Just In 👉 Chivas Regal Announces Release Of New Smoky Expre...

DuRhum Rum Reviews

It’s Hampden Galore: Cadenhead; The Rum Cask; High Spirits; Renegade; Compagnie des Indes; Berry Bros (BBR); Silver Seal; Samaroli; Duncan Taylor; Habitation Velier; Excellence Rhum; Transcontinental Rum Line (TRCL)

 

 

In the Jamaican rum family, Hampden undoubtedly has the most marked, the most stinky style (or to be more consensual: the most 'perfumed'), and remains the best representative of these High Esters Rums whose production has changed little over the course of history. An oasis of authenticity in the middle of a desert that has become mainstream and arid, hence the simple mention of the word dunder lifts hearts and sometimes crowds. Because make no mistake, this is a rum for informed amateurs, which could just as easily - and quickly - make you fall in love, as it could shock a lifetime. A sort of rum broth used in the food industry as well as in perfumery; a big gap that is not insignificant and which will question the epicurean in search of strong sensations, who can also, if he wishes, find his happiness much closer to home (did you say Grand Arôme?).

Hampden is capable of producing rums from 50 to 1600 esters, i.e. an ultra light rum with an aromatic bomb (1600 being the maximum allowed by Jamaican law). Mainly a wholesaler (the distillery sells wholesale to the European market, the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, Scotland, as far as South Africa and South America), the distillery launched its own rum in 2011 under the brand Rum Fire and there are rumors recently that its old rums (a rare thing in Jamaican distilleries which only stock very little – with the exception of Appleton) will continue their improvement at home… A bright future under the sign of local aging therefore awaits amateurs in the near future.

Among the rums produced by Hampden and classified from lightest to heaviest :
(these are 'marks' which correspond to the intensity of the rums and their method of production, the DNA of each rum that you already know via the marks of Demerara rums)

  • LFCH : contient entre 85 et 120 esters, plus léger mais toujours issu des alambics à repasse.
  • LROK : entre 200 et 400
  • HLCF: between 500 and 700
  • <> H : entre 900 et 1000
  • HGML : entre 1000 et 1100
  • C <> H : entre 1300 et 1400
  • <> DOK : le plus aromatique, compris entre 1500 et 1600 esters, soit le maximum autorisé par la Jamaïque.  Utilisé entre autre dans l’élaboration du Rum Verchnitt en Allemagne.

Dunder is actually the fermentation residue (vinasse) that slows down fermentation by acidifying it. It is added to a pit on the distillery property, then covered with bagasse, fruit and other ingredients and left to sit for 1 to 3 years. A rather stinking aromatic concentration is made in the form of muck, which will then be stored in wooden pipes located at Hampden under his floor, and regularly stirred. There is also a separate tank containing a mother of fermentation where the whole is mixed with long-macerated tropical fruits.

The distillation of these different musts is done in 4 Forsyth and Vendome pot stills, with a capacity of 5,400 liters; each still is used according to the aromatic richness sought in the finished product. Currently, the distillery would be able to make rums containing 3000g/HL of esters….

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cadenhead Hampden JMLR 8 years / 63.2°

Distilled in 2000 and bottled in 2008 at  63.2%.

Straw-colored, with the appearance of white wine and thick and very slow tears.
On the nose it is very concentrated, on a disconcerting mixture of senile exotic fruits (pineapple, mango), apricot and olive, glue, fresh sawdust, in a whole that seems to stick to the nostrils. The fruits, stewed and sweet, are mixed with a good dose of vegetal: fresh herbs and anise transform the nose and give it a crazy charm. The alcohol is very present and you have to be careful, and especially give it time. In any case the rum is very rich, powerful,
appears medicinal, with sweet varnish-glue? Rest brings it some notes of leather, and always this herbaceous side (anise) and acid (apple).

A little water will make the rum much easier, and still enjoyable, and will bring out citrus (lemon, in the form of zest).

On the palate, the attack is oily and concentrated, and immediately releases a certain acidity that settles on the tongue. The rum encompasses the mouth and delivers its rich palette: herbs, cane, and the fruits previously detected; here is a rum that makes you salivate, a dry and spicy woodiness, nuts, iodine. We could expect more for 63.2°, but the rum is "only" 8 years old (and a mainly continental aging). The alcohol is well integrated and the palate relatively easy, or at least delicate; we expect more presence, more maturity. The finish is spicy, long and warm, once again on the vegetal (herbs).

