Hampden Estate 8-Year

So, for starters, I would like to say that I am a relative rum novice. I have been drinking rum for many years but mostly as a mixer, and when I entertained various rums for sipping I was primarily catering to my wife's taste which lean in the direction of much sweeter expressions. So my primary tasting experience for a long time consisted of things like Diplomatica Reserva exclusiva, Papas Pilar and El Dorado 12 year. There's nothing wrong with that style of rum, it's just not my personal preference. For sipping spirits I had been more in the camp of bourbon. I strongly favored Blanton's when I could get it, and staples like Angel's Envy, Chestnut Farms, Michter's US1 or Hancock when I couldn't. Sorry for the digression. Anyway, I am starting to find expressions of rum that I like equally to some bourbons for sipping and this is one of the few that I really enjoy neat, or with a few drops of water.

The complexity, depth of flavor and richness of this rum would be difficult to overstate. I have tasted it carefully at least four, maybe five times and I am just feeling comfortable trying to describe it. The nose, at first, is strong alcohol followed by very ripe bananas and glue, like the old mucilage brown glue in a bottle, rubber, more tropical fruit, pineapple , strong vanilla and coconut. The taste palette is intense with a slight alcohol burn up front, followed by hints of cinnamon, clove, more overripe bananas, banana bread and again a slight rubber on the back palette, along with lingering notes of vanilla, oak and coconut with a lingering pleasant sweet alcohol flavor. The way this spirit coats your palette is just so luxurious feeling, the nose, taste and aftertaste are all so long lasting and satisfying. Adding a touch of water opens all these flavor up even more and brings out some of the more subtle notes of spice and fruit.

This is making me want to try the over proof version more and more. At first it seemed like an extravagance but it is starting to feel like an eventual necessity.

On the nose: tropical fruits and a lot of sweetness, baked bananas, pineapple, brown sugar, very aromatic and full, subtle spices and oak, candied ripe fruits, a hint of cinnamon and rubber.

On the palate: spices, tropical fruits, oak, sweetness, some rubber, subtle nougat and herbs.

In the finish: dark chocolate and candied fruits, oak, spices, sweet coffee; long.

In der Nase: tropische Früchte und viel Süße, gebackene Bananen, Ananas, brauner Zucker, sehr aromatisch und voll, dezent Gewürze und Eiche, kandierte reife Früchte, ein Hauch Zimt und Gummi. Am Gaumen: Gewürze, tropische Früchte, Eiche, Süße, etwas Gummi, dezent Nougat und Kräuter. Im Abgang: dunkle Schokolade und kandierte Früchte, Eiche, Gewürze, gesüßter Kaffee; lang.

Been to Jamaica.. Zipped it there for the first time... Hampden let the FUNK live again.... Not an overproof... but Berry tastefull

On first acquaintance I knew I could sip it ,but it's taken coming back to it over a couple of weeks to really appreciate it.

Very dry, with quite a bit of burn. It's rich with banana and toffee, yet very woody and not really sweet at all.
I don't get much estery funk, but depth and richness and something sherry ish.

I'm new to rum, so I felt I needed something to compare it to, so I poured myself one of my favourite whiskies (Longrow), and in comparison, the Hampden was much deeper, darker and richer. I still enjoyed the Longrow in it's own way but the Hampden rewarded on a whole other level.

It's given me a new benchmark for sipping rum, and my initial 6 is now an 8

Lovely Jamaica, You can feel smoke, wood and tropic flora.it can be interesting for whiskey drinkers.

It is amazing how much rum you get for the price, it’s crazy. notes: Funky (classic Hampden/Jamaica) honey, banana and nuts. ABV 46 is very well balanced and koncentrated. Jamaica produces some of the best rums in the world and Hampden is propably the best destillery in the world. If you are new to rum, i don’t think you will like this, but for more experienced rum drinkers, I recommend you taste it. Amazing rum with no sugar or any addictives added. High on esters and really cheap price for this quality. Well done Hampden!

Just as good as the overproof, just less proof. .

Day 3 with this in my liquor cabinet. I reached for a Rum Malecon 15 and it actually made me ANGRY that this is in my cabinet! This stuff sucks! I have sure had much better Jamaican rum! This is very reminiscent of subpar agricole. Earthy, funky and unbalanced. Sorry, this just doesn’t work for me. As a novelty ok but it just doesn’t have the taste. No body. No finish. No sir. I don’t like it and I won’t be coerced by “uniqueness” that tastes bad! “Funk” is not always good.

Real pot still rum with no fuss ( sugar).
Lots of flavour, fruit (although inexplicable).
Something in between agricole and whisky.
Really a good start away from sweet rum

Very smooth and pleasant. It reminds me of aged Brazilian cachaça.
Notes of fresh grass and sugar cane juice. Finish medium to long. Not too dry.
No smell or taste of alcohol. It looks lighter than 46% ABV.
100% pot still, no added sugar or color, as all rum should be.

In my opinion, superior to Appleton 12 Rare Blend.