Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Distillery Aged 17 Years The Whisky Barrel Exclusive

Bythefatrumpirate

Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Distillery Aged 17 Years The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirateKill Devil Jamaica Hampden Distillery Aged 17 Years The Whisky Barrel Exclusive. The folks over at Hunter Laing, who operate the Kill Devil rum brand certainly seem to have obtained a lot of rum from Hampden Distillery. The Whisky Barrel, an online retailer also seem to quite like Hampden rum, so are working with Kill Devil to help distribute these funky bottles of rum.

Todays rum is a 17 Year Old Rum which was distilled way back in November 2001. Until recently Hampden only released one marque of rum to brokers each year. We know that the 2001 releases were all the Diamond H marque. Please note due to the madness of WordPress/the theme I use I can’t put the arrow marks that denote the Diamond you may see elsewhere. I do know how it should be presented but if I use the arrows it goes all a bit strange when I publish!

The Diamond H marque is pretty much the middle of the range in terms of funky rums from Hampden between 900-1000 esters in g/hlaa. Bear in mind though some of the “higher” ester Hampden rums aren’t really produced for drinking “as is” and are used in blends, in food flavourings and are even used by the perfume industry.

Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Distillery Aged 17 Years is a Single Cask bottling. It has an ABV of 58.8% and is noted as Cask Strength. There are 288 bottles of this rum available exclusively from The Whisky Barrel. It is priced at £93.16 (??) which despite being a rather strange amount of pence. It is pretty good value for a 17 Year Old Hampden rum.Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Distillery Aged 17 Years The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

Perhaps the most “famous” Diamond H release so far was the Velier 70th Anniversary. So it will be interesting to see how this one matches up. That rum was considerably younger but it did benefit from 100% Tropical Ageing. This rum has been Continentally Aged. So it will be a little different. Note different not necessarily better or worse.

The first difference is the colour of the rum. This is a very light rum for a 17 Year old. A straw colour. Many people with little knowledge of spirits would immediately be suspicious of claims stating this has been aged for 17 years. There has been no fancy finishing with this rum. It has been aged entirely in ex-bourbon casks in sunny Liverpool.

The nose is full of pineapple juice and bruised banana. Notes of green apple, ginger and a touch of cinnamon. The “funk” is very much there but this is a very fruity and more balanced Hampden than some of the higher ester marques. I would say Diamond H is much more balanced overall than those rums.

The ageing also gives a nice woody note to the rum, which adds an extra layer of complexity and further notes of vanilla and some very light smoke. Nose wise this is quite an approachable Hampden.

Sipped at full strength it is has a sweet entry – again pineapple and green apple, the banana is a bit more creamy – say like a banana porridge. (You can tell I have a baby in the house)

There is a touch of astringency, which gives a little chilli heat and some white pepper along with some lime juice and lemon peel. This moves you into the woody mid palate. This gives a lot of ginger and vanilla, alongside the oak.

This is very sippable even at Cask Strength. No real need for dilution. It’s not quite as acidic as some Hampden’s can be. The time in the wood has clearly calmed this aspect down and given it a really nice balance.

Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Distillery Aged 17 Years The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirateThis is a fruity and, by Hampden standards quite an easy rum to drink. It has a really nice balance to it. I would have possibly thought, it was a much lower ester marque as it drinks more like the Habitation Velier HLCF. Which is no bad thing really.

The only real disappointment with this rum is the finish. It’s not a bad finish but it does seem a little on the short side. This may however just be in comparison to the flavour burst you get on each sip. A little water does help give the finish a bit more clarity. Your palate isn’t hit quite as hard with the initial burst of flavour on the sip.

There is a lot of choice when it comes to Hampden rum at the moment (even on The Whisky Barrel’s own site). This rum more than holds its own should you wish to try something from the Diamond H marque.

 

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  • Bumbu The Original

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Bumbu The Original Rum Review by the fat rum pirateBumbu The Original. Bumbu is an Indonesian word for a blend of spices. I’m sure I have also seen terms such as Bombo and Bumbu, used to describe mixed drinks made by Pirates and other historical figures. These drinks have been composed of rum, water and varying spices.

