Trying these two tonight. 1753 brings the expected Hampden Estate Rum funk, with a young edge. It's light, and a little sweet, but it has a long finish that fades into burning tires for me (in a good way). It's a pleasant sipper if you like funky Jamaican rum.

The Maverick comes across as having more age. It is more complex and has more room influence. It has a lot of spice right off, but as that disapates some sweetness and vanilla comes forward.

At 59% ABV it is no surprise that it has some astringency and dries the palate. Bananas, pineapple, and coconut with cinnamon, clove, pepper, and baking spices. The finish is long and rich, like a creme brulee with brown sugar adding a molasses note.

A little water really mutes the heat and spice, and massively brings out the tropical fruits, sweetness, and vanilla. Creamy and sweet, but the funk becomes more prominent as well - making for a nicely complex dram.

Without or with water are two very different experiences, and I like both.

#Rum #HampdenEstate

A little birdie told me the other day that Burlington Wine And Spirits had Hampden Estate Rum The Maverick in stock. I was up in Burlington picking up my R1S from Q Car Care (I had running boards installed to make things a bit easier for my dad, as well as detailing and some other work), and having lunch at The Friendly Toast with Jess, so I popped in.

I ended up picking up The Maverick, of course, and I also grabbed a bottle of Papalin Jamaica High Ester 5 year old Original Vatted Rum.

And I took the opportunity to pick up three bottles of Raising Glasses that I hadn't previously: Yowie 16 year Australian, The Yowie Strikes Back 17 year Australian, and King Kai 17 year Guyana.

#Rum #HampdenEstate #Papalin #RaisingGlasses

The other special order that came in tonight was much more affordable, and one I've also been interested in trying since Arminder / Rum Revival covered it last month. (https://youtu.be/ZG5D-sgEBfU)

It's Hampden Estate Rum 1753, their HLCF mark aged three years in ex-bourbon barrels. Typical of Jamaican rums, this should have a good deal of funk. Hampden is one of my favorite rums.

#Rum #HampdenEstate

Today I met up with a friend who kindly accepts shipments on my behalf when I can't ship directly to MA. He's been holding this for me for a while and today we were finally able to connect.

The first part of the haul is from Compass Box Whisky. K&L Wine Merchants just did a new bespoke with CB, a sequel to their original 5th & Harrison release. This time they did two labels for the same release - one a new 5th & Harrison and the other Culver & Sepulveda.

I picked up another bottle of the 2000 inaugural Hedonism. I like being able to have friends try this and see where Compass Box started, and how Hedonism evolved. Having a backup bottle makes you a little less reluctant to pour. There were only 690 of them.

The last Compass Box is a UK release of Secrets of Smoke which came with a leather carrying bag, an envelope with 11 puzzles, and a padlock. See my previous post about the puzzles, which are frustrating me.

I can solve all but one of the puzzles, but I have no idea what the numeric answers mean, and how they relate to the padlock - if at all. I feel like this was part of an event where there was a large puzzle these answers helped to solve, or that this auction was missing some item that would tie things together. And I can't find any information online.

I also picked up Amrut Malt Gurus European Exclusive Ex-Oloroso Cask Lightly Peated, Cask 3822. Filled July 2015 and bottled August 2022.

Last, but not least, I picked up the 2019 Hampden Estate Rum Great House Distillery Edition. This was the release that kicked off the Great House annuals. I started with the 2020, so this backfills the run.

#Whiskey #Whisky #Scotch #IndianWhisky #Rum #CompassBox #Amrut #HampdenEstate

The auction lots weren't all whisky, there were also a couple of bottles of rum.

Specifically, Hampden Estate Rum Great House Distillery Edition 2021 & 2022. I've been filling in the gaps in the Great House run of annual releases. Hampden is one of my favorite rums.

#Rum #HampdenEstate #Hampden

Why is the rum gone? Because I bought it all. 😁

Back on June 7th a friend of mine was working an Ardbeg event at Burlington Wine And Spirits and he invited me along. I already own all of the Ardbeg, but while I was there I checked out the rum aisle as I knew they had a good selection of Raising Glasses.

That may have been a tactical error, as I ended up buying ten of their bottlings. They make it so tempting with affordable 375ml bottles.

I was back a couple of weeks later for a Raising Glasses event and I took advantage of the event discount to pick up four more bottles. That brings my Raising Glasses selection to 16, including two I'd picked up a while back at Julio's Liquors.

On that first trip I also spotted, and grabbed, the 2023 Hampden Estate Rum Great House release. I'm working on having the full lineup of Great House bottles.

#Rum #RaisingGlasses #Hampden #HampdenEstate

A new arrival today, a Habitation Velier bespoke blend of three marks from Hampden Estate Rum. I heard good things from the Rum Revival Discord community and had to pick one up.

#Rum #HabitationVelier #HampdenEstate

Another recent pick up that gets its own post. Hampden Estate Rum The 8 Marks Collection, Aged 1 Year In Ex-Bourbon Casks.

This is the second 8 Marks release, with last year's not being aged. I haven't cracked that yet, so I'm looking forward to running through the eight marks and not only comparing the marks, but also comparing the two variants of each mark.

I wonder if this will become an annual thing, with a two year age next year, or maybe finished in a different type of cask, etc.

#Rum #HampdenEstate

I've loved Hampden Estate Rum since I first tried it on a visit to the distillery in Jamaica in 2018. I was able to try some not-yet-launched rum while I was there, and since then Hampden has launched several new rums into the global and US markets under their own brand. It has certainly made it easier to obtain - I used to have to hunt for it in foreign auctions and the like.

Recently I saw The Rum Revival review the Hampden Estate Single Jamaica Rum, The 8 Marks Collection, and I had to have it. https://youtu.be/rHdUQpjqh5w?si=xRkIdxKtPWkmpdmj

Fortunately, I was able to find a local retailer, Burlington Wine And Spirits, who had it available, and now I have one to try.

I can't wait to try these for myself.

#Rum #HampdenEstate

Anyone who doesn't know me who reads my feed probably thinks I drink like a fish.

And this post isn't going to help.

Today a shipment arrived from Scotch Whisky Auctions. A smaller one this time, with three The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottles - one Hampden Estate Rum and two Glenmorangie, two Compass Box - The Spaniard and a signed, but unfortunately smudged, early The Spice Tree, and, finally, a The Clan Denny 45 year old Single Grain from the Carsebridge Distillery.

#Whiskey #Whisky #Glenmorangie #CompassBox #Scotch #SMWS #Rum #HampdenEstate #TheClanDenny #Carsebridge