Hampden Estate The New York Edition

Bythefatrumpirate

Hampden Estate The New York Edition Rum Review by the fat rum pirateHampden Estate The New York Edition. When you’re in Nuuuu Yooooorkk………Apologies I can’t say I’m a big fan of that song. It’s just got in my head. I’m more a “Moving to New York” by The Wombats kind of guy, all told but never mind. Shall we talk about rum instead of music? Anyone would think I was trying to be Serge from Whiskyfun. Yes, let’s talk rum.

In all fairness, in comparison to us Europeans the Yanks have a pretty, well inferior rum selection. They especially suffer when it comes to Independently bottled single cask rum. They tend to get overly excited and hype up pretty average bottlings such as Doctor Bird (I can hear the cat calls but come on it’s really nothing special).

Anyway, the title for this particular bottling has been cut short a little as it was quite wordy and I couldn’t work out which were best to use. This is a distillery bottling which has been 100% aged at Hampden Estate. If the presentation reminds you of anything – yes its the opaque Velier bottle, then it’s because Velier are/were the distributor of this particular release.

To give this rum it’s full title it would be Hampden Estate The New York Edition 2010 LROK Single Cask No. 327 Single Jamaican Rum. Which in turn, has probably given you quite a bit of information on the rum in this bottle.

Hampden Estate The New York Edition is 5th out of 8 in terms of ester levels amongst the Hampden Estate Rum Marques. LROK – Light Rum Owen Kelly who was one of the original sugar planters at Hampden Estate. The description of the acronym may lead you to expect a “light” type of rum. In terms of Hampden rum marques “light” is a million miles away from something Bacardi might term as light.

As this is from Hampden Estate it is 100% Pot Still rum. Distilled on their Forsyths Pot Stills and aged in ex-bourbon barrels. The rum has been matured entirely at Hampden Estate for 9 years. I have a sample from bottle number 160 of 267 that were produced. It was bottled at Cask Strength 59% ABV

In terms of pricing and presentation Hampden Estate The New York Edition comes in a standard opaque Velier bottle. The colour code for this release is a rather gaudy yellow (bordering on flourescent) and black with some use of a red font. The rum comes with a yellow cardboard box to store the rum in. In terms of retail I’m not sure how much it orgiinally sold for. I would imagine it was considerably less than the price paid by one bidder at auction recently though.

Hampden Estate The New York Edition Rum Review by the fat rum pirateI think that wraps up the introduction so lets do the fun bit.

In the glass Hampden Estate The New York Edition is a nice golden brown colour with an orange tinge to it. It doesn’t look to have been coloured in anyway. I expect nothing less to be fair.

The nose for this “light” rum is phelonic quite acidic with a fair amount of wallpaper paste and some rotting (though very sweet) bananas.

Sounds lovely doesn’t it? Actually, it is it’s a really nice interesting, very intense Jamaican funk type of nose. Even though this is relatively low in esters it’s still funky and full of action.

Time in the glass reveals slughtly fermented unsweetened Pineapple Juice and bucketloads of black banana and a peppery oaky spice, with just a tiny hint of mustiness.

Notes of raisins and sultanas come through as well adding a sweeter less aggressive age to the rum. There’s a slight aroma of petrol and gas.

Strangely despite all this disparate components and the wide range of aromas on display it is oddly balanced. It’s not over the top in any particular department and overall the nose is…..quite lovely!

Sipped the Hampden Estate The New York Edition is quite acidic and fruity at the same time. Lots of citrus on the entry. Lime Juice and some sharp Jif Lemon concentrate. There is a nice weight of oaky spice there as well which cuts through some of the acidity and stops it from being overwhelming.

Hampden Estate The New York Edition has a wonderful richness on the mid palate and a slightly perfumed hit on the back of the palate. Everything promised on the nose is delivered as you move into the mid palate. Sweet notes of rum soaked raisins bordering on being a bit sherried. These are met with pineapple, banana and some nice spicy oaky notes. Really melding things together nicely. The more “medicinal” notes of petrol and a touch of tobacco smoke take a back seat, slightly. However, they definitely add to the complexity of this rum.

