That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica

Bythefatrumpirate

That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 JamaicaThat Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica. A release from a “Secret Distillery” in Jamaica sounds fantastic doesn’t it? Just imagine that The Boutique-y Rum Company have access to an as yet unknown Jamaican rum distillery. Is this a new start up or is it a tiny distiller who has been making their own moonshine for centuries?

It’s neither. It is in fact the name of a Jamaican Rum Producer who has decided, that they do not want Independent bottlers to use the name of their distillery on their bottlings. Whilst they probably can’t legally enforce this. They have requested this be the case. So going forward you will not see the Worthy Park name on future independent releases.

As far as I am aware I won’t get into trouble for disclosing the distillery. Besides which I am just guessing using my amateur palate. I could be completely wrong.

Anyway, with this being the Boutique-y Rum Company we do still get a stack of information about this rum. Which makes a reviewers job so much easier!

Distilled in March 2008. This is a 9-year-old 100% Pot Still Jamaican Rum. It has been aged entirely in a once used bourbon cask. This is a one of the rums from the first “batch” of Boutique-y Rum Company releases and it is still available via Master of Malt.

It is priced at £47.95 and the ABV is a hefty 58%. The bottle size, is smaller than usual at 50cl. There were 426 bottles available on release. Which suggests this rum is bottled at Cask Strength or very near to it. It is noted as being the First Batch, so there may be more casks of this rum available in the future?

That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica has spent 6 years ageing in Jamaica before being transferred to the UK.

Presentation wise the labels on the Boutique-y Rum Company are a bit wacky as is their website. If you find the whole ethos familiar, it is likely you are familiar with Jim’ll Paint It. It’s the same artist. The label for this one is and I quote “The label is a visualisation of the rum’s production, featuring sugarcane (that’s the big one), demerara sugar, molasses, unaged rum and aged rum.”

Might just be but it looks more like someone’s trippin’…….The second photo on this review shows a couple of other bottles in the range. All fun stuff and really makes the bottles stand out.

In the glass That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica is a medium/dark brown rum, with an orange hue around the edges.

On the nose it is obvious to anyone who has ever tasted anything from this “Secret Distillery”, which distillery this is actually from. Sweet milky builders tea mingles alongside milk chocolate, peanuts and caramel. It’s rich, warm and very inviting. Wafts of vanilla move in and out of the mix.

It’s very typical of a Worthy Park rum. Which is no bad thing as I think they are a fantastic distillery.

Sipped the rum is a little fiery at the full ABV but full of intense fruity and chocolatey flavours. Once you get past the milky tea notes you get a hint of pine cones and then the spicy warming dark chocolate, cocoa and raisin notes being that build up on the mid palate.

This leads to a spicy burst of ginger and banana, with just a touch of pineapple to add a little sweetness. Notes of gooseberry adds a slightly tart note. A touch of salty sea brine as well.That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica

The continental ageing adds a little more spice and perhaps a bit more alcohol burn than the Habitation Velier releases. I wouldn’t say it makes the rum any worse. It’s just a difference rather than an off point to this rum.

The finish is long and has a really nice peppery spice to it, alongside the warming chocolate notes.The vanilla returns giving this a slightly sweeter finish than some Worthy Park rums.

Another really nice rum from Worthy Park.

If you wish to read more about this rum Steve James of Rum Diaries Blog has also reviewed this release.

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  • Cachaca D’Lourdes Carvalho

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Cachaca D'Lourdes Carvalho Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCachaca D’Lourdes Carvalho. This cachaca hails from perhaps the most famous cachaca producing state in Brasil – Minas Gerais. However, this cachaca does not hail from the more common city Salinas but even further inland, in the city of Congonhas do Norte.

    Production of cachaca in this area is second only to raising cattle in terms of employment. Around 5,000 people live in the city and its surrounding farms.

    The distillery is situated in the 7ª Reserva Natural da Biosfera dentro da Serra do Cipo, (7th Biosphere Nature Reserve within Serra do Cipo)

    This cachaca is produced from sugar cane grown on the estate. It is harvested and the sugar cane juice is extracted within 24 hours of harvesting. The sugar cane juice is fermented with wild yeasts prepared with local microbiotics.

    Cachaca D’Lourdes Carvalho is distilled on 2,000 litre capacity Copper Pot Stills. The oak barrels are from Europe (likely French Oak then). Some of the barrels used in the ageng of this cachaca are virgin oak. Cachaca D’Lourdes Carvalho is aged for around 18 months it is a blend of various cachaca’s produced at the distillery. It is bottled at a very respectable 42% ABV.

