Hampden appears to have two very exciting new expressions on the horizon.

Bottled for La Maison du Whisky's new 2024 Foundations Collection, we have a Hampden 1753, which marks the year of the Jamaican distillery's founding, and a Hampden C<>H 2023 that is very intriguingly aged in an ex-Peated cask.

Hampden 1753

1753 was the year that Archibald Stirling had founded the Jamaican estate Hampden. 

This pure molasses expression is a small batch under the HLCF (Hampden Light Continental Flavoured) mark, with an ester content of 476 gr/hlpa, bottled at 46% ABV, with a total of 12,000 bottles released.

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Golden Yellow

Aroma: Fresh, unctuous. The aroma palette is extremely complex, revealing tropical fruits (pineapple), fermentation, light petrol, medicinal (arnica) and milky notes of coconut. Allowed to breathe, agave flower and artichoke heart bring great class.

Taste: Rich, round. The flavour palette opens on divine vanilla, herbaceous (sugarcane, agave) and fibrous (gentian root) notes before shifting the focus to menthol and tropical fruits (candied banana). Walnut flavours and minerals (chalk) seep deep into the taste buds.

Finish: Long, full. The floral finish (pansy, geranium) continues with herbaceous and salty notes (clover, samphire). Citrus fruit zest (lemon, grapefruit) brings refreshment, with spices (ginger, cinnamon) and fruit (pear, apple) developing over time.

Hampden 2023 C<>H Peated Whisky Cask

This very intriguing Hampden is produced at the C<>H mark, which corresponds to an ester content of 1,300 - 1,400 gr/hlpa, and has been matured entirely on Hampden's estate in peated whisky casks from Islay giant Laphroaig Distillery. It comes from Single Cask No. 775, and is aged for just 1 year, having been distilled in 2023 and bottled in 2024! 

It is bottled at 64.1% ABV, and has just 285 bottles released.

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Vibrant Gold

Aroma: Lively, heady. With hot (Cayenne pepper), oxidative (roasted pineapple, macerated fruit) and vinegar aromas, the nose is at first very minimalist. Wavering between notes of hot cane sugar, agave, ash, pine resin and royal jelly, it then becomes more fleshed out.

Taste: Clean, dynamic. Liquorice interwoven with grapefruit zest, minerals (slate) and candied flavours (pear, pineapple) open the extremely rich palate. Yoghurt and almond milk then arrive with perfect timing to refresh the taste buds.

Finish: Long, silky. With incredible balance, the tasting now reveals luscious green tones (sage), lemon, fruit (pear) and honey (acacia). On the retro-nasal olfaction, we find delicious vanilla, menthol and tangy notes (lime).

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team