In terms of the finish at 59% ABV it is never likely to be short and it is a nice length and it really does “mellow” out further as you get into the finish. It’s the type of finish you will savour with a a good weight of oak and bourbon spice brought along nicely by the pineapple and banana which comes along side the slightly more “meaty” notes of tobacco and just a small amount of petrol.

I’ve encountered quite a lot of Hampden rum over the past few years. Often from Independent bottlers who are either unaware of the importance of the Marque of Rum used or simply unaware of what it is. I thought I had tried more of the LROK marque than it seems from looking through my reviews I thought I had experienced a Habitation Velier bottling but i

Hampden Estate The New York Edition Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

t turned out to be a LROK/HLCF blend.

I’ve probably noted in some of my reviews where I have identified it’s a LROK marque. As its not in the title I’ve struggled to find it through search. My memory (after all this rum) isn’t what it once was!

Not too worry on the basis of this bottling I suspect LROK might be a bit higher on my priorities going forward.

Good luck finding a bottle of this at a reasonable price. I suspect the generous sample I was sent (thanks hugely to the sender) will be my last experience of this particular bottle.

But you never know……….

 

 

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  • Koko Kanu

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Koko Kanu rum review by the fat rum pirateHailing from Jamaica comes Koko Kanu.  Which is a first on this site as its a flavoured, rather than a “Spiced” rum.  Distilled by J Wray and Nephew it certainly should have a solid rum at the heart of it.

    In the UK Malibu is without doubt the most popular Coconut “rum” but at only 21% it falls massively short of what can be labelled a rum.  In reality it is little more than a Coconut and rum liqueur.  Like Koko Kanu it also has a decent base rum as it is produced at West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD) home of Cockspur Rum.  The Malibu brand (12 flavours now available worldwide) is owned by Pernod Ricard.

    I’ve not seen Koko Kanu in any UK supermarkets (personally I think it could sell quite well).  I had looked at it online but never bought it.  I eventually saw a bottle in a local Cash and Carry and decided to buy it (they also stocked J Wray and Nephew White Overproof) it was around £18 for a bottle which I didn’t think was bad.  It is around £18-22 online.  The slightly unusual square 3/4 bottle is very eye catching and distinctive.  Yet at the same time quite simplistic and uncluttered.  The bird on the front of the bottle is actually the “Doctor Humming Bird” and the flower is the “Lignum Vitae” both are native to Jamaica.  The presentation to me is aimed at the female market and was introduced in 2008.

    Bottled at 37.5% Koko Kanu can (just) be labelled as Coconut Rum in the UK.  Originally Malibu was introduced to the market as a more convenient and arguably less skilful way of adding coconut flavour to mixed drinks such as Mai Tai’s and Pina Colada’s.  It is fair to say that a drink made in this way with Koko Kanu will be slightly more potent than when made with Malibu!  No doubt like J Wray and Nephew White Overproof – this will be a big selling point in Jamaica.

    Koko Kanu is naturally flavoured with Coconut Essence.  When I first opened the bottle there was actually crystalised sugar around the rim of the bottle and the screw cap.  This gives you a little indication as to how sweet this rum is.

    To describe this rum is really rather than simple and nothing should come as much of surprise.  As this is the first flavoured rum I have reviewed it is also the first Coconut rum I have reviewed.  So I have no basis for comparison.  In short it smells like Coconut and tastes like Coconut.  So job done……….still I’ll try and elaborate a little more.

    First up is the nose.  It smells how you would expect.  It’s very sweet.  There are wafts Koko Kanu rum review by the fat rum pirateof young alcohol notes but predominantly it is very sweet sugary coconut.  It reminds me of Coconut Ice if you are familiar with that very sweet coconut confection.  For a more international flavour its very much like a Bounty Bar minus the chocolate.

    Moving onto sipping this.  The overall sweetness of the drink means it is actually not bad as a sipper.  Not in the sense it gives a tremendous rum experience though.  It doesn’t in any way shape or form.  But it does give you a nice liqueuer like drink which you can enjoy chilled over ice without a mixer.

    With a mixer though is really what Koko Kanu is made for I’m sure.  With fruit juices it works particularly well but it also goes well with lemonade and cola.  It’s very easy to drink especially if you are in the mood for a sweet treat.