    This rum has proved to be very popular over the past couple of years. It has also proved to be very controversial. Bumbu The Original titles itself as The Craft Rum. They note that their rum, which is “hand crafted” using 8 different sugar cane varieties is aged for up to 15 years.

    Bumbu The Original is based on the “original recipe” created by 16th and 17th century sailors of the West Indies, who blended native Caribbean ingredients into their rum and called it “Bumbu”. Making it to their marketing says “truly the original craft spirit”.

    They also state “Using the same all-natural native spices and no artificial colors or flavors, our rum is an authentic revival of this piece of Caribbean history, distilled in small batches and blended by hand. We’re pretty sure our great-great-grandfathers would approve”

    Quite what comprises a small batch today I am not entirely sure. Much like “craft” it is a term which doesn’t really have any specified definition that has to be adhered to. It can be plonked on pretty much anything and its meaning is rarely quantified. It certainly isn’t with Bumbu. The rum in the blend comes from WIRD (West Indies Rum Distillery). If information on Diffords Guide is correct, then WIRD currently operates two Pot Stills. Which may or may not be the source of the “small batch” rum they use in this. I’m not convinced to be honest.

    On the Bumbu website, they also make a big fuss about the presentation. Particularly the weight of the bottle and the oversized “real” cork used. Presentation is pretty much what I would expect from a Rum Brand like Bumbu to be honest. Very Pirate-ey.

    Bumbu is widely available in the UK for around £35 for a 70cl bottle. Although it is noted as being a rum, it is only 35% ABV so is really a rum based spirit drink. Once again the EU countries are extremely lax about the classification of this “rum”. So it is easily passed off as being a rum. Even if EU law defines it isn’t.

    Bumbu The Original Rum Review by the fat rum pirateSo what we have here is really a Spiced Rum type drink, which is trying to pass of an air of authenticity and heritage. I think it’s all just a load of bollocks, to be honest. Yes in the 16th and 17th century sailors, pirates, plunderers and admirality might well have “spiced” their rum. But they weren’t adding spices to 15 year old rum! Rum back then will have been as rough as a badgers arse and probably tasted like one as well.

    So lets see what joys this has in store for us.

    When poured Bumbu The Original is a dark brown with orange tinges. It leaves legs on the glass. Which is no surprise as it measured at 40 g/L of additives. If this was marketed as the Spiced Rum Based Drink it is, instead of as you can see from the advert above it is noted as being “The Craft Rum” I wouldn’t have much of an issue with this. Whilst they do admit it’s flavoured and spiced they are also quite happy to keep up the illusion this is a “real rum”. This irritates me. Prior to reviewing Bumbu I had tried it at a couple of rum festivals. So we may as well see exactly what we have in this bottle.

    The nose smells very sweet. Llashings of caramel and toffee. It reminds me of Banoffee Pie, as it has a lot of sweet confected bananas. Think cheap bottled Banana milkshake. Foam banana sweets even Candy Rock. Beneath this is further saccharin like sweetness, which smells like cheap strawberry flavoured boiled sweets.

    I’ve never really seen spirits as being drinks I would associate with underage drinking. Vodka aside, most children won’t find any appeal from the likes of Scotch Whisky or Gin. Spiced Rum I guess can appeal to a younger palate. Even with Spiced Rum (or Spiced Spirit Drinks) there is usually a “bite” of alcohol which might turn the “youth” off. Not so with this concoction. It barely even tastes like alcohol in any way shape or form. It hardly tastes like you are drinking an alcoholic drink at all. If you served this in a cocktail I would assume you had given me a mocktail,

    The 35% ABV makes it very thin and the sheer amount of artificial tasting banana, toffee and the huge onslaught of saccharin sweetener makes this have no burn or rum taste whatsoever. It is pretty much like imbibing sugary sweet water. Even someone with zero experience of knocking back spirits could drink “shots” of this. Which is pretty much what it tastes like. Those cheap holiday shots you buy because a pretty girl (or hunky bloke for the ladies, or indeed men, should they be inclined that way) is selling them.

    So, what do we have as a sipper? Well we have a virtually neutral alcohol based spirit which is hugely dosed with cheap banana and toffee flavouring. 15 Year Old rum? If there is a 15-year-old rum in this blend its like giving someone a 10p Harrod’s Gift Voucher. Pointless.