With water the rum appears much easier but still not altered, still as concentrated but more fruity and sweet, and still warm in the mouth. To try because interesting and the addition is beneficial here.

A characterful Hampden (but which one isn't?), young but already very concentrated and rich, despite a mouth that will inevitably lack maturity and complexity. Note: 81

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Rum Cask Hampden 12 years / 62°


The Rum Cask Hampden 12yo 2000/2013 62% .

12 years old and a fairly light amber color, with a ballet of tears that is still slow and 'clinging' to the glass.
On the nose, the alcohol immediately stings your nose, and the varnish-glue profile dissipates to offer a nose that is quite different from the previous rum, darker and more complex: we find exotic fruits (pineapple, banana), herbs, but also a darker side, leathery, heavier, opulent, morello cherry straight out of a black forest. Bitter cocoa, with a smoky atmosphere above the glass 
with a dash of water: it’s more fruity (opulent exoticism), vanilla (wood), acidic, but pleasant.

The palate is very concentrated, powerful (acidic) but tenacious, on a swig of tangy fruits and green herbs (tea leaf), refreshing anise, leather, hazelnut; the rum remains concentrated but fades a little, to give way to a very long and incisive finish like an eau-de-vie, delivering a delicious note of morello cherry. Impressive, even, since it seems to stay there for a long time and dissipate over time.

With water we have a fruitier profile: pineapple, mango, spices, herbs; those who do not appreciate pure rum could enjoy diluting it. aniseed, herbaceous. less power but in the end just as much aroma and interest, even more than in the cask strength version. This shows the potential of rum (and the interest of dilution in certain cases) / To be tested!

Hampden, and therefore character and extreme concentration. There is bitterness, acidity in the mouth, but counterbalanced by the fruits and the wood is freshly cut (sawdust), for a more delicate and 'easy' rum than the Cadenhead, but also more concentrated; and above all with a great interest in dilution. Note: 85

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

High Spirits Hampden, 15 years / 46°

High Spirits Hampden 15yo 1992/2007 46%
230 bottles and 18 magnums 
.

Light amber tending towards straw, oily color, the nose is very fruity, much less concentrated than a full proof, and going from a 60° rum to a 46° rum calms the ardor a little… We are on roasted pineapple, candied apricot, anise, varnish but in a fruity and 'light' version; even the herbs seem easier. The pineapple then has all the room to shine, just piqued to the quick by a freshly cut wood (sawdust) and some still green herbs.

On the palate, the attack is initially quite soft and warm, but quickly becomes concentrated, and the rum gives the impression of gaining intensity with each second: aromatic intensity, but also in presence, more oily and sticky as it goes on, it's even disconcerting because it literally ends up sticking everywhere! Exotic fruits (banana), herbs and anise are there. The finish is long (even very long for 46°) and delivers a balanced blend of fruity and vegetal.

This cask strength rum would surely have been magical, given its presence in the mouth at only 46°; it would also have allowed a more concentrated nose which would undoubtedly have also made the difference. Note: 87

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Renegade Hampden 15 years / 46°

Renegade is known for releasing rums with very unusual and distinctive (and original) finishes, before it became fashionable. Here we have a rum from Hampden that has been put into a Chateau Latour cask at the Bruichladdich distillery . 1060 bottles.

The color is bronze, unusual and intriguing, tending towards caramel. The crown lets out very thick tears.
On the nose, it is quite fruity and easy, even gourmet. A Hampden that is out of the ordinary, softened and made fruitier by the second passage in Chateau Latour barrels. The nose is sweet, liquorice, with black fruits and tannins that bring astringency to the nose, a bit like in a Liberation 2010: a fat and vinous aspect, which seems here to slow down the potential and identity of Hampden, but gives it a rather unique touch. We can always debate the interest of using wine barrels (mutated or not), which is more about experimentation than maintaining the original identity of the rum, necessarily hidden and broken.

On the palate, the attack is oily and 'encompassing', very different from the Hampdens already tasted and for good reason: we clearly have a mixture between a very aromatic and rich Jamaican rum, associated with vinous and tannic aromas, hooking the palate (fat and liquorice), reinforcing the acidity in the mouth: it is quite light in the mouth but the rum seems to lose its identity to the detriment of the wine, hooking the palate and taking on quite a few liquorice aromas which give it a darker side, but with marked acidity and green herbs.