    Perhaps one of my major concerns would be the amount of calories in this drink.  It really is very, very sweet and sugary.  If you are on a diet stick to the Bacardi Superior! This rum flew of the Hydrometer scoring and I could not get a reading!

    To give this rum a “score” is slightly unfair.  I have nothing to judge it against and whilst it is pleasant I have no way of knowing if I will find a better Coconut rum.  Maybe something less sweet perhaps?  I don’t know.

    It’s perfectly pleasant if you want a rum that tastes of Coconut.  I dare say it offers much better value than Malibu as well.  I’ll mark this one up as “good” until something else comes along and perhaps I can update the score.  It hasn’t blown me away but it might well be the best you can get.

    Like Ronseal it does exactly what it says on the tin (bottle).

    3 stars

  • MOB33 Gold Heist Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mob33 Gold Heist Rum review by the fat rum pirateMOB33 Gold Heist Rum. A bit of American History is required to make sense of the name of this rum. In 1920, the US introduced Prohibition, which banned the sale of alcohol for anything (pretty much) other than medical purposes. Bizarrely enough at the time you could Bourbon for medicinal purposes and it wasn’t seen as a joke.

    By 1933 the act had been repealed. This was partly due to the flourishing “Black Market” which was ruled by the Mafia or “The Mob”. Hence Mob33. At the end of the day, the US government was missing out on much needed taxes, which could be levied on alcohol. This was ending up in the hands of organised criminal gangs and leading to increasing “Black Market”.

    Gold Heist represents the first rum from the newly formed Legacy Brands and MOB33 rum brand. The main aim at this stage is to produce an authentic – no additives or colourants blend of Gold Rum. It is priced (under £30) to be competitive on the on trade and with consumers. Much of the sub £30 market in the UK is dominated by the likes of Bacardi and Captain Morgan – it is also saturated with Spiced and Flavoured Rum.

    I recently had a brief chat with Ivar de Laat from Rum Revelations regarding the Rum Scene in Canada and the UK being very different. Some areas of Canada suffer badly from a dearth of decent rum selection.  A lot of provinces liquor distribution is government controlled, so some brands have a bit of a monopoly.

    In the UK we do not have those problems. That said the Spiced and Flavoured Rum market in the UK is certainly a case of the “tail wagging the dog” at the expense of authentic or should I say ACTUAL rum. Whilst there may be more authentic rums available in the UK, they are bought by a very small fraction of the market, in terms of what is classed as “Rum”. I don’t think Canada has such a “Spiced/Flavoured” scene.

    Anyway, lets move on from that and discuss what this Authentic Gold Rum is all about.

    Timos Spanos, who is the Global Brand Ambassador and the man responsible for the blend of this rum, gave us the following run down of the components of MOB33 Gold Heist Rum.

    • 3-5 year old blend from the Dominican Republic
    • 3-5 year old blend from Venezuela
    • 3 year old blend of rum from Barbados
    • and a 50/50 blend of Jamaican rum comprised of aged (up to 2 years) Plummer style rum and unaged Wedderburn rum.

    So a little bit of Smith & Cross in the mix if you like. Nearly anyway.

    MOB33 Gold Heist Rum has been bottled at 40% ABV and comes in a 3/4 stubby style rounded gold and black bottle. The design is distinctive and certainly eye catching. The rum is sealed with a wooden topped cork stopper. It retails at £27.99 and is available direct from Legacy Brands online and also at The Drinks Agency for 49p cheaper. Mob33 Gold Heist Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    As you can see the rear of the bottle gives some information on the blend of rums in the bottle. It also notes that is primarily a mixer. I know a lot of people aren’t a fan of calling rums “mixers” and “sippers”.

    However, what you find sippable and mixable, can change dramatically once you begin experimenting drinking spirits “neat”.

    Whilst I wouldn’t say this is being marketed as a beginners rum, I do get the feeling its looking to move people along a little on their rum journey. Getting away from the Spiced/Flavoured and even those adulterated “Premium” sippers, without giving anyone a massive shock to the system.