    This is available in a 670ml bottle and should cost around R$50 as per this webstore. It comes in a tall, short necked clear bottle. Cachaca D’Lourdes Carvalho has a metallic screw cap enclosure. The presentation isn’t particularly enticing or up to European expectations but this isn’t a hugely expensive cachaca. As well as producing this gold/ouro cacahca D’Lourdes also have a Prata expression, which comes in a very similar bottle.

    In the glass we have a very light coloured spirit – white wine. The nose is full of double cream and icing sugar. It’s light but nicely defined and the extra ABV definitely adds some body to the cachaca.

    The nose has some of the wood influence – their is a touch of ginger and a hint of spice but it’s pretty deep in the mix.

    Sipped – this is a very flavourful cachaca.The initial entry is much spicier than the nose with stronger notes of ginger and white pepper. A touch of cumin and maybe some turmeric. The mid palate has a slightly mineral like note which adds an extra layer of complexity.

    The creamier notes that were present on the nose stay with you throughout the sipping experience. They meld nicely with the spicier notes in the cachaca giving a sweetness and a balance which makes this a very easy cachaca to sip.

    Cachaca D'Lourdes Carvalho Rum Review by the fat rum pirateFinish wise you get a lot of the mineral notes and the spicier elements. It’s a reasonable length and makes a nice finish to the experience. Overall this works nicely as a sipper but it isn’t as complex as you might want from a sipping experience.

    In mixed drinks this cachaca works much better – the woodier and spicier notes really stand out in things like a Ti Punch or a Caiprinha. The extra ABV is a bonus and gives it just an extra little bite.

    This is a very decent sipper/deluxe mixer style of cachaca. Another hit from Minas Gerais.

     

  • Mount Gay Black Barrel Small Batch Handcrafted Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mount Gay Black Barrel rum review by the fat rum pirateMount Gay Black Barrel was new to the UK Market in 2014.  More Traditional Mount Gay drinkers bemoaned the addition of this new rum.  Not only did it come complete with the newer “Mount Gay 1703 Barbados Rum” presentation but it also replaced the Eclipse Black which was bottled at 50% ABV.

    Personally, I think the newer presentation, first seen on the Gold and Silver Eclipse bottles was a much needed update.  It brings the brand into the 21st century.  Purists have also had a bit of a gripe about the new presentation leading to inferior product inside as well.  Tales of how great the older tasting bottles are present on most rum forums.  Rose tinted spectacles truly are a force of nature.

    However, what cannot be denied is that the Black Barrel is a completely different beast to the Eclipse Black.  First up the Eclipse Black was bottled at 50% ABV. Secondly the Black Barrel is more expensive. Having never been fortunate to try the Eclipse Black I cannot do a backwards comparison.  If anyone wishes to add comments regarding the Eclipse Black please do so at the end of the review.  If anyone wishes to send me a sample of the Eclipse Black it will be gratefully received.

    As well as a re-boot of the presentation Mount Gay also seem to have got themselves involved in some of the marketing sheananigans more common with newer bottlers.  “Small Batch Handcrafted Rum” will raise the eyebrows of a few rum aficionado’s I’m sure.  However, it must be remembered that Mount Gay are a long established giant of the rum game and their Extra Old (XO) is for many, a staple of the Bajan style of rum alongside R L Seale’s 10 Year Old.  So when Mount Gay put such things on their bottles we really must understand that they do know their craftMount Gay Black Barrel rum review by the fat rum pirate!

    The “Black Barrel” element of this rum is achieved by the finish. Once blended the rum is placed in “deeply toasted and charred” bourbon barrels.

    So here we have an authentic Bajan rum which as a slight twist on the finish.  Sounds interesting.  Mount Gay Black Barrel seems to retail at anywhere between £30 and £45 in the UK.  The rum is housed in a 70cl bottle and like MGXO it’s ABV is 43%.  The presentation of the rum is a half way house between the Eclipse and MGXO.  For your money you don’t get a cardboard presentation sleeve like the MGXO but you do get a very similar corked enclosure.  The labelling is more consistent with the Eclipse.  The bottle shape is slightly longer and thinner than the MGXO but not quite the same shape as the Eclipse.  Overall when paying £30 the presentation and the decent cork enclosure seem about right.