Not bad, far from it, but experimental, and necessarily strange. For the curious and the adventurous. Rating: 79

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CDI Hampden 16 years / 43°

A Hampden from Compagnie Des Indes (French bottler) distilled in 2000 and released at 43% .

Straw amber, oily and fat legs.
On the nose, the rum is fruity, sunny and creamy. The grape seems to have taken the place of the pineapple, but we keep this heavy smell specific to Hampden, rich and concentrated making the nose quite creamy (resinous). The fruits mix with the vegetable (grass) in a mixture that would already make you salivate before arriving in the mouth, with once again the freshness of anise. With rest the nose becomes more grilled, roasted, caramelized? Keeping so much richness at 43° is dreamy.

On the palate, the attack is a bit oily but certainly not as intense as one would expect from a Hampden, nor thick; the dilution surely. Anise, varnish and fruits (still grapes strangely) but also pineapple and cinnamon. The vegetal side brings this characteristic bitterness which contrasts with the rest but always in a good balance.
The finish is moderately long, but persists, warm and fresh, but quite flat for a Hampden in the end. We expect much more (at 46° perhaps?).

Hampden is a rum with potential, and here it seems not to be exploited properly, or at least to its true value. Rating: 82

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Berry Bros Hampden 17 years / 46°

A rum released by Berry Bros in 2007, and distilled in 1990 .

Dress still as clear, pulling between straw and natural amber. oily
On the nose, it is very aromatic and easy; The richness is there, very pleasant and the nose could literally chew itself. Creamy and thick, resinous and sweet, combining fresh herbs (lemongrass, anise) and fruity, vanilla, fresh woody in a very well-balanced atmosphere. The nose is compact but very rich on the fruity aspect (pineapple, mango), vanilla, grape, making it surely more pleasant (and easy) than its competitors. it smells of sour and rotten exotic fruits, but it is sweet enough to give a very pleasant and very mature side, with old leather. A perfectly executed 46° Hampden? what a presence in any case…

In the mouth the attack is oily and immediately very -very- concentrated, what a presence once again! it is strong on the fruits in acid mode, excessively rotten, the citrus fruits, it sticks to the palate but what mastery. The herbs are there (anise), it explodes in your mouth, harmoniously mixing fruity and sweet acidity, without forgetting a very pleasant little armored side...
46°? seriously? the slap... it is an explosion in the mouth (and that is an understatement), and never will a 46° rum have seemed so concentrated...

The finish is endless…fruit, acidity, sugar, woody, but always fruit from start to finish, and in an incomparably pleasant and easy power. The rum will haunt you for hours.

Fruity galore, excessively pleasant and refreshing acidity, this Berry Bros has everything of a great... Do you want to start in the Hampden style? This is surely the best (and most dangerous) gateway. Breathtaking. A huge rum. Score: 92 (at €70 it is surely (was surely) the deal of the century).

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver Seal Hampden 20 years / 50°

Let's take a look at Silver Seal with a 20-year-old Hampden distilled in 1993 and released in 2013; a diluted rum but which we will find lower at its natural strength (with the Samaroli from the same vintage).

The color is so classic for Hampden, amber, straw, oily and presenting a multitude of very sad tears.
On the nose, it is excessively rich and concentrated, enjoying a beautiful balance with a very well integrated alcohol. The rum harmoniously mixes the smell of olive, cane, and redundant and mature exoticism (and even vanilla, caramelized), tanned/smoked leather with traces of tar, mixed with aniseed freshness; sometimes earthy, vegetal and fruity, even mineral, this Hampden offers a very complete and pleasant journey from start to finish. The nose even appears very easy for 50°, and as such less concentrated and sticky than other bottlings, it would almost be missing.

On the palate, the rum is oily and appears very salty, very iodized (in green olive mode for an aperitif), sweet and sour with exotic fruits unloading their sunny skin and their sweet hearts, even giving a new face to this pineapple very often present: it is here freshly cut, tangy and sweet, accompanied by oak, anise, earth, herbs bringing a touch of bitterness, but in a beautiful balance of flavors. Sour but counterbalanced with the rest and a richness always specific to this Jamaican distillery. It also appears less sticky and concentrated on the palate than many other bottlings (from previous vintages, perhaps compared to the marks and many esters specific to them), the 50° surely too. The finish is long, always on this iodized/salty/acidic point, accompanied by anise and a smoky oak, drying but pleasant. We would ask for more, and for longer.