    In the glass MOB33 Gold Heist Rum is unsurprisingly, a nice golden/yellow colour. It’s not as dazzlingly gold as some “Gold” rums. This is due to the lack of caramel colouring and chill filtering. Well played Timos.

    Nosing MOB33 Gold Heist Rum its quite sweet, with a delicate almost perfumed note. This is underpinned by some red apple, a touch pear and a nice waft of caramel, toffee and vanilla.

    Further nosing sees some of the Jamacian rum come to the fore, with notes of banana, pineapple and strong note of lime zest. There is a touch of funk about the nose but nothing which would put a less experienced drinker off.

    It’s nicely balanced, approachable but more importantly though, it smells of rum. Actual real rum. Although its recommended as a mixer, I’ll give it a sip or sixteen…….

    As a sipper, at under £30 it doesn’t really disappoint. You can’t expect too much at that price. I don’t mind the relative younger character of this rum as it has a good balance of lighter rums. Again making it a little more approachable.

    That said its still quite “boozy”, even at the lowly 40% ABV. I don’t mind the kick nor do I mind the funkier notes from the Jamaican elements, giving it a bit extra bite. There’s quite a bit going on in terms of different notes and flavours. As a sipper, not all work in harmony and it is still a bit young overall. Its interesting though. Different.

    It’s perhaps as a mixer that we should turn our attention to Mob33 Gold Heist Rum. As a rum and coke aficionado (cough, cough) I did reach for a tall glass, got some ice and cola then poured myself a hefty measure of Mob33 Gold Heist Rum and settled down.

    My friend Steven James over at Rum Diaries Blog, is forever making mixed drinks on a weekend with a variety of different rums. I felt a bit like him sipping one of his exotic concoctions. Without all the effort………Mob33 Gold Heist Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    It certainly made for a very interesting and quite different rum and coke. Light notes of vanilla, caramel and toffee alongside a slightly perfumed note. To then find some black funky banana, mango, pineapple and lime zest. Held together by some really nicely spicy bourbon-esque notes – a touch of cinnamon, and a touch of barrel char a hint of smokiness.

    In the hands of a more capable mixologist or someone who just isn’t completely bone idle, I am sure this rum could be used in a variety of cocktails, which call for more than one type of rum.

    This is a really interesting “Premium Mixer” and certainly at the price something worth giving a try. It’s familiar in many ways but at the same time quite different.

    Crikey, I’m turning into John Peel…..

     

  • The Kraken Black Spiced Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    KRAKEN BLACK SPICED RUM The Kraken is a fairly newish rum to the market. Introduced in 2009 to the UK and at a time when Sailor Jerry had re-branded and changed its formula. The Kraken was introduced to compete with Morgans Spiced and Sailory Jerry.  The darker nature of the rum was hoped to give a more authentic style rum experience.

    The Kraken’s popularity has no doubt been helped by the early adoption of the rum by JD Wetherspoon’s empire of high street public houses.  The Kraken is a mythical sea beast from the 17th and 18th century, who would attack and plunder ships.  The rum is strong, rich, black and smooth just like the mythical beast.  It is 40% abv which is higher than most Spiced rums.

    The packaging of the rum is very good.  An old fashioned pirate style flagon/bottle and a nice box as well (though its presentation is a little out of step with the bottle).  Such presentation is unusual for a rum available in the Supermarket especially a Spiced one. The design is in keeping with The Kraken (dark and smooth) and overall is very slick. The rum is at the higher end price wise of the Spiced Rum Market. Having said that the range is only between around £15 and £25 per bottle. It is stocked my most retailers and you can pick a bottle up here. The labelling of the rum gives little away. It is a Caribbean rum blended with spice, caramel and other natural flavours.

    As with most Spiced rums it is very aromatic. Vanilla is present very much in its profile but unlike Morgans Spiced Gold there is also a caramel/treacley  heavy molasses like smell. In the glass the rum has a reddish hue to it, I suspect the packaging makes the rum look slightly darker than it actually is.

    When sipped neat The Kraken is very sweet and tastes slightly synthetic, almost medicinal in a  way. It’s not unpleasant but overall there is something quite artificial about the taste. I do not think that the actual rum in the blend is particularly well aged or a particular good rum. The smoothness of the rum leads me to believe a lot of caramel and other flavourings have been used to hide the roughness of the rum. Unlike Foursquares Spiced rum there is nothing subtle about the spicing and the caramel flavour makes the rum, to my taste overly sweet.

