The limited edition Hampden Great House, naming itself after the Hussey family's residence in Trelawny, Jamaica, dating back to 1753, is a trophy bottle for Jamaican rum enthusiasts. This particular edition is associated not with Luca Gargano (independent bottler Velier) but with the modern master blender Vivian Wisdom, who is particularly known for his passion for creating high-ester rums.
This exquisite bottle of rum showcases a high-ester blend, characteristic of Hampden's Jamaican rum. The distillery achieves the high ester content by, for example, using residues from the previous distillation during the fermentation process. From the first sniff, you'll know you're holding a high-ester rum. Its iodine aroma, comparable to that of a peated whisky, is intertwined with sweet notes of honey and cane sugar. On the tongue, the Jamaican esters in this Hampden rum perform a dance of ripe fruit flavours, with a especial prominence of bananas, accented by vanilla and a dark cocoa finish. But there is much more to the golden colour - a colourful display of fruits, flavours and aromas engulf you, and suddenly you will find yourself in tropical Jamaica
Even the rum of this edition, which is a year older, does not deny its Jamaican style and roots. The 2020 vintage won't play games with you and will overwhelm you right away with a strong and fruity aroma. Bananas and pineapple flambéed with sugar cane and chocolate are enveloped by subtle flavours of medicinal herbs, liquorice and tobacco. This bottle of Jamaican rum will leave a lasting impression, with the comforting notes of cocoa and cinnamon playfully lingering on your palate.
Hampden Estate Great House 2021 is a blend of two rums - from 2011 and 2017, the ester level in this case is around 400. This masterpiece has a refined and full-bodied flavour, once again the Jamaican tropical fruits are undeniable. The flavours of dark chocolate and rosemary seem to meld in the ripe pineapple and acacia. It's all wrapped in an oaky odour, from which you may be snapped out of by liquorice or a hint of coriander towards the end.
Compared to previous editions, this one may surprise you with its lightness. Candied lemon with kiwi will take care of the playfulness, but the traditional banana or lychee is not left out. Gradually, the sweet aroma of pear in vanilla with coconut opens on your tongue, which is slightly softened by pepper and liquorice. Just when you think the rum has offered you everything, the flavours of raspberries in salted caramel and tobacco develop on the finish. No matter how sharp you are, the 2022 is sure to keep all your senses busy.
The Hampden Great House 2023 Edition rum, bottled at a robust 57% ABV, is a symphony of complexity and elegance. It flaunts a deep golden yellow hue, inviting you into its rich tapestry of flavors. The aroma is a sophisticated blend of cane flower, cane sugar, and vanilla, underlaid with notes of hydrocarbon, bourbon vanilla, and tropical fruits like pineapple and banana. On the palate, this rum is both rich and powerful, opening with lively camphor and vetiver, followed by a wave of clove. The mid-palate is unctuously vanilla, with hints of lemon, acacia honey, and liquorice stick. The finish is long and nuanced, with hot cane sugar, milky coconut and almond, subtle aniseed, ginger, Mirabelle plum, and aromatic plants like wild thyme and sage. The 2023 edition is a testament to Hampden's legacy of crafting rums with a complex, mineral, and empyreumatic character.