A very good Hampden, older and wiser than other bottlings, less concentrated and extreme, but with a much more controlled balance. A few more degrees would probably have made a nice difference. Score: 89

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samaroli Jamaica 21 years / 65.6°

A Samaroli distilled in 1993 released in 2014 at 65.6%. Tasted after the Silver Seal above, just to see if the cask strength side can transcend this 1993 vintage.

The straw amber color is more intense than the Silver Seal, still oily and full of promise and concentration.
On the nose, it is even more concentrated but without the funky and exuberant side that we know from Hampden, but all in reserve: it is more closed but it nevertheless promises a mouth of thunder. Our faithful pineapple is there, concentrated, made candied to the extreme, become like resinous, and modeled in a varnish in which we would have thrown herbs (anise), nuts, an old and smoked leather. We wait in vain, the nose remains concentrated and complex while restrained: a decoction of aromas just waiting to explode in the mouth… complex because contained and not very exuberant. Another facet of Hampden?

In the mouth it is the orgy of Ester, it copulates in all directions and impossible to know who is in front of whom, it gushes from all sides without order, the juice sticking everywhere in the mouth (and beyond) depositing violent and fatty aromas, harsh, twisted and overexcited, eccentric; it is the party of esters, the pineapple and its exotic friends get wild with wild herbs (and fresh) and olives that come in pairs (black and green, of course). it is harsh, sweet, tangy, but always concentrated and resinous, explosive but bearable, because in the effort all these esters leave strength there, no doubt, but also traces that will doubtless have difficulty dissipating in our palate. The nose suggested such concentration, but the pleasure is tenfold in an explosive mouth that does not seem to want to end, as if the orgy was only just beginning. The 65.6° are used wonderfully, as if it were important (and always interesting) to let a rum express itself at its natural level, without systematically wanting to break its momentum and intentions (that's for Silver Seal). The finish is endless, and probably reserved for the most adventurous (adults necessarily) and needs no words, no description. Just a rattle.

Did you like the 1993 Silver Seal? You will forget it in 1.5cl of this Samaroli. You will go from the role of believer to that of shameless but hard-working preacher, from altruist to selfish. Rating: 95

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duncan Taylor 22 years old / 52.9°

Direction Duncan Taylor who offers a vintage of 1990 bottled in 2012. Surely not easy to get behind this Samaroli, but let's get angry and violent, because a vintage of 90 could perhaps make the difference... Do you remember this extraordinary Berry Bros diluted to 46°? well this Duncan Taylor is from the same year and it could be to this Berry Bros what the Samorili 93 and the Silver Seal...

Everlasting straw amber color, fat and impetuous.
On the nose, it is very exotic, on pineapple, mango, papaya, all ripe and elegant, in the prime of life. Very fruity therefore, and necessarily very pleasant, with even an unusual smell of banana. Beyond the fruit, there is always this extreme concentration that mixes this fruitiness with vegetal aromas (grass, anise) but very accessible at the same time. A rum, and an elegant Hampden, fruity, and at the same time acidic, with always pineapple, but also tart apple (granny smith); and beyond, earth, leather, Hampden what, but all in elegance.

The palate is lively and oily, acidic and sweet, and even becomes sticky, fatty and resinous, depositing its aromas and esters on the entire palate: a very concentrated rum where the barrel speaks, oak and leather mixed with very (very) ripe exotic fruits, the apple is there too; it remains, it sticks to the palate, harsh and acidic and tenacious: a mixture of oak, leather and citrus/apple. The 52.9° have their effect and the rum appears very concentrated, powerful, and on a fairly pronounced bitterness. The finish is long, very long even, in continuity with in addition notes of plastic, rubber, and always this impregnating side, sticking to the palate and delivering tangy and iodized notes.

