Review by: Raygun

A quick note before anything else for the sake of transparency. This review was done with an industry sample provided free of charge, with no expectations beyond drinking them. As always, I do my best to provide my unbiased opinion, and readers can decide how they want to take this review. For more information, see our Ethics & Transparency statement.

A special blend by Christelle Harris and Matthew Hann in celebration of the birth of their son Maverick in 2024. It consists of 50% HGML from 2018, 40% LFCH from 2020, and 10% C<>H from 2021. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 15 minutes.

Distillery: Hampden Estate

Bottler: La Maison & Velier

Region/style: Jamaican pot still molasses rum

ABV: 59%

Age: Around 3 years in Jamaica  

Cask type: Unspecified

Color: 1.3 russet. Natural color and free of additives

Price: Around $240

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Nose: Lots of Hampden funk. Overripe pineapple, gym locker room, brown sugar, and some herbal tones.          

Palate: Pineapple, honey, and now some florals. Still plenty of funk. Some custard, thyme, and touches of spice, cinnamon and clove in particular. Very rich.  

Finish: Pineapple, honey, banana, and custard. More touches of spice and a little floral again. A touch of citrus pops up.        

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Conclusion: Very good. Pretty natural to compare it to Great House, the yearly blend. I’d put it pretty close; maybe a little under the best Great House releases. Fans of Hampden won’t be disappointed, except maybe by the price.

Score: 85

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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.