Hampden Rumclub Private Selection HD 2000 Ed. 21 LROK

Compared to the previous one you get far more with this release. Equally high quality, would have loved a higher ABV, but you get what you get 😊 Fruity with smoky wood and lovely spices. Oily and nicely warm on the palate and the empty glass is wonderful.

A bit disappointed by this hampden. I really loved the previous one. I could have thought Clarendon on the nose, for the slightly fermented side. But I was a bit disappointed on the palate because it was too smoky, despite the typical nice fruitiness. It has to be said that I have a bit of a problem with smokiness in general.

On the nose still relatively clear a Hampden, but already a sour buttery note with it!On the palate then surprisingly mild, thin and soft with light ester and pineapple note ... in addition, an aroma joins that is new to me and atypical (I describe it for me best with cardamom)The finish is pleasantly creamy / fuzzy with restrained herbal / herbal flavorsA very pleasant to drink Hampden, great

Update 10.8.24 Still very round, the fruit has receded, but the brine is clearly perceptible. And a certain mildness. Overall impression for me, on the other hand, is slightly less so -2 As many have already written. Typical Hampden on the nose with lots of tropical fruit and (albeit limited here) ester notes. On the palate, the rum is the roundest Hampden I've had in my glass so far and this is exactly where its strength lies. Actually a single cask for every day, which brings a remarkable freshness.

Side by side, the nose is noticeable more „aggressive“ and vinegary vs SMWS and TRC - weakest out of the three. The higher age is very noticeable on the palate vs TRC and SMWS. Roasted and cask notes dominate without being to woody. However, for my personal liking there is not enough excitement left in this one.

Wow, first pour and the whole room smells like a fruit basket! The taste is a bit more tamed, but still has a lot going on. Quite creamy, a bit of wood and chocolate, fruit and Caramel. Definitely better than the Hampden 11 year LROK.

I like it very much! Rather a round, mild Hampden with well-integrated alcohol.

Second tasting: today the alcohol on the palate seems to me a bit disturbing overall also rather one-dimensional. This costs three points.Nose: there is another smell that I do not know of Hampden and for which I have no association, perhaps fruit bread.... The alcohol is very restrained.Mouth: unmistakably Hampden with overripe pineapple and esters and the other familiar markers. Finish: Continues with emphasis on the cask and dark chocolate.A very balanced Hampden, comparatively smooth with smooth transitions. I like!

Typical HD "fermented fruit" nose but loses power relatively quickly over time. In the finish medicinal herbal notes that you have to like. In the mouth mainly pineapple and vanilla present on young wood.

A Hampden from Rumclub, Edition 21, I really like the nose. Ester is clearly recognizable, as well as notes of tropical fruit. Slightly medicinal. Not so much ester on the palate, for me the wood comes through clearly.

All in all, it's a solid rum, but I find the taste a little lacking. In my opinion, I find it a little too thin. For me, it's more in the direction of an easy sipper. It seems as if it has been reduced a little

On the nose, typical Hampden notes. This seems very pleasant and round. This may also be due to the marrow (LROK), in which the ester notes discreetly come to the fore.On the palate, this impression continues. I don't find the 50% too thin. It results here a pleasant middle thing between too little percent and full on the twelve.Interesting I find only how here the 50% barrel strength after 21 years come about. Was here perhaps diluted before filling the barrel?

In direct comparison with The Whisky Jury (Rx21418), more esters, licorice and fermentation on the nose. The TWJ is a little more tamed with more spices and wood. The SoR reminds me strongly of the HD LROK The Younger 2016. In a direct comparison, the TWJ is just ahead for me.

in the other glass, the (Velier) Hampden LROK 2010/47%. However, the comparison is somewhat difficult. There are 10 years of tropical maturation white oak cask versus 21 years of continental maturation ex-bourbon cask. On the nose, I like the Hampden a bit better (a bit more 'floral'). On the palate, the Rumclub is ahead, the 3% more ABV is surprisingly quite noticeable; nice toasty notes come on the finish. The Rumclub doesn't have to hide behind the Hampden, and there is potential for extra points: The Lemke HD Cask Finish beer still comes the days to the tasting 🍺😉

Didn't quite pick me up ... LROK is honestly not my marrow though and I prefer tropical storage. So no big surprise 😂