Hamilton Jamaican Black

The first drink I made with this wonderful Rum locked me in. Taste is subjective and I can't speak for anyone else, but the Mai-Kai's Oh So Deadly is one of my favorite drinks and in my humble opinion, can't be made without Hamilton Gold and Black. I find no similarities between the Smith & Cross (which I like) and the Hamilton.

I tell people to try and drop any preconceptions about rums when I pour it for them. It's very different.

Out of the 53 rums I keep on hand, the Hamilton is in my top 3.

Bottled at 46.5 the heat hits you right up front. The flavor and aroma is instantly recognizable as it should be and is in the same pocket as Smith and Cross Wedderburn pot still. However this is a tad sweeter, though not overly sugary for a dark rum, than the S&C and finishes with a medicinal tang. As you become acclimated to it a lovely black strap molasses creeps in.
At the price of $26 you can't go wrong. If you want a heavy dose of Jamaican funk with a bit more sugar than Smith and Cross than this is an easy choice.
I'm definitely going to buy another S&C before I burn through this Hamilton for a proper side by side.

Really hard to find this any more. Got the last bottle at one of my local haunts, hiding behind the Hamilton Jamaican Gold. Speaking of which, I've read that both rums are identical except that the Black has been colored with caramel. I did a blindfold taste-test and would agree that they are semi-identical twins. Like the gold, this black rum is pure Jamaican funk. Rotting bananas, spices, bandaids, and a bit of wood. You will either be revolted by this challenging rum or you will be enchanted by its unapologetic, savory assault on your taste and smell buds. I enjoy it neat because it deserves the spotlight all to itself...

If you love Appleton and that Jamaican funk In your tiki mixes this is an extreme version done the old way with the pot still method. I would recommend this for anyone who is a serious connoisseur of Jamaican rums, my rating is for using it as a mixer, but I suggest using a little less in simple mixes, because it is strong and can overpower a mix. For those multiple ingredient mixes like Rum Barrels or vintage Zombies this can work well. As a sipper it’s kind of a fun novelty if you want to see how much HOGO you can handle! It does have a whiskey profile mixed with that Coruba or Myers type Jamaican. Try 1 oz Hamilton with 1oz simple syrup, 1 oz lime and a dash of bitters swizzle with crushed ice and a couple luxardo cherries. Basically a riff on Stephen Remsberg’s Planters Punch, with less rum. A fun sipper to sample with your rum buddies to see how far they have taken the funk! A rare find that I give a 9 because of rarity and uniqueness and because Ed Hamilton is a gentleman, scholar and fine judge of rum.

Had it in a tiki drink called "Doctor Funk", which may be the most expressive Hogo-Heaven beverage I've ever consumed.
If I'm going to have a dark rum, I want it to be bursting with flavor. Hamilton delivers, and so we have the perfect rum for a Dark n' Stormy for us drinkers that relish the funk. It represents a unique category of rum, with only itself as a member - Jamaican Pot-Still Dark - genius. Rich, thick, and dark with all the best of the Jamaican style. A fine addition to many a tiki drink. $20 in WI (Discount Liquor)

This is an interesting rum. It has a really unique flavor that others are calling 'funk'. I'm not a big fan of this 'funk' flavor (I don't have a better description other than 'dark agricole'); it's a little on the dry side for me. But if you like this rum, then I recommend you try the Taildragger 'After Dark' rum, which has a somewhat similar 'funk' to it, but is sweeter, stronger, and a little better imho.

Very dark pour. Aroma is funky, but not off putting. Taste is slightly sweet, but runs more on the earthy/ woody side. Finishes smooth.

My first Jamaican rum and since it... the other Jamaicans I've tried haven't felt authentically funky. This is a funky rum to end funky rums as far as I can tell. A quarter ounce of this purified funk can change the character of a cocktail. Appleton... Smith and Cross... they don't hold a candle to the bottle of Hamilton Black that I had.

Admittedly, it's hard to rate as it's so, so distinctive. But it grew on me so much over time that I can't give it up. It's my go-to for Jungle Birds.