    Bumbu The Original Rum Review by the fat rum pirateAs with most rums like this, after the initial burst of confected over the top sweetness it just disappears to nothing. No mid palate and definitely no finish not even the slightest hint of alcohol burn. Maybe a little bit of woodiness as it goes down. I wouldn’t go as far as saying oak though, more like its had a wood stave dipped in it briefly.

    Mixed this works, if you want a cloying Rum and Cola or Rum and Ginger Beer. The website suggests cocktails but I really don’t want to waste much more time and expense on this shit.

    A work of pure fiction and one of the worst flavoured/Spiced rums out there. It’s absolute rubbish. Cheap flavoured alcohol. What appalls me the most is that some Rum Reviewers have given this reviews, which suggest it is worth your time as a rum.

    Now that really is a joke.

    This is about as Bajan as Jellied Eels. And just as nauseating. At £35 you could get yourself some absolutely outstanding Bajan rum. Do yourself a favour and do exactly that.

     

  • That Boutique-y Rum Company Greensand Ridge Batch 1

    Bythefatrumpirate

    That Boutique-y Rum Company Greensand Ridge Batch 1 Rum review by the fat rum pirateThat Boutique-y Rum Company Greensand Ridge Batch 1. Regular readers of the site should be familiar with The Boutique-y Rum Company by now. I have reviewed a number of their offerings over the past couple of years since the company was formed.

    This offering from Greensand Ridge is part of the recently released “Home Nations Series”. Which celebrated the growing number of rums now being produced in the UK. It also focused on some whisky as well but we’re not interested in that. Not today anyway.

    Greensand Ridge Distillery is a micro-distillery which focuses on gins, fruit brandies and rum. It is named after the hills which surround The Weald, commonly known as Greensand Ridge or Wealden Greensand.

    Sounds like something out of LOTR or something. The Weald is a wooded area based in the South East of England, it crosses the counties of Hampshire, Surrey, Kent and Sussex.

    So there you go if you wish to learn more about Greensand Ridge Distillery then they have a very informative website with plenty of information. They are a carbon neutral operation and have other environmental projects ongoing as part of their operation.

    So lets learn a little more about the juice in the bottle. That Boutique-y Rum Company Greensand Ridge Batch 1 is a 100% Pot Still rum. It has been aged for 18 months in an ex-apple brandy cask (produced at the distillery). It has been bottled at 52.5% ABV. Upon releases there were 444 bottles available. Bottle size for the That Boutique-y Rum Company are 50cl rather than the more common 70cl. It retails at around the £50 mark it is available from Master of Malt and other retailers.

    As with all That Boutique-y Rum Company bottlings the artwork has once again been provided by Jim(‘ll Paint it). He’s now dropped the ‘ll Paint It – I would imagine for pretty obvious reasons. He’s still using Microsoft Paint though!

    So I think I have exhausted the information I have on this particular bottling so why don’t I get my laughing gear around a glass or two?That Boutique-y Rum Company Greensand Ridge Batch 1 Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Why not indeed. In the glass That Boutique-y Rum Company Greensand Ridge Batch 1 is a very light coloured spirit a kind off white/very light straw. It could almost pass as a “white” rum with just a sl ight yellow tinge.

    The nose is full of molasses and caramel. It’s quite sweet but at the same time has a savoury kind of pastry note to it. The type of pastry you would use for a savoury pie. Shortcrust with a pinch of two of salt.

    There’s also a slightly sharper note – it’s quite fruity. Logically it should be a kind of apple like note but its a bit sharper more citrus heavy than even a baking apple. Quite tart.

    I’ve got to say its not my most favourite nose. There’s a fair bit going on but there is a bit of a rub between the molasses notes and the rest of the nose. Something just doesn’t quite sit that well for me.

    Sipped it is certainly a lot fruitier and more vibrant than the nose. It’s not as heavy on the molasses and I’m definitely getting the apple brandy alongside those citrus notes from the nose.

    The initial fruity burst is off set by a nice hit of peppery heat and some softer woody notes. The mid palate is slightly menthol like with some hints of apple and apple blossom. It fades quickly into the finish.