Berry Bros diluted or Dincan Taylor for this 1990 vintage? difficult to decide, but my preference would probably go to Berry Bros which succeeds in offering a hyper concentrated and pleasant rum for 46°, where Duncan Taylor holds the comparison at almost 53°, but surely lacks balance with a note of alcohol perhaps a bit too present; it remains an excellent rum. Note: 91

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Habitation Velier Hampden 2010 HLCF / 68.5°

Pure Signle Rum , and surely the most authentic Hampden ever released from Hampden with 100% tropical aging, and therefore the unique opportunity to discover a 'real' rum from the distillery. Distilled in 2010 and bottled after 6 years at a natural strength of...68.5%. And an angels' share of over 40%.

the dress is golden, sparkling and oily as desired. these are not just simple pairs of legs, they are nations of legs.
On the nose, the concentration and richness of this rum are astounding. The natural degree takes on its full meaning and if it is not accessible to most people, at least has the ultimate privilege of offering its true face, and what a face! Past the characteristic but often ephemeral smell of solvent, it is exotic as desired, loaded with pineapple and senile banana, papaya in agony, lemon and apple slices until it releases a tangy and resinous gourmet smell, mixing melting herbs (anise), spices of all kinds and especially the sun: curry, turmeric, and even redder and even sweeter, tangy fruits (small berries). A magnificent nose that rehabilitates the glue for eternity and dresses it in a conquering fruitiness with grandiose ease. The more time passes, the more the rum becomes gourmand and mellows, and the more the degree fades. But what intensity…

On the palate, the attack is resinous, violent and striking. Spices, exoticism and acidity, green olive and banana dressed in leather, what can I say? Monstrous and esterified as desired, vaporous. The oak is there too, even becomes smoky in a more animal and much less friendly aspect. A mouth that makes the powder speak and that seems endless, dry with a slight bitterness but which will remain impregnated as rarely.

The kind of rum to which you must add a dash of water. And that doesn't take away any of its deliciousness on the nose, it even makes it more vanilla with an exotic glue, and a nose that is ultimately still as interesting (and it's rare enough to be worth mentioning). The 'diluted' mouth is easier to hold and just as interesting, the fruits are more acidic but still sweet (apple, pineapple), and we find wood and anise.

No one will drink liters of it but the nose alone deserves to succumb to it: magnificent from start to finish, in the first as in the 60th minute, and with the bet of becoming greedy despite the power. At 6 years old it is a coup d'état, a real slap in the face compared to the competition (much older) with an already exemplary maturity. We await the sequel with great impatience... This nose with the mouth of the Samaroli 93 and we put everyone in agreement? Note: 92 (given its age we are closer to 95)

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Habitation Velier Hampden 2010 HLCF-LROK / 60°

Released on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of La Maison du Whisky, it is a blend of two marks: HLCF and LROK corresponding to more or less significant levels of esters, and therefore of aromatic concentration. 536 bottles, and always Pure Single Rum with fully tropical aging. of the unique.

the dress is still golden (old gold) and heavy with meaning, and tears.
On the nose, it is less funky than the HLCF, more calm and even more subtle (but still concentrated): the apple (sour) is over-present here, the glue/solvent side is lighter and we even find a softer and more gourmand smell of marzipan, vanilla, and the classic banana (and guava!) but still bathed in small tangy notes (olive). There are also almost 10 degrees less and it can be felt: on the concentration, on the ease, on everything in the end. it is more balanced and flattering, softer and spicier, with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. But also quite fresh (eucalyptus leaves), and the rest even gives it an intoxicating floral note.

The attack is less aggressive than its little brother, resinous and concentrated all the same but easier, fresh on pine resin, on exoticism but also dried fruits, always hot spices and our famous olive. The finish is long and tasty, languid, ending on an assumed and gourmet exoticism, but light and as if vaporous. Fruity and floral for an exquisite finish.

A softer and more seductive version of Hampden, far from the nose of the HLCF but with a more pleasant and flattering profile, more fruity and floral. Score: 89

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Excellence Rum Hampden 2000 / 54.6°

Excellence Rhum is an online store that has recently released its own selection of rums including this Hampden LROK aged 16 years. All bottlings are done at natural strength. A limited edition of 195 bottles.

Beyond the usual color and smoothness, the nose reveals a beautiful richness and control: no aggressiveness, between exoticism (pineapple) and spicier notes (cinnamon, cardamom), the nose of this Hampden is more restrained, less exuberant and more serious, in an atmosphere more floral than brackish, and more spicy (almost cocoa/powdery) and mineral than citrus. As if it had gained maturity and therefore perhaps more boring for those used to its exuberance and its predominant solvent notes. Macerated herbs and nuts arrive, refreshed as they should be by our faithful citrus fruits and a conquering minerality. It is at the same time warm, fresh, fruity, open and closed; it is alive, and no one would complain about it.

