A mere three weeks past, Velier and Luca Gargano stirred quite the commotion by unveiling to the world a unicorn from one of the most coveted distilleries - a 1959 vintage from the Hampden Estate in Jamaica. What makes this rum exceptionally unique is the simple fact that, throughout the majority of its illustrious 272-year history, Hampden rums have seldom been sold to brokers for bottling as single casks or single releases, for that matter. Most of its rums were sold in bulk for a multitude of industries, some for rum blending purposes, and others employed for flavours or even cosmetics. Bottling under its own label was even more unprecedented, and the distillery only truly began aging its rums tropically on site in 2010, with bottling under its own label following closely thereafter in 2018.

One can barely fathom the excitement that ensued when Luca unveiled this 1959 vintage, the most ancient yet, surpassing the previous record held by the 1983 vintage, which had been released by a number of independent bottlers. What immediately captured my attention, aside from the vintage itself, was the name Cees Van Wees, a collector of fine spirits, inscribed on the label. Luca recounts how he serendipitously discovered this rum during a visit to Cees Van Wees at one of his distilleries in Amsterdam in 2019. There, from the corner of his eye, he spied a rather antiquated dame jeanne adorned with a diminutive label. Upon closer examination, it was revealed that the dame jeanne housed a remarkably aged Jamaican rum dating back to 1959. When Luca was granted the privilege of nosing it, he knew in his heart that this was indeed Hampden rum, and he had stumbled upon something truly extraordinary.

Fast forward to 2022, Luca returned to Amsterdam, where, in collaboration with Fenny Van Wees, the daughter of Cees, and Van Wees Distillery, bottled this extraordinary piece of rum history. Although the rum traces its origins to the year 1959, it was only matured for approximately 28 years within a wooden barrel; its initial three years in tropical Jamaica, followed by the remainder in Amsterdam until 1988, when it was placed in the very same dame jeanne to rest until Luca’s fortuitous discovery. It was eventually decanted in 2024, yielding a mere 218 bottles, each boasting an abv of 71.9%. And on that evening, in the company of Daniele Biondi, The Rum Cartel, and David Marchiori at Bacaro (Singapore), we found ourselves among the select few to partake in the inaugural tasting of this historic liquid.

The nose was unlike any other Hampden I have ever encountered — remarkably distinctive, sweet, almost reminiscent of confectionery, akin to a bouquet of what I can only imagine to be as pineapple-flavoured Haribo bears, honey and toffee caramel, complemented by the fruitiness of ripe papayas, and a dusting of cinnamon amidst the mix. Most intriguing was the aroma of an agave spirit as well. Upon allowing the rum ample time to breathe, the essence of sour mash gradually became more pronounced, reminiscent of the Hampdens we are familiar with today, with a subtle hint of mustiness from all that maturation.

The palate was uplifting and bright, devoid of any hint that I was tasting a spirit distilled nearly three-quarters of a century past. There was a delicate tanginess, even a juiciness to the rum, and despite its formidable 71.9% abv, the layers of complexity were as vivid as daylight. It began with the same tropical sweetness as before on the nose, evoking pineapples and star fruits, followed by a hint of iodine, mingled with the aroma of fresh leather and olives in brine. The finish was prolonged, slightly dry, and within it, I found sugar-coated dried tangerine peels and preserved sour plums.

It would be remiss of me not to consider this one of the finest Hampdens I have ever tasted, primarily because it eschews the ester-heavy profile typical of most contemporary Hampdens, with the exception of a select few OWHs. Although I am not privy to the precise mark of this rum, I suspect it might have been a mid to lower ester mark, perhaps an LROK. It also stands as a testament to the fact that, even during an era dominated by bulk rum production, the quality of Hampden rums remained steadfast, and with meticulous maturation, they can transform into the masterpiece we have had the pleasure of tasting today.

Your occasional rum addict!