Need some advice on Jamaican rums

I don't really know how to describe 'funk'. What you will have smelled and tasted in the Smith and Cross is part of a spectrum of volatiles covering the chemistry lab, garden shed and a compost heap on a hot day.

It's worth baring in mind that S&C is only about 3 years old, and so it's funk is especially pronounced.

In comparison, the other Jamaican rums that seem readily available would be Worthy Park, Hampden and Mezan.

I would say that WP has a more pronounced banana/varnish vibe than Appleton, with the flavour being relatively simple. 

The Hampden I would say doesn't so much add volume to the funk, but it's on a different planet in terms of the funk's complexity. There's a whole party of weirdness going on there, but somehow balanced with it too.

The Mezan? Just tastes like banana to me! 

I've got a bottle of Mezan 2007/12yo on the go at the moment. It's good, and would recommend it. The Appleton 12yo is good too, but a more commercial style than the Mezan, but I do like and find very easy to drink. (Last lot I got was when my local supermarket were bin-ending it and were selling at less than half price - shame they only had 6 bottles in stock).

@Charles M:

which shop are you getting the mezan from? 

I had same problem i  didn't like Jamaican rums till i come across Hampden 8 years old them i understood the funk 

If u want real funk try Hampden 8 years old ..its in your face very fruity smells delicious

The worthy park is nice but not really funky 

@ wayoutwest -  "I would say that WP has a more pronounced banana/varnish vibe than Appleton, with the flavour being relatively simple."

Are you saying that both WP and AE Rare Casks have a relatively simple flavor, but WP has a little bit more of the same general flavor?  If so, then this would interest me.

Or are you saying that compared to AE the WP has a more simple flavor?

The Hampden I would say doesn't so much add volume to the funk, but it's on a different planet in terms of the funk's complexity. There's a whole party of weirdness going on there, but somehow balanced with it too.

Can you tell me if this tastes anything like Smith & Cross, because I want to avoid that.  If its funky in a different way, then I'm up for experimenting with it to see if its something I like or not.  I think S&C is actually distilled at Hampden, so if its similar to Hampden then that's a hard pass for me.

dougw:

I cannot comment specifically on certain Jamaican brands other than Appleton having the least amount of hogo funk. They don't want to alientate their large fan base. Since no one mentioned this, I will mention how Jamaican rum producers accomplish this. It is not too well known that they add rotten tropical fruits to the molasses to speed up the fermentation process. Rotten bananas, papayas, and/or mangoes seem to be their prefered means of speeding up the fermentation process while adding flavor. Then there is the addition of dunder from their muck pits. You will have to look that one up because I find it downright gross! It has been years since I read about it. This all sounds disgusting, but the distillation process removes anything harmful left behind from the fermentation process. Then there is the aging process which can remove a bit of the funk. Less aging like those from Smith & Cross will have more hogo funk.

Smith and cross is designed for mixing more than sipping where Hampden is more for sipping wp and he are very simple rums .. Paul b explains it best .the funk is not for everyone but wp is a very mild easy drink