    When mixed with a little cola the vanilla flavour comes out more, making it a little like a cream soda. There is  still a slight medicinal after taste  A little like cough syrup. It isn’t as vanilla like as Morgans Spiced, possibly due to the darker nature of the rum.

    It’s better than Morgans Spiced Gold. The Morgans Spiced Black rum isn’t available in the UK market yet. If looks are anything to go by it should be a similar taste profile.  Having said that I’ve got that wrong many a time! It isn’t subtle like Foursquare Spiced, it certainly doesn’t have any authentic rum taste to it.

    I’m not a huge lover of Spiced Rum’s to me a good rum should shine through without the need for spices etc and if you want to taste something other than rum that is what mixers are for. Overall despite the slick presentation and clever marketing you get the feeling you aren’t getting a great rum for your money. Whilst overall its quite easy going and easy to drink, it doesn’t really do much for me personally.

    It’s an ok spiced rum which is probably disguising a cheaper rum base, its the kind of “rum” that non rum drinkers will enjoy e.g Sailor Jerry, Morgans Spiced.

    1 stars

     

     

     

     

     

  • Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin Rum Review by the fat rum pirateSaint Benevolence Rum Clairin. Saint Benevolence is a charitable organisation which was set up in 2017 by father and son team Calvin and Chase Babcock. This follows on four decades of work by Calvin in helping the people of Haiti.

    The town of Saint Michel de L’Attalaye is where most of Calvin and Chase’s charitable work is located and it the people in this town that they have helped the most. They decided to combine their desire to help the people of Haiti with their love of Caribbean rum. And Saint Benevolence was born.

    Bwason Pou Bonte – Haitian-Creole meaning “Drink to Goodness” , is an expression that embodies the buoyant spirit of the Haitian people as well as the philanthropic ethos of Saint Benevolence.

    Every sip of Saint Benevolence Clairin and aged Caribbean rum directly funds charitable organisations such as Living Hope Haiti, Ti Kay and Innovating Health International.

    Saint Benevolence have two expressions available in their fledgling range. One is an aged Caribbean rum the other which I am reviewing today is an unaged traditional Haitian Clairin.

    The town of Saint Michel de L’Attayale does have working distilleries. These distilleries on Haiti which produce clairin are very rudimentary and often put together by hand from foraged materials and the Pot Stills are often pretty basic and capable of very small batch distillation.

    Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin is a field blend of Cristalline, Madame Meuze, Farine France and 24/14; indigenous cane clones organically grown in the fertile alluvial soils and tropical climate of Saint Michel de l’Attalaye.  This sugar cane is grown in the fields surrounding the Dorcinvil Distillery. The processes for producing this Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin are entirely organic. Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    The sugar cane is harvested by hand and the resulting sugar cane juice is fermented with wild yeasts for between 5 and 7 days.

    In homage to Saint Michel, the town of the spirit’s provenance some of the sugar cane juice is reduced to a syrup before being fermented in a local style, known as Methode Saint Michel.

    The two resulting fermentations are then blended together and ran through the hand built Copper Pot Still. This results in Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin.

    Saint Benevolence rum is mainly available in the US. I was sent a sample to try and get the word out about this, as it for a very noble cause and definitely something to get behind.

    Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin retails at just over or around $30. A simple search on google reveals a lot of online stores, where you can find it. Here are a couple of examples. I’m not sure what availability will be like in every state. Presentation wise Saint Benevolence, comes in a very and shapely tall bottle. The labelling is modern and there is a good amount of information on the bottle. The website is also pretty good for information. Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin is bottled at 50% ABV

    In the glass Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin is a crystal clear liquid. The nose is very rustic with lots of vegetal grassy sugar cane notes. There is a slightly sweet sour note.  Gooseberries and a salty briny aroma. It’s quite pungent and can be nosed from a distance.

    Further nosing reveals some tart lime notes and a smattering of sour cream and mayonnaise. There is a slightly spicy note of horseradish as well.

