Review by: The Auditor

Review #1464; Rum #763

Hampden Estate 1753 is one of the newest bottles in the Core lineup offered by the distillery under its own brand. This rum was made from molasses that fermented using natural wild yeasts for a long time. After this it is distilled on a copper pot still, put into ex-bourbon casks, and then aged at the distillery in Trelawny for 3 years before being bottled with no additives. This is meant to be an accessible offering and good for cocktails. This rum clocks in at 476 gr/hLAA, which puts it firmly in the HLCF set of marques at Hampden Estate.  I review neat so lets see how it performs there.

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Distillery: Hampden Estate

Bottler: Hampden Estate

Region: Trelawny Jamaica

Still: Pot

ABV: 46%

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Nose: Pungent, Grilled Pineapple, Mango, Dark Chocolate, Nutmeg, Soy Sauce, Minerality, Orange Peel

Palate: Medium mouthfeel, Grilled Pineapple, Mango, Allspice, Soy Sauce, Orange Peel, Minerality, Black Tea, Ginger

Finish: Medium length finish, Grilled Pineapple, Allspice, Black Tea, Raspberry, Ginger, Orange Peel, Dark Chocolate

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This is a great bottle of rum. Its very well balanced, leaning a little towards the fruitier elements but it reigns that in with the spices and black tea. It’s packed full of flavor and drinks very complex for its proof. It’s among the most approachable aged Hampden’s I’ve had, offering more punch that the Hampden OWH while not veering into esoteric punch you in the face ester levels. Overall a great rum. I do have to note though, for being a product meant for cocktails, it’s far too expensive given the average price tag I see of $80. I won’t complain about more Hampden Estate rum being made available though.

Final Score: 88

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky 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.