Hampden Sends Us Butterfly Catching With 8 New Cognac Cask Expressions, One For Every Hampden 8 Marks
As it seems, Hampden's new Trelawny Endemic Butterflies series is not giving us one butterfly, but rather eight more of them! More mouthwateringly, all eight expressions from the new Hampden Trelawny Endemic Bufferlies series will be Cognac cask matured, with each expression corresponding to one of the Hampden 8 Marks!
From OWH to LFCH, LROK to HLCF, and all the across to <>H, HGML, C<>H, and of course DOK, we'll be seeing 2 Year Cognac cask tropical ageing for the Hampdens! This is also on top of the elusive R<>H mark that will also be part of the series, bottled under the American Lady butterfly label - read more about it here!
Here's a closer look at each of the new releases from the series:
Jamaican Mestra: Hampden 2 Year Old 2024 OWH Cognac Cask
Jamaica, Molasses Rum, 57% ABV, 70cl, Single Cask #890, Cognac Cask, Limited Edition of 390 bottles, LMDW exclusive
Boasting an ester count between 40 and 80 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol at distillation, this molasses-based expression belongs to the OWH (Outram Wormald Hussey) mark. Representing the distillery’s lightest and most accessible ester profile, it undergoes a three-day fermentation driven by indigenous yeasts, followed by distillation in a double-retort pot still. It is also distinguished by a historic first for Hampden: a full maturation in cognac casks under Jamaica’s tropical climate. Remarkably smooth and fruity, its aroma and flavour palette is subtly laced with clear medicinal and fermentative sequences, complemented by notes of honey and vanilla.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Golden yellow.
Aroma: Fresh, smooth. On the initial nose, flavours of acacia honey, pineapple, clove, and Tiger Balm vie for intensity. With aeration, scents of mashed banana, artichoke bottom, and cane sugar lend a very pleasant softness to the aroma palette.
Taste: Lively, firm. At first tenderly tannic (cane fiber), vanillic, and mentholated, the flavour palette then becomes licorice-toned, heady (flowering geranium), very slightly camphorated, empyreumatic (a hint of hydrocarbons), and oxidative (fermented white and exotic fruits).
Finish: Smooth, full-bodied. Indulgent (vanilla flan, custard tart), liqueur-like (warm cane sugar), and herbal/infused (verbena, sage), it transcends the both fresh and luminous character of a perfectly balanced finish. On the retro-olfaction, grated ginger and coffee beans spread all around the palate.
Jamaican Banner: Hampden 2 Year Old 2024 OWH Cognac Cask
Jamaica, Molasses Rum, 57% ABV, 70cl, Single Cask #440, Cognac Cask, Limited Edition of 386 bottles, LMDW exclusive
Belonging to the LFCH (Lawrence Francis Close Hussey) mark, this molasses-based expression boasts an ester count between 80 and 120 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol at distillation. Crafted using a four-day fermentation driven by indigenous yeasts, followed by distillation in a double-retort pot still, it is also distinguished by an unprecedented maturation in cognac casks under the tropical Jamaican climate. Bursting with freshness, its aroma and flavour palette explores a multitude of verdant notes that elegantly bring the purity of the cane to the fore.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale gold.
Aroma: Lively, powerful. At first medicinal (mustard plaster), empyreumatic (eucalyptus), spicy (clove, nutmeg), and tangy (lime), the aroma palette evolves in a second phase toward mentholated and infused (sage, thyme) registers of remarkable freshness. With aeration, fresh fruits (pear, apple) and cane honey take over the olfactory landscape.
Taste: Fine, nuanced. Supported by elegant hydrocarbon flavours (tar, fuel), the flavour palette vigorously echoes the mentholated and verdant character of the nose. Coated in a fine layer of green licorice, the finish traverses aquatic realms (reed, rush, bamboo).
Finish: Both long and concentrated. Packed with medicinal virtues (poultice, crepe bandage), honeyed (geranium), fruity (Williams pear, kiwi), milky (almond), and saline notes, it naturally evokes a fine mezcal. Fermentative, floral (carnation, water lily), and indulgent (green tomato fritter), the retro-olfaction offers a refreshing fountain of youth.
Jamaican Monarch: Hampden 2 Year Old 2024 LROK Cognac Cask
Jamaica, Molasses Rum, 57% ABV, 70cl, Single Cask #1217, Cognac Cask, Limited Edition of 400 bottles, LMDW exclusive
Boasting an ester count between 200 and 400 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol at distillation, this expression belongs to the LROK (Light Rum Owen Kelly) mark. Marking the distillery’s entry point into the realm of “heavy rums”, it was crafted from molasses, dunder, cane vinegar, and muck, before undergoing a five-day fermentation driven by indigenous yeasts. This single cask was also fully matured in cognac casks under Jamaica’s tropical climate. Assertive and luminous, its aroma and flavour palette showcases the power of a complex distillate, interweaving notes of petroleum, macerated fruit, and heady florals.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep gold.