    Sipped Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin is surprisingly smoky and almost mezcal like. It is quite stony and mineral-ey. A much cleaner spirit than the quite vegetal nose suggested. Quite clinical and tastes a little of how disinfectant smells (don’t go there!). But in a good way (?).

    It’s certainly quite unique and it tastes a little more refined than some of the Velier Clairins. Finish wise it isn’t especially long but it leaves a nice spicy burn. More than a hint of Wasabi/Horseradish. I love Wasabi, so this is a really nice compliment to the smoke.Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    The website notes that this works well in a number of cocktails. It is certainly something a skilled bartender could work with and probably use both as a rum and a substitute for other more exotic spirits.

    I tried it in a Caiprinha and it worked well. The smokiness worked really nicely and more of the sweeter vegetal notes shone through.

    This is not going to be for every rum drinker – it’s certainly not your average white rum or even rhum. Definitely one for the more experimental enthusiast.

    Really good stuff.

     

     

  • Elements Eight Exotic Spices

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Elements Eight Spiced Rum Exotic Spices rum review by the fat rum pirateElements Eight – for so long the brand was identifiable by its very tall, sleek bottles and distinctive framed logo.

    Moving with the times Elements Eight CEO Carl Stephenson decided to celebrate their 10th Anniversary with a re-boot.  Hence the re-designed “dumpy” bottles.  The logo remains but these newly designed bottles are much easier to store.

    I like the re-design and each bottle in the range comes with a very nice chunky cork stopper.  Branding is consistent across the range.

    Elements Eight Spiced Rum was originally introduced to the market in 2010.  Hailed as the first “Super Premium” Spiced Rum.  It certainly garnered a lot of attention and praise in the media.  I had been meaning to publish a review much earlier but I was tipped off about a re-design so I held firm.  In the end this meant getting another bottle.

    A bottle will set you back around £30.  Refreshingly for a Spiced Rum is comes in at a very welcome 40% ABV.  Making it qualify as a Spiced Rum, rather than a Spiced Spirit Drink. Which is how Morgan’s Spiced Gold and Bacardi Oakheart must be labelled as they are only 35% ABV.  In the UK a rum must be 37.5% ABV minimum.

    The website is currently under maintenance no doubt due to the re-branding.  The following information is readily available on the newly designed bottle

    “10 spices married with fine aged rum: Clove, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Ginger, Nutmeg, Star Anise, Coconut, Orange, Lemon and Honey”

    Elements Eight Spiced Rum Exotic Spices rum review by the fat rum pirateSomething which isn’t noted on the bottle but is another key feature of this rum is that is an aged blend of rums.  The rum in this blend is up to 3 years old.  The brand are also very clear when you speak to them that there are no artificial essences used in the production of this Spiced Rum.

    In the glass you may get your first surprise.  This Spiced Rum has not been given the typical “golden brown” makeover so many Sailor Jerry copycats get.  It’s more of a straw/yellow colour than shimmering bronze.  It hasn’t went down the “Black Spiced” route either.

    The nose immediately lets you know that this is a Spiced Rum.  Honey is the most noticeable forthcoming “spice” in the mix.  The rum is sweet smelling – honey and brown sugar.  Beneath this sweetness is a tangy zesty and spicy marmalade – predominantly orange but with just a touch of bitter lemon.  The spices such as Star Anise and clove give an almost festive note to the nose.  Like with Bristol’s Spiced Rum I am thinking of Mince Pies and Christmas Pudding.

    However, unlike Bristol’s Spiced Rum there is a more summery note to the rum as well – a touch of coconut, ginger and vanilla make this slightly lighter in profile than Bristol’s effort.

    Elements Eight Spiced Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIt is rare that so much is at play with a Spiced Rum.  Many cheap spiced rums rely heavily on vanilla essence and not much else for their nose and flavour.

    Combining aged rum with natural spicing has certainly produced a very complex and inviting nose.

    Now very few Spiced Rums make for good sippers.  Many just aren’t palatable neat.  Elements Eight Exotic Spices is wonderful either on its own or even with an ice cube.