...this one's got the funk! As mentioned previously, the nose not off-putting but you immediately know what it is. Once you get into it, over-ripe bananas, ripe fruit. A tad on the sweet side but not by much... just enough. Being that I lover sippers the 46.5% ABV is perfect! If able, I would give this a 7+. May revisit after after a couple of weeks to see how it opens up.

Just came here to say this rum is great but it is honestly more similar to cachaça than the Jamaican pot still rums you might think of (Smith and Cross, Myers, Wray and Nephew). So if you like cachaça and agricole rhums, go for it. But if not, just know it is far different than your traditional Jamaican funk character. Now, off to make a daiquiri!

I really looked forward to this one as the 151 and the 86 are solid products. The aromas upfront are fruity and warming. Molasses and soft sweetness. Flavor is drying and firm. Woody (or similar) with hints of caramel, leather and smokiness. Some of the expected funkiness too. A bit thinner than I would like straight up but it seems to pop out a little more in a cocktail.
Overall I'm just a little disappointed in this one as I expected a bit more depth of flavor but it does make a really good mixing rum. For the price it's a solid buy. It's just not intended as a neat sipping rum. For what it is it's really nice. This will definitely do the job in a lot of drinks calling for a good moderately funky dark pot still rum. A great rum to have on the shelf.

A solid and powerful example of this style, seemingly faithful to the intentions of its originators in that it tastes very pure. And vaporous, this one is very dry and ether-like. A little stronger than I normally drink for Jamaican pot still, but if you need a spirited black rum for your cocktail, this would be an ideal fit. Not as nuanced for straight-sipping, but a blend with this would add nicely to your snifter.

A 5.5 on my scale. Very strong molasses smell and flavor. A little less strong on the afterburn than the Hamilton Demerara

This is a Jamaican rum that perfectly straddles the line between richness and funk. It’s not overly aggressive like a rum fire, but packs an amazing amount of flavor in there alongside the funk. Notes of Carmel, grassy flavors, overripe fruit, all at a great abv

Enjoyed two glasses of Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum while in San Francisco. Cheap looking bottle and label design. Almost black color from a massive amount of artificial coloring. Super strong funk and plenty of oak mixed with pure alcohol to your nose and palate. Extremely strong burn at the end. As a mixer rum, you still get the funk shining through your soda.

Got to have the funk! My second time drinking this one (in a Jet Pilot). Got a big whiff of licorice which I didn't the first time. Regardless, amazing rum in an amazing drink!

Much like Smith & Cross, lots of hogo, just a tad less strong, more darker ( molasses, burnt and smoky, brown sugar), deep like Hamilton 151 Demerara but without the cinnamon and burn.

Update: picked up a bottle of Myers. The 2 are very similar. The Hamilton has a little more flavor. I don't think anyone wiil be able tell the difference if you put these 2 in the same cocktail. Since the Hamilton is hard to find and is more expensive I'll only get it for special occasions.

This rum is flavorful and intensely funky. Being unaged, its funk is pretty wild. In some ways, it is more overpowering than say, Smith and Cross, even though it is not as high proof. It would overpower most cocktails that call for "Dark Jamaican Rum". However it is ideal for the Jungle Bird and the Doctor Funk

From Worthy Park, this is a blend of three non-aged rums. Color is from added caramel. The same exact rum as in the Hamilton Jamaica Gold, but with a different caramel color(batches will vary slightly).

It has taken me years to learn to love this rum and its ability to bring instant richness to any drink. I will add this to other rums straight up for a little kick. Same review for this and the gold because they are the same.

a deep dark molasses and burnt sugar aroma and taste. such a unique flavor.

You will invariably get a lot of comparisons to Smith and Cross with this guy. I will say there is something kind of like day old coffee, that acid you get from old gas station coffee left in your mouth when drinking this sucker. That being said, it is a cool ingredient to have in your collection, I just can't really seeing myself ever gravitating back towards it.

I recently had a chance to try this and was not overly impressed with it. Yes, it had a funky aroma and an interesting taste and burn. I guess I am not used to the complexity of this rum and will stick to a more less funky rum in the future.