    Finish wise as to be expected of a younger rum it’s a little rough around the edges. It’s quite boozy but the overall lighter nature of this rum means it doesn’t get too much.

    The fade out is gentle with some whisky like barley/malty notes.

    Overall That Boutique-y Rum Company Greensand Ridge Batch 1 shows some promise. Overall for a 100% Pot Still Rum I found the profile a little light and not quite as robust as I might have expected. That is not really a criticism just an observation on the overall style.That Boutique-y Rum Company Greensand Ridge Batch 1 Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    I think this rum has started to take on some of the characteristics of the barrel it has been aged in. It would be very interesting to try it again with more time in the barrel. I’m sure as young disitillery Greensand Ridge will be working towards this.

    This is okay – its nothing special and nothing that is going to make me rush out and buy more Greensand Ridge rum. However, I will be keeping an eye on any future releases and will ensure I try any samples of new stuff as it evolves. There is definite potential in terms of the distillate and the options available to Greensand Ridge in terms of barrel selection from their exisiting portfolio is exciting.

    One for the future.

     

  • Appleton Estate Reserve Aged 8 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Appleton Reserve rum review by the fat rum pirateAppleton Estate Reserve rum for the world famous Appleton Estate distillery.  Appleton Estate is part of a portfolio of rums produced by J Wray and Nephew and Sons.  The company pretty much dominate domestic rum sales in Jamaica.

    Appleton Estate Reserve highly regarded throughout the rum world and is seen by many as one of the best examples of rum for your money.

    A 70cl bottle will set you back around £25 which for a 8 year old rum is more than reasonable.  The rum comes housed in the distinctive Appleton Estate bottle (which can lead to a little confusion as the V/X this and the 12 all come in roughly the same bottle) the Reserve has a screw cap and is bottled at a hefty 43%.  Which is fairly unusual for a single digit mass produced rum.  The V/X is widely available in Sainsburys but they are yet to stock the Reserve.

    Appleton Estate Reserve is a mix of heavy Jamaican pot still rums blended under the guidance and supervision of master blender Joy Spence.  The V/X which I have reviewed previously is a great mixing rum and the Reserve is priced at a point where it could be premium mixer or a sipping rum.

    My initial experience of Jamaican rums wasn’t one I enjoyed.  The intense flavours and my naivity meant they were just too much for my sweet tooth.  Over time and around 150 rums later I’ve begun to really enjoy the deep rich fruity flavours contained within these rums.

    Appleton Estate are quite a good introduction to the world of Jamaican rums.  Rums such as Smith & Cross, Coruba 74 and Hampden Gold are very intense.  Whilst Appletons rums still have that fruity funky Jamaican feel they have a slightly more refined profile.  If Smith & Cross is for Blackbeard Appleton is for Admiral Vernon.

    So onto the review.  On the nose the Reserve exhibits all the deep dark rich fruits, Appleton 8 rum review by the fat rum piratestewed banana, rich pineapple, hints of mango and red grapes.  There is strangely a slight Demerara feel to the nose.  There are hints of the Port Morant still from DDL in the nose.  Slightly funky and with a little bit of chocolate.

    To be honest nosing Jamaican rums you could spend all day such is the depth of aromas contained due to their production.  It is to be noted that for two “classic” styles of rum so geographically close – Bajan and Jamaican the differences are quite astounding.  Then again there are elements involved in Jamaican rum production which are not for the feint hearted!  So moving away from the fantastic nose and onto the Reserve as a sipping experience.  To be honest the Reserve is surprisingly spicy on the tongue.  I wouldn’t use the term rough as that would suggest young and unaged spirit.  One word I wouldn’t use is smooth.  It’s very spicy.  Strong notes of black pepper and oaked heat break through following the initial burst of rich fruit flavours.  The rum has a lovely smooth entry which quickly heats up.  The initial notes of pineapple and dark almost to ripe banana give way to spicy all most curry like deep spicy heat.  The flavours linger and coat the taste buds with hot spice.  The barrel ageing gives the rum surprisingly little by way of an oaky profile.  Rich fruits and black pepper dominate.

