Back on Jamaican lands and more particularly in the Trelawny area, at Hampden Estate, one of the world’s most funky rums, with a Hampden’s spirit !
After the first two official bottlings of the distillery, we were able to discover during the Whisky Live another official bottle, the one reserved exclusively for visits to the distillery: The Hampden Great House.
As Luca explains in this video, it is an blend made by the master distiller of Hampden, Vivian Wisdom and not by Luca Gargano as for previous editions.
So, it’s the purest expression of what Hampden can be … at least on paper.
This juice is 59% and is available only at the distillery and on certain events and would be at least 7 years old.
The blend is composed of two different marks, 80% of OWH 2012 and 20% of DOK 2016. So, the most civilized mark and one of the most extreme but in small quantity … proof is once more that this kind of thing is not made to be tasted pure.
So it should be funky but not go in all directions.
Note the beautiful packaging, classy and elegant highlighting the Hampden home, the famous « Great House » below.
Color
Beautiful gold … like all the hampden in fact 😅
Nose
Directly aromas of grany apple come to tickle the narinnes … it is very fruity and rather fresh.
The green olive, the pineapple, the smoke, the vanilla, the butter, the solvent (light) come to finish this beautiful perfumed nose, very « hampden » for the blow … but while remaining in controlled !
It’s very fruity, with apple or pear fruit, apricot, lemon, pineapple and green banana.
The typical smoked markers with hampden are present with a peanut side as well as a woody end.
It’s really fine and delicate nose while still very funky … I’m totally in love!
Palate
The palate is lively, full-bodied, creamy, iodine, pickled with a nice sugar touch …
It’s rather funky, with a nice roasted pineapple, butter, spices, olive and a nice fruit basket.
It’s really long, on the olive, the smoke in retro-olfaction, the toast, the woody and the vanilla.
We feel that the juice is young, it’s still lively and ‘sharp‘ but that’s good … I think Hampden really found the perfect balance between funky and generous .
We have here a very beautiful expression of what hampden, while remaining balanced, fine and generous.
Price
89€
Conclusion
It’s incredibly well done this Great House … They really managed to synthesize what Hampden is while making it super sexy and balanced ….
The everyday hampden in some way. Congratulations for this monster …. I love it!
This rum is historic, to miss it would be a big mistake in my opinion.
Score
90/100
