Hampden Estate 8-Year

Dit is mijn rum.
Zo moet rum zijn.
Kost een paar centen, maar dan heb je ook wat.
Hoog in esters. Extreem veel smaak en toch zacht. Geen overheersende 'nep' smaken. Volledig in balans.
Vakmanschap !

Vůně: Lak, lehce nahnilé ovoce, banány
Chuť: Ovocná, lehce technika, čokoláda dub, suchý, lehce štiplavý, koření, tabák, byliny
Dochuť: Dub, čokoláda, bourbonová sladkost, závěr lehce olejovitá technika
Příjemný, nenásilný, funk pro širší veřejnost
8,4/10

I'm still experimenting with Jamaican rums, trying to figure them out. That's not an easy task, their flavors are all over the map from one to the next. And I'm still not sure I've tried enough of them to really understand what's up with funk, dunder, and esters.

This one has a strong smell of Elmer's glue on the nose, but the taste is more fruity and that aroma doesn't transfer to the palate. The palate is an excellent combination of fruity, and I think I'm going to say a slight industrial chemical, like drinking the aroma of a paint booth in an auto refinishing business. Personally, I love that smell, so to me its a positive, YMMV.

It may not sound so great in words, but on the tongue its absolutely wonderful, so I'm giving this a solid 9 rating.

Smith & Cross is mentioned in other reviews, I don't see any similarity at all between this and S&C, so I thought I'd mention that as well. Is it possible that the bottle of S&C I tried had gone bad in the bottle, I thought it tasted horrid and yet everyone else seems to love it.

It seems to my taste that 8 years is a level of aging where Jamaican rums start to lean away from their fruity and funky vibrancy and more towards coffee and oak flavors I associate with whiskeys, or perhaps Bajan rums. This is a pleasant sipper, but comes into its own with a splash of Demerara syrup and some bitters, as the flavors I tend to seek in a Hampden aren't most present in this bottling (The 5-year LROK is my sweet spot). Still, it is the bottle that is most widely available as a non-limited release in my neck of the woods, so it is a continuous presence on my shelf.

I can’t say enough good things about this rum so I’ll keep it short. You get the funk you expect and want but it doesn’t punch you in face or overpower your drink. It’s smooth enough to sip neat but will also add depth and complexity to any rum cocktail. It’s the real deal and everything you want in a Jamaican rum.

It is a solid rum with a stronger taste but I much prefer the 5 year old Lrok

Rum se vyrábí z pramenité vody a prochází přírodní "divokou" fermentací. Neobsahuje žádný cukr nebo barviva.

Aroma: Krásně výrazně ovocné - banány, ananas, kyselá jablka, meruňky..., med.
Chuť: Medově trpká, závan travnatosti a opět kyselá jablka. Řízná a příjemná.
Dozvuk: Med, trpké sušené ovoce (švestky, meruňky), lehce hořkne. Delší.
Sladkost: 0/3
Ochutnán vzorek
Zde je vidět, proč patří Hampden mezi nejlepší rumové destilerie na světě. Rum základní řady a taková mnohovrstevnatá laskomina.

A fun rum to drink, a bit stronger at 46%. Dry, esthers in the aroma.
A nice pot still with subtle characteristics of an agricole rum (unexpected, very subtle, but quite nice).

By smelling this rum, I must say that the fruity thing I smell reminds me very much of some Plantation rums but a bit stronger in terms of alcohol smell. The first sip comes in a little bit harder but it’s good to drink slow and quietly. Also in the nose the wood smell feels very pleasant. If you haven't taken a sip for a while I get a bit of a Plantation aftertaste in my mouth again. Delicious! And in the coke it's not as nice as the Eldorado 12, but certainly doable. I give it an 8.

very fruitful not much burn I really like this rum now I understand the Jamaican funk
in my top 5 a must try and a must have