    There is a lot to be enjoyed from sipping Appleton Reserve.  It is surprisingly complex and offers an experience far better than many so called Premium Rums out theres in the £50 price bracket.  Whilst many think English Harbour and Angostura 1919 offer an affordable sipping option Appleton Reserve is simply an absolute steal.

    I’m almost loathe to mix this as I’m enjoying the sipping experience so much. With my usual tipple of cola the Reserve surprisingly really smooth’s the drink out.  Whilst many drinkers seem to love smoothness (and even equate this quite wrongly in my view with quality).  I’m not a massive fan of this to be honest especially when I am mixing.  I guess I must like being a bit of a Pirate and drinking something with a bit oomph!

    The Reserve still makes a very tasty rum and cola but personally I think I would have a bottle of V/X for that – it gives roughly the same flavour but without the extra smoothness I just don’t appreciate.

    As a mixer go with the V/X if you a surprisingly good sipper at a very reasonable price then go for the Reserve.  The extra few pounds for a sipper as good as this is well worth it.

    4 stars

     

     

     

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  • S.B.S – Single Barrel Selection Barbados 2008 Marsala Cask

    Bythefatrumpirate

    SBS Barbados 2008 Marsala Cask Rum Review by the fat rum pirateS.B.S – Single Barrel Selection Barbados 2008 Marsala Cask. Single Barrel Selection is part of the 1423 groups output. Formed in 2008 1423 are based in Denmark and are headed up by co-owners Thomas Vogensen, Parminder S Bhatia and Joshua Singh.

    1423 seek out single casks of rum and also bottle blends of rum in their Companera range. Their range has recently become more prominent in the UK thanks to Skylark Spirits who are importing the 1423 rums into the UK. Should you wish to learn more about 1423 they have a very informative website here.

    Single Barrel Selection Barbados 2008 Marsala Cask is a rum which originally hailed from the Foursquare Rum Distillery. Probably the most popular distillery amongst enthusiasts at the moment. With the possible exception of the now defunct Caroni Distillery.

    This rum is from a single barrel which yielded 371 bottles. It was distilled back in 2008 and was bottled in Denmark in 2017. Prior to bottling the rum was aged for 12 months in Denmark in ex-Marsala casks. The Marsala itself was aged for 5 years. It is unclear when the rum was originally brought to Europe, so I don’t know the percentage of Continental European/Tropical ageing.

    The rum is currently available via Amazon priced at £89.99 for a 70cl bottle. The ABV on this one is 55% ABV. I am not sure if this is Cask Strength. I suspect not, it may have had some dilution in Denmark. It is noted as Non-Chill Filtered.

    Presentation wise the design is modern using a short stubby style bottle with a cork stopper. The rum also comes with a card sleeve with a cut out which means you can still read the details on the bottle. Information wise the rum displays number of bottles, year of distillation etc prominently on the front label. The card sleeve helps the bottle stand out a but more – it’s reminiscent of the Compagnie des Indes sleeves. Though the 1423 bottles aren’t quite as colourful and striking.

    In the glass Single Barrel Selection Barbados 2008 Marsala Cask is a dark reddish brown with orange flashes.

    The nose is very inviting with lots of coconut and vanilla present. Further nosing reveals some plum and blackberry. Almost like a Mixed Fruit Jam.The Marsala cask finish is quite evident giving this rum a sweeter nose than you would encounter, in say Foursquare 2005 or Rum Sixty Six. There is a zesty freshness to the end of the nose and a slight spiciness – and a touch of smoke.

    Sipped at the full 55% ABV this is very drinkable and very nicely done. The sip reveals more oak influence from the ex-bourbon maturation. Really nice notes again of the coconut followed by vanilla and some real good lemon zest. Tingly spices from the bourbon cask give this a really nice complex mouthfeel.

    The mid palate is perhaps where the Marsala cask is most noticeable. Once the coconut and vanilla fade we are re-acquainted with the rich fruity notes – plum, tangerine and some blackberries/currants.

    Finish wise it is quite a dry finish. Lots of woody oak notes and some real bourbon like notes. It’s light, refreshing. I like the way the initial sip, mid palate and finish all evolve and move into very different territories. It’s a really complex sip.

    The Marsala cask doesn’t dominate this rum or take away any of the qualities that were present prior to the second maturation. Instead it adds a subtle extra layer of fruitiness which makes this rum different enough to warrant a purchase.

