Review by: Raygun

Another rum from The Auditor. This turned out to be another Hampden, one of the highest ester marques, C<>H. A single cask release from Holmes Cay. Reviewed from a sample, initially tasted blind. Rested about 15 minutes.

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Distillery: Hampden

Bottler: Holmes Cay

Region/style: Jamaican molasses rum

ABV: 65.9% 

Age: 15 years, continental aged. Distilled in 2007, bottled in 2022. 

Cask type: Hogshead #123

Color: 0.6 old gold. Natural color. Non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Unmistakably rum, though the funk is milder than some. A touch of glue, ripe plantain, toasted coconut, buttered popcorn, lime salt. Some locker room.  

Palate: Tastes very briny. And hot. Very hot. Olives, lime, chili powder, fried plantains, sugar syrup. The sweetness is hard to describe. The viscosity is like maple syrup, but the flavor is not.  Parmesan cheese. Got that kind of sharpness. 

Finish: Still hot. Olive brine, chili powder, and I think allspice. Cream cheese frosting. Buttered popcorn. Parmesan cheese, and some aged balsamic. A nice creaminess to it. Some more glue. 

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Conclusion: Another fun one. Serious heat at full strength, and demands water for me. Not the funkiest I’ve ever had, but it’s up there. No surprise, as C<>H is one of the highest ester marques at 1300-1400 gr/HLPA. Wouldn’t have guessed it’s 15 years, but of course continental aging doesn’t have the same impact as tropical. Really good stuff.   

Score: 83

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent rum worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.