On the palate, the attack is concentrated and oily, and seeks to contradict the nose, awakening the ardor and bringing out the torpedoes. Very rich but also very pleasant, a passionate and majestic exoticism (sweet/candied) rubs against the minerality and the beautiful acidity of an olive that is more fruity than briny. It works very well and like the TCR (see below) balance is the key word for tasting. We have a great time, without damage or burning with the best of Hampden without the drawbacks. The finish is persistent and always pleasant, on a beautiful spicy exoticism and a minerality that will never have seemed so delicious.

A more timid but complex nose for a more serious and mineral Hampden which will still know how (and in a very beautiful way) to seduce you in the mouth, offering a very beautiful richness and a fireworks display with control. Note: 90

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcontinental Rum Hampden 2000 / 54.9°

Transcontinental Rum is a range launched by La Maison du Whisky and which already includes a few references. This is a 16-year-old Hampden bottled in 2016, and already sold out like many things recently.

The color is a clear and golden amber.
On the nose, still no aggressiveness and a harmonious concentration, between heavy smell of solvent, paint, and the delicacy of a mature exoticism (pineapple, peach), tangy and sweet, with already the impression of having a sticky nose and in any case resinous. There is even a floral note, seductive and citrus fruits (lemon in the lead) which bring a nice freshness and a little more sweetness (candied), then warm and carnal spices (cinnamon, cardamom) give a new dimension to the rum which seems to reveal itself a little more every minute. The freshly cut pineapple reappears and refreshes the entire aromatic palette, which finally lets glimpse some more briny and heavy notes, and more spices (and vegetal with a gamey grass side). A beautiful balance for a beautiful Hampden.

On the palate, the rum slides delicately with a melting and oily whole, mixing briny and tangy notes (olive) and an intense and candied fruitiness (pineapple, lemon); very nice balance and richness in a very fresh and sweet mouth, without a hitch and excessively well deployed. The lemon is very present and makes the whole less aggressive and less explosive for a Hampden, but it suits it very well. Fresh herbs return and the rum even becomes mineral, but always led by its same fruits which calm the ardor. The finish is vigorous but always controlled, and will persist for a long time with a controlled fire with a beautiful return of nuts.

A Hampden less funky and aggressive than usual, very balanced and very pleasant in addition to being complex, which will delight lovers of 'softer' rum, or in any case more accessible (and it is for a Hampden!). Surely one of the most accessible and balanced Hampdens with the Berry Bros. Note: 89

 

Several things stand out from this tasting: the difference between the vintages first, and then (and above all) the little difference between a Hampden aged on its soil (with an entirely tropical aging) and those mainly aged in Europe (namely all with the exception of Habitation Velier). While the 1990 vintages (Berry Bros and Duncan Taylor) offer hyper concentrated rums and surely very loaded with esters, very sour, the 1993 rums seem to offer something else, less acidic but more complex and concentrated, surely more 'easier' to access, even if they remain real bombs that will surely not suit everyone. The Habitation Velier and their tropical aging suggest great things given the level at just 6 years (!), and the future undoubtedly holds wonderful surprises that will put a lot of things back on track.

In more recent bottlings, the Transcontinental Rum range from LMDW or that of Excellence Rhum offers a much more accessible Hampden and still very concentrated and pleasant, and surely the best current compromise between concentration and accessibility. Superb rums to try before they disappear.

In the end, Hampden will either fascinate or disenchant, but there will probably be no middle ground for this type of hyper-concentrated rum that should be tasted at least once in your life; you will at least get a good dose of pleasure (even with dilution) , and you will very rarely come across a bad bottling.

 

To help you (and me) find your way around, regarding the notes:

90 and + : exceptional and unique rum, it is the best of the best
between 85 and 89 : highly recommended rum, with that little something that makes the difference
between 80 and 84 : recommendable rum
75-79 POINTS : above average
70-74 POINTS : in the low average
less than 70 : not very good

 

Review courtesy of DuRhum.com.

From the folks behind DuRhum, Velier, and more, comes a premium online marketplace for rum enthusiasts by rum enthusiasts! Do check out www.rowspirits.fr for more great content and iconic rums!