    Price wisSBS Barbados 2008 Marsala Cask Rum Review by the fat rum piratee it is “expensive” should you compare it to Foursquare’s own releases. Ultimately it will depend on how much you need to try every Foursquare around. I would opt for something like this, with a different finish to many of the Indie bottlings currently available.

    Believe me whilst a Indie bottling of Foursquare aged for around 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels is great – I wouldn’t say it is any better than the distilleries own bottlings. Some aren’t quite as good or two, three times the price.

    As Foursquare have released so many of their own bottlings recently, this may only be for the hardcore. That said I have noticed that a number of enthusiasts have still been buying this. I doubt the 371 bottles will last very much longer.

    1423 were responsible for the second maturation of the Worthy Park bottlings. The Marsala and Oloroso finish limited editions. They have also worked with Worthy Park again on their new editions. Stand by for the reviews – they are on the way. So it is safe to say they know what they are doing when it comes to this kind of secondary maturation/finish.

    A slightly different take on classic Foursquare and a very tasty rum to boot. Didn’t even need dilution at 55% ABV.

    Well worth a look.

     

  • The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish

    Bythefatrumpirate

    The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac FinishThe Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish. This is the final rum in the “Flower” series featuring the artwork of Hans Dillesse, a Dutch artist. The Duchess are an independent bottler from the Netherlands, who began bottling rums in 2018.

    The brand are gaining quite a following and this is their latest Single Cask release. If you are in the UK then their rums can be found here. The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish is a rum from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). This particular rum was distilled on the Wooden Coffey Enmore Still. It was distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2019. It has spent 8 years in an ex-Armagnac cask in Europe. I am unsure how much of the its prior 12 years were spent in the Tropics/Europe.

    It has been bottled at Cask Strength of 50.8% ABV. It came from cask number 27 (whatever use that is to us) and yielded 243 bottles. In the UK, this retails at just under £90 it is slightly cheaper in Europe.

    The presentation once again is excellent with a wonderful flower design. The choice of colour for the cap (Baby Blue) is a little odd but I like the stubby 3/4 bottle and the overall presentation is good. It’s sleek and modern. A little over busy but the label does have a lot of valuable information on it. Which is what we want to see.

    I’ve given you all the information I can find on this rum so we may as well move onto the fun part and see what this Armagnac finish is all about.

    In the glass we have a medium/golden brown coloured spirit. The nose is quite sharp – slightly menthol in some ways. There’s some oak there but it’s a little flat and the sweeter notes form the Armagnac cask are trying to make themselves felt but it’s all very subtle.

    Further nosing and more time in the glass sees more of the wine influence shine through. More sweetness – a slightly acidic white wine note mingles alongside some hazelnut and pencil shavings. There’s a slightly sour, musty note in there which is a little off putting to be honest.

    I get the feeling that this Enmore may have been a little too oaky and was put in the Armagnac cask to try and send it in another direction and give it a new lease of life. Further nosing reveals some Peach and Apricot – which give the rum a softer easier approach.

    So lets see how this one goes when we sip as the nose is a pretty mixed bag.

    It’s quite sweet. I would have guessed there was some kind of wine finish involved or some kind of fancy spirit. I’m not very knowledgable on Armagnac so I would never have guessed that.

    I also might have struggled to have identified this as a Demerara rum. The Enmore Wooden Coffey Still can produce a lot of different rum marques. This would seem to be one of the lighter ones as it doesn’t have a very big Demerara feel about it.

    The Duchess Guyana Rum Armagnac Finish has quite an orange(y) feel to it – marmalade and some spicy oak come in. The initial burst of sweetness and the lighter notes of Peach and Apricot move into bitter notes of Orange Peel and slightly bitter Jaffa oranges. Wood and spice carry through the mid palate into the finish. The finish is a medium length and is fairly unremarkable to be honest.The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish rum review by the fat rum pirate

    There is a little trace of the traditional Demerara raisin and sultana notes but probably not enough to satisfy a lot of Demerara nuts. The tropically aged Demerara rums are poles apart from their European aged brothers.

