The Colors of Rum had this concept to take the identical newmake from Hampden Property and mature it in three completely different cask varieties: Madeira, Oloroso sherry and Pedro Ximénez sherry.
Every of those rums was distilled in April 2023, with the very best potential esters content material (DOK mark) and bottled after simply 9 months of maturation.
Hampden 2023 DOK (63,4%, The Colors of Rum 2024, first fill Madeira barrique #38, 88 btl.)
Nostril: initially a number of nail polish remover and acetone. Hampden will at all times be Hampden. Additionally fermenting bananas, glue and black olives. That mentioned, it’s fairly a winey fashion too – quite anticipated after seeing the pink salmon hue. Purple grapes, raisin sweetness and plums. A woody be aware within the distance.
Mouth: the wine is getting slightly disturbing now. They drying tannins, plums, black pepper and woody notes don’t mingle properly with the naturally industrial profile of the DOK spirit. Bananas with tobacco, and walnuts with liquorice and plastics. Humorous how one astringent flavour appears to slot in, and one other flavour appears to be out of key. Walnuts, some rubber. Plenty of bitter herbs and easily drying wooden.
End: fairly lengthy, nonetheless very natural, with tannins and a cardboardy edge.
To begin with, no cask might presumably tame such an excessive spirit. That mentioned, it isn’t tough to detect the Madeira. Particularly once you come again to this model after the Oloroso and PX editions, you get a deep sense of crimson wine and musty wine casks. The least convincing of the three, for my part, an undecided combat in a glass. Accessible from the Colors of Rum webshop.
Hampden 2023 DOK (63,4%, The Colors of Rum 2024, first fill Oloroso hogshead #18, 323 btl.)
Nostril: barely extra fruits right here. Pineapple, bitter plums, slightly blackberry, together with baked banana. After all the nail polish, glue and recent paint is simply as robust right here. Maybe extra citrusy notes as properly, with much less plain wooden than the Madeira barrique.
Mouth: the underlying Hampden is getting extra room to precise itself, in comparison with the Madeira model. Very salty, with a number of tarry notes, liquorice and fermenting pineapples and plums. Glue, olive brine, varnish and peppermint. Drying hints of walnuts, over-infused black tea and rubber in direction of the top, gaining astringency once more.
End: lengthy, loads of salted liquorice with citrus and barely numbing esters.
Whereas the youthful spirit continues to be a bit invasive and tough across the edges, the mixing of the Oloroso cask is extra profitable than the Madeira model. Whereas younger Madeira can have an actual winey facet, the Oloroso appears extra mature and balanced, albeit with a biting dry edge. Accessible from the Colors of Rum webshop. Rating: 87/100
Hampden 2023 DOK (62,9%, The Colors of Rum 2024, Pedro Ximénez hogshead #28, 329 btl.)
Nostril: fairly harmonious once more. The raisin sweetness and plum jam, together with cassis aromas work properly with the bananas and papaya from the spirit. Lime provides freshness. Glue and nail polish are clearly there however the entire appears extra mature and naturally built-in.
Mouth: darker, barely caramelly, together with the bitterness that comes with burnt sugar. Roasted pineapple, baked mango tartlets and caramelized walnuts. Hints of cigar packing containers and light-weight tobacco, together with tarry notes, ammonia and salty liquorice. Definitely a bit sweeter than the Oloroso, however not lightyears aside – esters rule the top outcome, not raisins.
End: lengthy and salty. Banana peels are again, in addition to a woody dryness.
PX is usually a bit an excessive amount of, however on this case it’s not practically sufficient to overhaul the DOK character. General that is my favorite, with the most effective steadiness. If you happen to’re to do a sherry end, higher use a heavyweight cask – even then it’s clear the esters are successful these fights. Accessible from the Colors of Rum webshop. Rating: 88/100
