We’re having a Jamaican session right this moment, with three Hampden rums not too long ago bottled by The Whisky Jury.
We begin with a pair of HD 2013 (bottled for 2 retailers) and HD 2014. That final one is the primary “catch” within the new collection known as The Ester Hunter. Now this collection doesn’t appear to be restricted to probably the most excessive ester bombs alone – equal quantities of esters can simply be discovered within the common Many Faces of Rum collection, so the idea could seem a bit obscure. That stated, the visible attraction with the gold foil is gorgeous, in my view.
The third bottling is a a lot older HD 2000. The again label explains it’s a mixture of three casks from the ultimate classic of this well-known distillery. This time it’s a low ester mark (my guess can be LROK).
HD 2014 <>H (56,8%, The Whisky Jury ‘The Ester Hunter’ 2024, 165 btl.)
Nostril: completely on level. Pungent glue, allspice, hints of apple vinegar and nail polish remover. Then bitter pineapple, lime acidity and inexperienced banana, with hints of marzipan and Pelikan sticks. Agency briny notes as nicely.
Mouth: no surprises right here, actually. Oily and funky. Extra inexperienced bananas, acetone and aniseed. A pleasant lime acidity once more, with hints of yoghurt and olives in brine. Then pineapple and glue once more, with a salty edge and a nice mineral dryness. Maybe just a bit alcohol ultimately.
End: lengthy, with this mix of uncooked alcohol and white sugar, in addition to aniseed and a faint trace of espresso.
Excellent Hampden, with this chemical, sharp and concentrated profile. Truthfully, even the lousiest hunter can catch esters on this one. Retailers might be discovered via the TWJ web site.
HD 10 yo 2013 (60,3%, The Whisky Jury for Look after Craft Spirits & WhiskyAGE 2024, refill barrel #434985, 270 btl.)
Nostril: similar similar? Maybe a bit extra gasoline and brand-new tyres, with much less of those lemon and lime notes. Huge hints of Pattex and different glues, with pepper and anise, in addition to inexperienced bananas. After some time this turns into sharper than the 2014 – only a matter of choice.
Mouth: an ester avalanche once more, though there’s good banana sweet and yoghurt to stability the heavy liquorice, vinegary notes, seawater and gasoline. Then hints of caraway seeds and menthol, in addition to olive brine in abundance.
End: very lengthy, completely estery, with varnish, salt, inexperienced olives and lemons. Much less of the alcohol I received within the 2014.
When coming again to the 2014 after this, you are feeling a tad extra wooden there. So the 2013 is sharper and extra pure, in my view. Additionally extra estery, in that sense, so I might have swapped the labels. General fairly good Hampden, in any case. Rating: 91/100
HD 23 yo 2000 ‘The final casks of 2000’ (52%, The Whisky Jury ‘The Many Faces of Rum’ 2024, refill barrel #42+48+75, 173 btl.)
Nostril: milder glue, with a pleasant rounded banana foam and pineapple dice observe. Undoubtedly fruitier than the children, even a touch of inexperienced mango and whiffs of tropical fruit bubblegum. Then bitter butter, a touch of vanilla, sea salt and a faint whiff of diesel.
Mouth: good salty notes, with mild pencil shavings, with extra mango and pineapple. Additionally tiny hints of lime and berries, recent herbs and drops of cough syrup. Then varnish, pink grapefruit, cardamom and vanilla. Comparatively mild, staying recent and harmonious always because of a crisp tartness.
End: medium to lengthy, with a drying funky observe, nonetheless on pineapple, together with a touch of anise.
A lighter fashion for a change. Clearly extra fruity this time, with much less outstanding esters. Very drinkable, not the powerhouse some predict from Hampden, however exhausting to withstand in my view. Rating: 91/100
