The long-awaited arrival of the Hampden Estate pure single Jamaican rum.
A historic name in Jamaican rum production which is only now getting its time in the lime-light, this 60% overproof expression has been matured for seven-to-eight years in the Caribbean climate.
This is classified as a pure single rum because it has been distilled exclusively at the Hampden site, through copper pot stills.
A big rum on the nose, but not inpenetrable with subtle Hampden ester funk.
Tasting notes:
Nose: Roasted banana and pineapple lead. Gentle clove and nutmeg follow, along with a touch of expressed citrus peel and candied lemon zest. Barley sugar, crunchy caramel and spun sugar develop, along with rich butterscotch.
Palate: Intense fruit: pineapple, apple, pear, mango and papaya stewed down into a thick jam. Clove and cinnamon notes build, with buttery pastry and darker notes of liquorice. There’s a gentle hint of coal smoke hiding at the bottom.
Finish: Big spice and tarred oak. That fades to reveal butterscotch and mint.
Hampden Estate was founded in 1753 in the north west of Jamaica (Trelawny Parish). This is the first time that rum has been released under the distillery’s name. The distillery is renowned for rich, funky rums with high ester counts helped along by lengthy fermentations with wild yeast, no added colour or sugar and exclusively pot still distillation.