Aroma: Rich, expansive. Powdery (cane sugar, cocoa), vanillic (pod), honeyed (linden blossom), and slightly animal (bacon, leather), the aroma palette broadcasts a radiant sense of well-being. With aeration, the olfactory landscape fills with empyreumatic (varnish, burning cigar), waxy, and heady (iris concrete) aromas.
Taste: Lively, clean. Braced on a backbone that is at once vegetal (sugar cane), liqueur-like (cane sugar), camphorated, and medicinal (tincture of iodine, arnica), the flavour palette shows great poise. Then, increasingly oxidative (fermented fruits, Jura vin jaune), terpenic (lava), and petroleum-like, it perfectly embodies Hampden’s instantly recognizable style.
Finish: Dense, concentrated. Spicy (ginger), rooty (gentian), and floral (lily, hyacinth), it is energized by ever-present flavours of citrus (lemon, grapefruit), plants (agave, savory), licorice, and tar. On the retro-olfaction, coating the tastebuds, fresh cane juice and cane sugar showcase the quality of a distillate forged from the purest steel.
Jamaican Giant Swallowtail: Hampden 2 Year Old 2024 HLCF Cognac Cask
Jamaica, Molasses Rum, 57% ABV, 70cl, Single Cask #1759, Cognac Cask, Limited Edition of 400 bottles, LMDW exclusive
Crafted according to the HLCF (Hampden Light Continental Flavoured) mark, this expression boasts an ester count between 400 and 600 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol at distillation. It stems from a mash rich in molasses, dunder, cane vinegar, and muck, driven by a seven-day fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Shaped by tropical maturation in a cognac cask, this single cask displays a highly intense profile. Saturated with tarred, medicinal, and notes of camphor, its aroma and flavour palette is nuanced by fruity and balsamic sequences essential to its balance.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Bright gold.
Aroma: Rich, deep. Medicinal (bandage, mustard plaster), telluric (lava), mineral (tar), and medicated (aspirin), the aroma palette is punctuated by fruity (pineapple), milky (almond), nobly spicy (cardamom), and herbaceous (freshly cut sugar cane) sequences designed to refresh it.
Taste: Lively, spirited. Slightly tannic and fibrous (sugar cane), empyreumatic (eucalyptus, Papier d’Arménie), and camphorated, the flavour palette follows the mineral and petroleum continuity of the nose. Over time, flavours of green apple and sweet almond delicately spread across an ester-rich finish.
Finish: Sleek, slender. Exotic (flambéed banana, lychee, kaffir lime), infused (rosemary, thyme), and lemony, the aftertaste is rich in essential oils (lavender, wild thyme, oregano). Both fermentative and indulgent (Bêtise de Cambrai candy, Vosges candy), the balsamic retro-olfaction is impressively fresh.
Jamaican Kite: Hampden 2 Year Old 2024 <>H Cognac Cask
Jamaica, Molasses Rum, 57% ABV, 70cl, Single Cask #400, Cognac Cask, Limited Edition of 400 bottles, LMDW exclusive
Belonging to the <> H (Diamond H) mark, this expression is distinguished by a high ester count between 900 and 1,000 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol at distillation. It undergoes a 10-day fermentation driven by indigenous yeasts, incorporating molasses, dunder, cane vinegar, and muck. Its unprecedented maturation in a cognac cask under tropical climate lends great elegance to the distillate. Free from any superfluous oak, its aroma and flavour palette reveals notes of varnish, petroleum, and exotic fruit, evoking in turn a mezcal and a peated single malt.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale gold.
Aroma: Full, deep. On the initial nose, aromas of varnish, vetiver, exotic fruits (pineapple, banana), tar, and petroleum form an unraveled and delicate aromatic whole. With aeration, scents of cane sugar, sage, verbena, and fermented fruits fully occupy the olfactory landscape.
Taste: Lively, invigorating. In complete osmosis with the nose, the flavour palette brings a medicinal (ointment), camphorated, and mineral (schist) touch to the tasting. This dynamic sequence is gradually imbued with herbaceous (agave, cut hay), saline, and green licorice flavours.
Finish: Both firm and smooth. Supported by an inflexible mineral and empyreumatic framework, it introduces new fruits (apple, pear, sweet almond) as well as fermentative flavours that in turn evoke a mezcal and a peated single malt. Verdant (alfalfa) and lemony, the retro-olfaction is punctuated by floral and aquatic fragrances (reed, rush).
Jamaican Sister: Hampden 2 Year Old 2024 HGML Cognac Cask
Jamaica, Molasses Rum, 57% ABV, 70cl, Single Cask #665, Cognac Cask, Limited Edition of 383 bottles, LMDW exclusive
This expression of the HGML (Hampden George MacFarquhar Lawson) mark boasts a spectacular ester concentration between 1,000 and 1,100 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol at distillation. Crossing the threshold into the hyper-concentrated profiles of the range, its production relies on a 15-day fermentation combining molasses, dunder, cane vinegar, and muck, followed by tropical maturation in a cognac cask. Both fresh and heady, its aroma and flavour palette shows great depth, showcasing fruity and petrol notes that vie for intensity.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale gold.