    Despite having a honeyed smoothness the rum is nowhere near as sweet and cloying as many spiced rum.  The vanilla and cinnamon – two notes which often ruin spiced rums are evident but not overpowering.  All the spiced noted on the bottle can be tasted and carry through from the nose.  It has a great sweet entry followed by some spice and lemon zest and it has a wonderful long finish which allows you to savour the slightly bitter Star Anise and take in the ginger and coconut before reaching for another sip.

    To be honest I don’t mix this a great deal.  That’s not to say it doesn’t mix well – it does and it stands up in most drinks (except maybe Ginger Beer).  Thing is it such good quality that it is very enjoyable on its own.  It’s quite versatile as well – no ice in the winter and a chunk of ice in the summer.  Two drinks in one…..

    A Spiced Rum and Cola is also a really great drink but I find I mix it roughly 50/50.

    A grown up Spiced Rum which will be appreciated by even by Rum Snobs…….

     

     

     

     

  • Berry Bros & Rudd Hampden 17 Year Old TWB Exclusive Cask #27

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Berry Bros & Rudd Hampden 17 Year Old TWB Exclusive Cask #27 rum review by the fat rum pirateBerry Bros & Rudd Hampden 17 Year Old TWB Exclusive Cask #27. The Whisky Barrel (TWB) certainly seem to like their Hampden rums! This is the one of their latest and one of two rums available that were bottled by Berry Bros & Rudd.

    This particular bottling is a single cask (cask #27). It was distilled way back in 2000 and bottled in 2018. It is noted as being 17 Years Old. The rum is 100% Pot Still. As the rum is from 2000 then it is believed to be a Diamond H marque (I can’t use the arrow keys on WordPress documents as it goes a bit crazy). So the ester count on this one is fairly “low” 200-400 g/hlaa on the scale. it is bottled at 57.2% ABV. Which will either be Cask Strength or very close to it. When this went to retail only 194 bottles were available. I am unsure of the percentage of Continental (European) and Tropical ageing but I assume the vast majority of this rums life was spent in Europe.

    Presentation wise the rum comes in a tall thin Berrys Bros style bottle with their new typeface and presentation. It’s all very clean and straightforward but very classy. Information is kept soley to the rum. No fairy stories from Berrys. The rum retails at £84.95 which is more than reasonable for a 17 year old rum.

    In the glass it is a straw colour. The nose is typical Hampden funk and Pineapple Juice. After 17 years of ageing though it has lost some of its youthful exhuberance.

    The nose shows a nice integration of woody spice which permeates through the full on Pineapple and burnt Banana funk. This adds an extra dimension. The rum is  acidic with notes of sharp green apple peel and lime zest.

    Sipping this rum you being to appreciate the 17 years continental ageing. The wood has mingled nicely with the funkier notes of the distillate to give a very complex sipper. Alongside the familiar pineapple and banana filled funk you get a really nice note of orange marmalade and some pencil shavings. Nice woody integration – oaky notes and some spiciness –  ginger and allspice. Notes not unlike Worthy Park rums as well with a nice hit of milk chocolate and breakfast tea. Milky tea though unlike Worthy Park’s more stewed black variety.

    The mid palate really mellows down from the initial sip, giving a really nice overall balance to this rum. It’s been really well aged and really is a delightful treat. This is perhaps medium to low on the Hampden scale in terms of esthers, but it’s very tasty and very rewarding. The belief that more esters are automatically better is something that needs to be knocked on the head in the Rum Snob world. This shows what nonsense they are talking.

    The finish is long and very peppery.  Spicy and zesty lots of orange peel and banana mingling alongside some almost curry like hot spices. A touch of turmeric and cardamom.Berry Bros & Rudd Hampden 17 Year Old TWB Exclusive Cask #27 rum review by the fat rum pirate

    BBR seem to be able to take their rums and add just a tiny bit of something extra to make them stand out from the crowd. Other bottlers at 17 years old would have over oaked the rum, not so BBR. This is a very vibrant fruity rum with a lot of complexity.

    Another really good Hampden at a really reasonable price. Despite me being a little slow off the mark with this review (I’ve had manflu on and off for a number of weeks now) it is still available though I suspect it will sell out soon.

    I’ll be reviewing cask #54 soon. Looking forward to that one as well. I have kept some of my sample back to compare the two head to head.