    The nose of the Black Barrel is quite spicy.  It has a nice balanced Bajan nose with a little extra spicy kick to it.  The finish has definitely made a difference to the spirit.  The nose is still sweet but not as rich as the MGXO.  It doesn’t have the honey notes displayed in the MGXO but it does have some of the lighter vanilla notes.  It is a lot more oaky  Overall the spirit seems a little younger than the MGXO.

    Mount Gay Black Barrel rum review by the fat rum pirateI had read that the Black Barrel had some Bourbon notes to it. I’m always very sceptical about claims like these especially when rum is compared to scotch or whiskey.  Sipped the Black Barrel certainly gives some of the oaky notes of a bourbon but also makes the mouth water with that sour mash like note.  It doesn’t taste like Bourbon as such but it does definitely have similiarities.  It’s still much less sweet and slightly drier.

    As a sipper the rum is very good.  Some may find it a little to spicy and oaky but I think it makes a good alternative to the more traditional lighter Bajan rums.  It’s a shame I cannot compare it to the Eclipse Black but taking it on its own merits and even comparing it to the MGXO I find this to be a very good rum in the £30-35 price range.  Sure if you aren’t careful you may pay more but there are plenty outlets with it at this price point.

    After the first glass of the Black Barrel your taste buds start to adapt to the spice and further flavour comes through.  Notes of vanilla and some hints of almost marzipan or cashew nuts.  The mouth still waters and the finish leaves nice oaked sour sweetness in the mouth.

    I think the Black Barrel would be a real winner with anyone who enjoys the MGXO.  I also think it is quite similar to Captain Bligh XO (St Vincent and The Grenadines) it has that extra spicy dimension.  For the price of some “so called” premium rums you could have a bottle of MGXO and Black Barrel.  It really is a pleasant evening alternating between the two.

    The Black Barrel makes an awesome “Rum Old Fashioned” as well.

    4 stars

  • Atlantico Gran Reserva

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Atlantico Gran Reserva Rum Review by the fat rum pirateAtlantico Gran Reserva. Atlantico are a rum brand that hail from the Dominican Republic. In 2017 Atlantico had a complete re-brand of their rum range.

    This particular bottling was the Private Cask – it is now renamed as the Gran Reserva. Other rums in the range are the White – Platino and the mid range rum the Reserva.

    Presentation wise there isn’t much to quibble about. Nice sturdy card sleeve and a holder for the rum. A good medium sized rounded bottle with a very substantial natural cork enclosure. A bottle in the UK will set you back around £35-40 for a 70cl bottled at a conservative but unsurprising 40% ABV. To be fair Dominican Rum is often bottled below this at 38% ABV.

    Searching the internet for information reveals that none other than Enrique Englesias was at one “partnered” with this rum. There is no mention of him on the new website. Nor can I find any reference to him on the bottle.

    Atlantico Gran Reserva is a blend of rums made from both Sugar Cane Juice and Molasses. Whilst not entirely unique it is quite unusual to find this style of rum. Particularly in what is a very commercial product. The Master Blenders also use something they refer to as “Malta” which is a low ABV sugar cane rum base to give the final blend more depth of flavour and complexity. All the rums are column distilled.

    The rum is then aged in a Solera System. It is noted that there are rums upto 25 years old included in this blend. The Sugar Cane and Molasses rums are initially aged separately before being married together for further maturation. All ageing occurs in ex-American Whiskey Barrels.

    My botting is from Batch No B1_07601_BLAA. Which is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard as far as info goes.

    Atlantico Gran Reserva Rum Review by the fat rum pirateThe rear label of Atlantico Gran Reserva gives some more equally useful “information” as pictured. The rear of the bottle reveals “Mit Farstoff (Zuckercolor E150)” which is our old friend Caramel Colouring. Nothing I get to heated up about with regard more commercial releases. I am quite surprised that this rum also tested “clean” with the Hydrometer bobbing at 40% ABV.

    Unsurprisingly then in the glass the rum reveals itself as a fairly standard “rum” colour. Dark brown with an orange/red tinge.

    Originally when Atlantico Private Cask was released it received quite a lot of positive reviews. I’ve no doubt many of those reviews were provided in lieu of a sample or two. Whether Atlantico Private Cask was a great rum back then – I don’t know. It was a long time ago though – perhaps before the whole additives issue had really been explored (and proven).

    With that in mind I’ll explain my first misgivings about this rum. The nose. If you gave me this blind I would say it was a Spiced Rum. An artificial vanilla doused Spiced Rum as well. By any standards the vanilla notes are excessive and to be honest too syrupy and synthetic. Do I think they are as a result of oak ageing?

