S3

Stolen Overproof Rum. This is a rum which has been much spoken about on the other side of the pond. Much Like Doctor Bird it is an independent bottling of Jamaican rum, which the Yanks have been able to get their hands on ahead of their European counterparts. Which is pretty unusual in the grand scheme of things.

So they tend to get quite excited about it. Personally I didn’t quite get all the fuss surrounding Doctor Bird when I reviewed it. I’m hoping this hasn’t suffered from similar overhyping of pretty average liquid. In my opinion I know a lot of other people think differently.

Stolen Overproof Rum is a 6 Year Old Pot Still Jamaican Rum from Hampden Estate. The team behind Stolen claim to have “found” this rum at the distillery. I have heard these claims before on numerous occasions. I have also spoken with some of the biggest rum brokers in the world. I’m not saying they didn’t go to the distillery and “hand pick” the barrels. But they probably didn’t.

As far as I am aware this rum was from a single cask. It has been bottled at a hefty 61.5% ABV (or 123 proof seen as it is an American release). It was released in 375ml (half size) bottles and retailed at around $25. Pretty good value and I personally think it is good to see limited edition rums being released in smaller bottles. Allowing more people the chance to try them. It would appear as well that bottlings are still available.

Stolen Overproof Rum has been matured in ex-bourbon barrels – I am unsure the percentage of European and Tropical ageing. I would suggest it is likely that much of the ageing will have taken place in Europe as Hampden historically sent much of their rum onto brokers unaged.

Nice golden brown colour with orange tinges around the edges and a slightly cloudy appearance.

The nose is huge. Rotting fruit and glue sticks. Masses of banana and fusel oils. This is a very rich, very funky style of Jamaican rum. Long Pond or New Yarmouth without doubt was my initial assessment. Far too much banana going on to be a Hampden. Definitely not the more refined style of Appleton or even Worthy Park. Apparantly though, this is a Hampden marque.

Once the rum has been left in the glass for a little while it does calm down a little. A slight note of carbolic soap and some more woody spices come in – ginger, cardamom and a touch of aniseed. A touch of something herbal as well.

I could nose this for weeks – it’s absolutely fantastic and reminds me so much of my beloved Duncan Taylor Long Pond 15 Year Old.

On the sip it has a bit more of a savoury note than the Duncan Taylor. Almost whisky like in terms of some light peat and barley. It’s not as fruity as I had hoped but it still has plenty of bruised black banana and gooseberries. A real tart hit of sugared gooseberry and orange thick cut marmalade.

The mid palate calms down and gives a lot of slightly smoky oak spices and some more savoury, drier notes. It moves the rum nicely along into the finish which is huge and long. This is the kind of rum you will be burping up again the next day! It’s a massive flavour bomb of intense fruitiness and rich warming oak spices.

Even at the high ABV it is very sweet and easy to sip, the complexity is great for such a young rum. As a sipper it is the type of thing you might only need one glass of.

As a mixer its the type of insane loony juice that will cause you to lose a day or two. A rum and coke with this rum is simply divine.

This is fantastic stuff. Well deserving of all the hype it has received!