    I’m not going to say one is better than the other but this is definitely a woodier, drier and less fruit heavy rum than you would get from a Tropically Aged Enmore.

    This is better than some of the long aged Enmore rums I have had, say for example the Bristol 1988, but not by much. I’d score them similarly.

    That’s not to say this is a bad rum. It’s pretty good. Yes it’s a bit on the light side but it delivers quite a nice reasonably well balanced sipper. It’s also a lot different to other rums – the Armagnac cask has brought something different to the table.

    You would probably buy a bottle and enjoy it but you might not rush out to get another.

    Good but not great.

  • House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013

    Bythefatrumpirate

    House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013 rum review by the fat rum pirateHouse of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013. House of Rum are a UK‑based independent bottler specialising in single cask releases.

    Their approach is straightforward they source characterful barrels, bottle them without additives. Then present the rum at or near cask strength. Each release comes from a single numbered cask. With a relatively small outturn, and the emphasis is firmly on transparency and letting the spirit speak for itself.

    Their Jamaica 2013 bottling follows that formula. It’s a single cask of Worthy Park distillate, produced in 2013 and bottled in 2023 at a hefty 63.4% ABV. No finishing experiments, no sweetening, no filtration theatrics just a pot still Jamaican rum drawn from one barrel #1, yielding 265 bottles.

    Worthy Park itself is one of Jamaica’s longest‑running estates, with cane cultivation dating back to 1720 and rum production beginning in 1741.

    They remain a true single‑estate operation, using their own cane, molasses, and proprietary yeast, and distilling exclusively on traditional pot stills. Their spirit typically balances bright fruit with a measured level of funk, rarely straying into the more chaotic territory associated with some other Jamaican marques. It’s a style that’s recognisable, consistent, and widely respected.

    This cask spent its early years ageing in ex‑bourbon barrels in Jamaica before being moved to the UK for further maturation in ex‑rum casks. The rum is still available here in the UK and a 70cl bottle will set you back £129.99.

    Presentation wise the House of Rum really do present their bottles in a much more modern style than most Indie bottlers.

    Maybe they are too flashy for some enthusiasts who prefer the more DIY ethos of other Indie bottlers? I’m not sure but aside from my reviews I have heard little about House of Rum to date.

    Anyway I digress lets move on to the fun part.House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013 rum review by the fat rum pirate

    In the glass we have a dark amber coloured liquid with a reddish hue.

    The nose is very much in line with Worthy Park’s profile. There’s an earthy base, a touch of almond and some raisin‑like dried fruit, lifted by brighter notes of citrus. There is the familiar Worthy Park “tea” notes as well. The aromas though feel slightly darker and less punchy. The continental ageing seems to have pulled the fruityness in a little. Its more dark chocolate and cocoa led more stewed dark fruits rather than Tropical.

    On the palate, the 63.4% ABV makes itself known immediately. The opening is rich and warm, with caramel and vanilla showing clearly the ex‑bourbon influence. Once the initial heat settles, the distillate steps forward: citrus, a hint of leather and a drying edge. English Breakfast Tea shows up as the signature style.

    On the mid palate the sweetness softens, more dried fruit appears and the citrus becomes more pronounced. It becomes drier with a smoky note and some cocoa powder.

    The finish is long as expected at this strength. Dry caramel, vanilla, and a dusty leather note linger.

    Taken as a whole, this is a well‑selected Worthy Park cask that shows the distillery’s character without exaggeration. The tropical‑plus‑continental ageing gives it a balanced profile. It doesn’t aim for extreme funk or high‑ester theatrics. Worthy Park rarely does.

    It presents the refined side of Worthy Park while still delivering the power expected from a cask strength Jamaican rum.

    It’s a confident, straightforward single cask that lets the distillate and the maturation do the talking.

    Drinkers looking for something more eccentric or aggressively funky may find it a touch too disciplined but for most rum enthusiasts, it’s a solid and very drinkable example of what Worthy Park can offer.

     

2 Comments

  1. It’s actually getting difficult to keep track of all the Hampdens being released by the Whisky Barrel! Shouldn’t complain. Your reviews are really helpful in selecting which ones to get. While I’m sure they’re all great, I might skip this and get another bottle of a 10 year instead.

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