    Definitely not. Alongside the strong vanilla aroma are some notes of Caramel, Toffee and some sweet notes which remind me of Fruit Salad sweets.

    There are some notes of oak and a hint of spice but they are fighting to get noticed above all the sweetness.

    Sipped it’s light, easy to drink with an admittedly fairly decent amount oak and spice – especially on the finish which is the best part by far.

    Atlantico Gran Reserva Rum Review by the fat rum piratUp front though it’s just too sweet. To much vanilla and toffee sauce on this one. Far too sugary sweet – almost like an artificial sweetener such is the bitter saccharin notes in the mid palate.

    It lacks complexity and it just tastes a bit to simple to really appeal to my taste buds. I can understand how people would enjoy this. It is approachable especially if you prefer sweeter (read sweetened) spirits.

    The problem is these kind of rums lead people to believe that other rums without additives are “dry” or “inferior” because they don’t have all this sweetness.

    What it’s disguising is a fairly unremarkable blend of non-descript column distilled product.

    This is far from “great rum”. I’m sorry Atlantico but you can’t be my hero I’m afraid.

    On that note I think we’ll bring this one to a close……..

     

     

     

  • Habitation Velier Forsyths 151 Proof White 2nd Edition

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Habitation Velier Forsyths 151 Proof White Rum Review by the fat rum pirateHabitation Velier Forsyths 151 Proof White 2nd edition. A version of this type of rum was originally released back in 2016. This 2nd edition was released earlier this year. Should you be unsure which release you are buying the 2nd edition comes in a see through bottle and the first edition. was released in an opaque bottle.

    Habitation Velier Forsyths 151 Proof White is an unaged white rum from the Worthy Park Estate in Jamaica. The still is noted rather than Worthy Park but going forward Worthy Park rums released by Habitation Velier.

    In the UK a bottle of this 75.5% ABV monster will set you back around £80. It was distilled at bottled back in 2017 and is unaged. It is a 100% Pot Still rum. Habitation Velier Forsyths 151 Proof White was produced using 100% Estate Molasses.

    In the glass Habitation Velier Forsyths 151 Proof White is crystal clear. This is of no surprise as it is unaged and taken straight from the still.

    The nose is very fruity – sweet white grapes, mango, lychees, banana and a good hit of unsweetened Pineapple juice. Unsurprisingly another layer of sweetness is provided by young sweet alcohol. Which you either like or you don’t…..

    Nosing a rum at such a high ABV can be quite difficult to judge its true character. Most blenders reduce the rums down even as low as 20% ABV when they are trying to identify all the notes in the rum. I won’t do that but I will add a drop or two of water and re-visist the nose.

    With some water you get more of the rums true character and less of the really strong notes of alcohol.

    You can sip this at the full 75.5% ABV but I must confess I do not find it an at all pleasant experience. It’s just too pungent and alcohol heavy to garner any real enjoyment. In my opinion.

    So we’ll revisit the rum at a lower ABV with the help of some H2O to try and get some more nosing and tasting notes beyond “oh my fucking god its burning my throat and rotting my insides”

    Water is your friend with this. A re-nosing reveals a smokiness which I had previously missed alongside an almost tobacco like note to the rum. Some Banana leaf and some slightly vegetal sugar cane notes.

    When you sip it is almost Agricole Blanc in some places such is the abundance of vegetal cane in the mix. There is a touch of tree sap and some notes of stoned fruits especially when you try sucking the last of the fruit from a peach and get some of the stone flavour in your mouth. I’ve not really tried sucking on salty stones but its a bit like I imagine that might be like. Slight touch of brine.

    I can’t say I enjoy this one as much as Rum Bar Overproof. It’s not as funky and fruity this is more in keeping with Monymusk or Clarendon style of rum. It’s got more savoury notes to it – salty and smoky with a hit of bitter molasses.

    I’m not entirely sure what I might use this for either. Other than as a one way ticket to oblivion. It mixes pretty well with Ting but I don’t like it as much as Worthy Park Rum Bar Overproof. I’m struggling to get past the smokiness of this rum to be honest. I’d rather have much more sweetness. It is also quite tobacco heavy and reminds me of a much lighter latin style of rum despite its Jamaican heritage. There is also a real fieryness to this rum in the sense of hot chilli peppers especially when taken at full proof or near to it.Habitation Velier Forsyths 151 Proof White Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    It also has a strange chilli like note on the after taste and the finish which is odd. The finish is pretty difficult to determine as this is a real taste bud tingler and you are left with a slight numbness to your palate. It’s very spicy though – chilli hot. I’ve had to re-visit this a few times to get my feelings down – which is rare for me.

