish habit. In any case, Long Pond is an absolutely incredible distillery located in the northern part of Trelawny Parish, one of the few still using proper muck pits and consistently producing some of Jamaica’s most flavorful rums. Several closures over the past two decades have impacted the distillery, but it is now back up and running. This mark, the relatively restrained LSO, can still be extremely flavorful, albeit without an overt focus on funk. Long Pond always delivers something deeply characterful. Let’s have at it. The color is a deep gold, rated 0.8. The nose is extremely powerful and wildly expressive, with so much flavor you might expect even higher ester levels. Notes of banana cream pie, roasted almonds, pineapple, diesel smoke, burnt rubber, ginseng, grilled citrus, bitter orange oil, and candied dates unfold in dense layers that seem endless. On the palate, there is an explosion of lemon oil, concentrated candied tropical fruit, exotic spice, and an intense industrial edge leaning toward diesel oil. This is an absolute monster and not at all for the uninitiated, but it can turn even the most discerning drinkers into rum lovers in a moment. Rum of this caliber will not be available at this price point in any meaningful way in the future. That is the sad truth, but also a golden opportunity if you are reading this now.