Aroma: Deep, pulpy. At once juicy (pear), varnished, mineral (charcoal), infused (sage), and medicinal (Vicks VapoRub), the aroma palette gradually displays increasingly empyreumatic tones. With aeration, scents of burnt rubber, musk, and lime zest lend it great fervor.
Taste: Both lively and smooth. Crackling (glowing embers) and oxidative (overripe pineapple and pear), while at the same time heavily imbued with molasses and vanilla flavours, the flavour palette proudly displays its dual character. Over time, it becomes fibrous (sugar cane), heady (cane flower, hyacinth), and honeyed (lavender, geranium).
Finish: Full, concentrated. Continuing the honeyed extension of the palate, it overflows with indulgent (frangipane), exotic (ripe banana), and spicy (star anise, ginger) flavours. Rich in petroleum esters (tar, diesel), the retro-olfaction is deeply permeated by wisps of smoke from an oily Havana cigar and notes of beeswax.
Jamaican Calisto: Hampden 2 Year Old 2024 C<>H Cognac Cask
Jamaica, Molasses Rum, 57% ABV, 70cl, Single Cask #638, Cognac Cask, Limited Edition of 388 bottles, LMDW exclusive
Boasting an impressive ester count between 1,300 and 1,400 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol at distillation, this expression is crafted according to the C<>H (C Diamond H) mark. It undergoes an extended 20-day fermentation driven by indigenous yeasts on a mash combining molasses, dunder, cane vinegar, and muck, followed by a novel maturation in cognac casks under the tropical Jamaican climate. Both broad and elegant, its particularly rich and concentrated aroma and flavour palette possesses an imposing stature. Pushing the art of paradox to its limit, it is by fully embracing its monumental power that it unfolds a complex and near-perfect harmony.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Golden yellow.
Aroma: Rich, deep. Intensely fruity (pineapple, banana, orange, candied lemon, mirabelle plum), petroleum-like (gasoline, diesel), peppery/spicy (Cayenne, paprika), honeyed (acacia, linden), infused (sage, savory), animal (bacon, leather), medicinal (Tiger Balm, mustard plaster), herbaceous, and vegetal (pipe tobacco, sugar cane). The aroma palette is impressively generous, complex, and present.
Taste: Broad, smooth. Like the nose, the flavour palette is a concentrate of exotic, hydrocarbon, vanillic, and medicinal flavours whose evocative power rests on goldsmith-like precision. Hampdenesque, it becomes increasingly fermentative and gathers molasses, dunder, muck, and cane vinegar under one banner.
Finish: Long, noble. Radiantly luminous, it pours entire hands of ripe banana, beeswax, still-warm cane sugar, candied ginger, fleur de sel, black licorice, mint tea infusion, pipe tobacco with tarry and oily accents, as well as numerous hydrocarbons onto the palate.
Mangrove Buckeye: Hampden 2 Year Old 2024 DOK Cognac Cask
Jamaica, Molasses Rum, 57% ABV, 70cl, Single Cask #430, Cognac Cask, Limited Edition of 378 bottles, LMDW exclusive
The DOK (Dermot Owen Kelly-Lawson) mark holds a special place in the Hampden universe. Embodying the distillery’s highest degree of aromatic intensity, it boasts an ester count between 1,500 and 1,600 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol at distillation—the legal limit permitted in Jamaica. This expression undergoes a 25-day fermentation combining molasses, dunder, cane vinegar, and muck, followed by pot still distillation. Benefiting from a novel maturation in cognac casks under tropical climate, this single cask achieves the feat of combining monumental power with elegance. Lively and proud, its aroma and flavour palette evolves through exotic, herbal, and savoury garden sequences of striking exuberance. It thus represents the purest, most technical, and most radical expression of Hampden’s expertise.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Green gold.
Aroma: Lively, proud. Liqueur-like (cane sugar), herbaceous (cut hay), lemony, medicinal (crepe bandage), aquatic (reed), empyreumatic (eucalyptus, Papier d’Arménie), etc. The aroma palette brilliantly pulls off the feat of being as elegant as it is powerful. With aeration, a fine layer of black licorice, coconut milk, citrus fruits (grapefruit), and exotic fruits (kiwi, green banana) take command of the olfactory landscape.
Taste: Dynamic, taut. Immediately revealing the natural beauty of a very sleek distillate, the flavour palette proves pleasantly aniseed-tinged, mentholated, and licorice-heavy. Endlessly warding off the assaults of time, it evolves toward fresh herbaceous and vegetal registers (alfalfa, clover, bamboo) gradually covered in a thin film of vanilla.
Finish: Characterful, slender. Fibrous and resinous (sugar cane, pine), liqueur-like (cane sugar), and lemony, it shows, in turn, an unalterable youthfulness of spirit. Vegetable-garden-like (artichoke, pea, green bean), the retro-olfaction further heightens the pleasant sensation of juvenility emanating from this Hampden D.O.K.
Kanpai!
88 Bamboo Editorial Team