    It’s a curious rum and not just a higher proof Rum Bar Overproof. It’s very interesting to try but its not something that is going to really stand out

  • Cadenhead’s MPM Diamond Distillery Aged 14 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Cadenheads MPM DIamond Distillery 14 Years Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCadenhead’s MPM Diamond Distillery Aged 14 Years. Another bottling from Cadenheads to celebrate their 175th Anniversary. This time from the Diamond Distillery or DDL (Demerara Distillers Limited). Today we are looking at a rum which was produced on the famous Port Mourant Still. We know this from the MPM legend on the label – Main Port Mourant (or something like that).

    This rum was distilled back in 2003 and aged for 14 years, until 2017 when it was bottled by Cadenhead’s. It will be mostly Continentally aged In Europe. As mentioned already it was distilled on the Port Mourant Still. This still features heavily in DDL’s own El Dorado range, as well as in the iconic Pusser’s Rum . The 15 Year Old Pusser’s is entirely Port Mourant distillate. Well almost entirely give or take a spoonful or three of sugar…..

    Bottled at Cask Strength of 59.1% ABV the rum comes in the usual stubby bottle with the slightly dated (in my humble opinion) labelling. The cut out card sleeve does give it a bit more class, as does the shiny 175th Anniversary medallion thingy-bobber.

    Rather surprisingly and unlike many of the other 175th Anniversary bottlings, particularly the Whisky, this is still available direct from Cadenhead’s. You may think that this may be because it is expensive or over priced.? £50.95. Which I would class as more than reasonable for a rum of this age and provenance.

    This may be why it is still available. Perhaps people are suspicious that, as it is pretty cheap it may also be pretty crap? Well that’s kind of what I’m here for. So if you are considering buying this bottle and you trust the palate of a Kebab munching Northerner you might wish to keep reading……

    Cadenheads MPM DIamond Distillery 14 Years Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIn the glass the MPM is a light golden brown colour. Just a touch darker than straw or white wine. Whilst Cadenhead’s do often dilute their rums and whiskies to 46% ABV. See their Green Label series they never, ever add Caramel Colouring to their spirits. This is something they are very clear on. Nor do Cadenhead’s chill filter their spirits. So from time to time you may notice the rum is slightly murky or sediment appears in the bottom of the barrel. Don’t be scared it won’t harm you in any way.

    The nose on this MPM rum is quite fruity. White grapes, fleshy, not quite ripe peaches, unsweetened notes of orange peel – marmalade and lime zest. The notes of aniseed and licorice I was expecting from the Port Mourant Still, are not as prominent on the nose as I was expecting. They are there but they are not as “big” as I have experienced before.

    Further nosing reveals a slight mustiness – some mushrooms and some sharp oak tones. Despite all this it’s quite a light rum with a lot of fruitiness going on. Quite approachable for a Cask Strength rum.

    Sipped at full ABV it has a really nice balance to it. The initial entry is bursting with light notes of aniseed and mild soft red licorice. It has a very nice mix of spiciness and fruity zests. Mixed peel and an almost Christmas pudding like note. There is a fair bit going on with this rum and it all balances out nicely. Albeit slighty unconventionally.

    There is a saltiness running through this rum. Which works nicely surprisingly nicely alongside the sweeter notes, giving a much more complex sip. Whilst it is unmistakably a Port Mourant rum it is markedly different to the older Bristol Classic Rum expressions I have had, or even the Velier tropically aged efforts.Cadenheads MPM DIamond Distillery 14 Years Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    The finish is good and of a more than reasonable length – nicely spiced – cardamom and a lot of spicy lemon and lime zest – marmalade giving it a slightly bitter note to the very end.

    It all works nicely and gives a very interesting sip. It’s fairly light overall but it is full of flavours that are all well defined and add depth to the rum.

    Despite its potency, I never felt the need to add more than a drop or two of water to this rum.

    It’s well worth looking at especially for the price which is a real bargain. Bottles of this are already appearing on auction sites so get one quick if you are fancying a bottle. Don’t pay secondary retail for some flipper to profit from. Fuck the Flippers is what I say.

     

  • Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years – The Whisky Barrel Exclusive

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years - The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirateKill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years – The Whisky Barrel Exclusive. Here once again we have three of my current favourite things.

    First up we have another Cask Strength bottling from Hunter Laing’s wonderful Kill Devil range of Single Cask Rums, secondly we have a rum from Jamaica and more specifically from Hampden. Thirdly this is an exclusive release from The Whisky Barrel from whom I have ordered a good few rums over the past couple of years.

    When it comes to their rum selection they focus entirely on Independent bottlings. They also obtain their own casks, which. Anh they release as their “Rabbie’s Rum” range. They usually have the best selection of Kill Devil rums and a fair few efforts from Bristol Classic Rum. Two of my favourite Independent bottlers.

    I have covered Hampden Estate rums quite a lot. There have been numerous Independent bottlings. This is a rum from the 2001 vintage. Now over at Single Cask Rum, Marius Elder has put together a list of marques, years of release and ester count. Which is very useful. Good work Marius. This is bottling is from the marque Diamond H. This marque was recently released as a 2010 vintage by Velier, in conjunction with Hampden Estate as part of their 70 Year Anniversay celebrations.

    I recently reviewed the 2010 Diamond H you can read that review here. It wasn’t my favourite Hampden of all time but still very good nonetheless. One of the reasons for that may have been the high ester count. I felt it might it slightly too sharp and dry for my personal tastes. The ester count is 900-1000. Which is pretty high in the grand scheme of things – HLCF for example is 500-700. LROK lower still at 200-400. I wouldn’t say either the HLCF or LROK aren’t funky.

    Anyway we digress slightly so lets take a look at todays bottling. Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years is drawn from a single cask yielding 265 bottles. It has been bottled at cask strength of 60.7% ABV and a bottle will set you back a very exacting £78.08. As far as I am aware Hampden have only recently begun ageing rum on site and the oldest tropically aged Hampden, I am aware of is around 8 years old. The rest was sold in bulk as unaged rum. It is very likely that the rum from this cask was aged entirely in a Continental European climate. Pot still distillation from November 2001.

    Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years - The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum piratePresentation wise we get the usual Kill Devil black bottle and tube, with the purple colour scheme denoting it is cask strength. The only change with this bottling is the cork seal which is gold. A nice little touch.

    So far so good. The Whisky Barrel have already released two Hampdens in conjunction with Hunter Laing/Kill Devil. Both of which I enjoyed immensely. They also got their hands on an exclusive with BB&R which was also top-notch.

    To be honest in order to “mess up” a Hampden you would have to do something pretty awful with it. Like dosage or just putting it in a rotten cask.

    Anyway we’ve reached that time again so lets crack on.

    When poured the rum is a light gold/straw colour. Which bears out my belief it is entirely continentally aged – the tropics would likely have yielded a darker spirit after 16 years (and a lot less than 265 full bottles as well I suspect).

    In the glass the rum is a light gold – slightly more than a straw colour. Nosing the rum is a really nice reminder of a few older Hampden expressions I have enjoyed. Which is nice!

    It’s quite heavy on the Nail Varnish – which I’m a big fan. There is also quite a lot of wood shavings in their – some sawdust. You can tell this has been aged longer than the 9 and 10-year-old rums I have had over the past year. It’s got an extra layer of oak and spiciness from the barrel, which marries nicely alongside the fruiter and funkier notes in this rum.

    For the fruity and funky we are getting liberal doses of almost rotting banana, pineapple, coconut and a touch of bitter plum. Ginger, some white pepper and a touch of chilli oil.

    Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years - The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIt’s all very complex and quite challenging. But very pleasant and rewarding at the same time.

    Moving onto the sip and it’s pretty manageable even at the full ABV of 60.7%. However, I still like a drop or two of water just to give it a bit more clarity for the tasting notes.

    The initial sip is reasonably spicy with a good weight of oak and bourbon like cask influence. The fruity notes are there, especially the pineapple and a slight bitter tartness – some lemon zest. Big notes of ginger and a touch of cinnamon.

    The mid palate is very pleasant and warming. Its vibrant and zesty but its all nicely balanced by the oak and barrel influence. There is a hint of stewed teabags and a tiny note of black coffee.

    The finish is really nice and surprisingly fruity with a lot of black banana, pineapple and it develops into an almost tart citrus ending.

    This rum has a surprising amount of balance to it and its been really well looked after. It’s probably about mid tier in terms of esters but it carries enough of the funk and hogo to make this unmistakably Pot Still Jamaican Rum.

    It has a really good balance to it and it really does hit the spot. The price point is also very competitive.

     

     

     

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