Small Batch Rare Rums HLCF

Very tasty HLCF. Ester fruit and woodiness go together almost perfectly here. At least I couldn't detect any off-notes. Alcohol very well integrated. In May Tai a really strong 4/5, very balanced and fruity.

Tasted blind in direct comparison with the Rumclub Treasure Cask HLCF and the CDI HLCF 1992 (RX8472). The bottlings differ in nuances both on the nose and on the palate. For me, the Treasure Cask is the fruitiest and is just ahead overall (9.1 points). It is closely followed by the CDI, which needs a lot of time in the glass, but then develops superbly and only loses a few points on the palate due to the slightly bitter licorice note. (9.0 points). On a par with the Rum Nation, which for me is not quite convincing on the nose, but all the more so on the palate. (9.0 points)

Another great 92 vintage Hampden. Compared to the CDI, the aroma feels a little more powerful, saltier and roastier and generally darker. It's like leaving a delicious croissant in the oven for a little too long😅🥐, with butterscotch, orange, cinnamon cookies, juicy grilled pineapple and a slight smokiness. Overall, I like the CDI a little more because it has more fruit and is a little more complex! But it depends on the day! 😃

After some tastings here on Christmas Eve, today's Christmas purchase was also this extremely lovely tasty Hampden for the Christmas days 🎅🏻

Schöne, schwere Süsse, überreife tropische Früchte, Holz, dazu frische grüne Noten und dezente Bitternoten, die mich an Lakritze und Oliven erinnern. Kommt mit diesem Profil etwas komplexer daher, was dem Rum gut zu Gesicht steht und ihm eine spannende Aromenvielfalt verpasst. Sehr guter HLCF.

This is a beast from Hampden and it needs to rest for a while, I did 30 minutes after which it released a lot of funky flavours. When added a few drops of water it really opened up and really kicked the right notes. This is a rum that I'm certain whisky lovers are going to lova as well. Price to quality is very good.

One of good SBRR, but they usually have one problem: too spicy and alcoholic. This one is also too woody(woody and pungent). But anyway, the flavor is concentrated and superior to Noblis No.7 in all aspects.

A Hampden that is both gourmand and enhanced by a vegetal side and spices. The balance is perfect for my taste.

Very good continental Hampden. Found that it takes a relatively long time until it shows its usual fruity Hampden side. At the beginning relatively spicy nose of gravy/broth. Some iodine in the mouth, floral apart from the typical markers. Good complexity, nice fullness.

The nose is here for my taste already too pungent intense after fermented fruit. Clearly more intense than the Rum Club and Nobilis HLCF bottlings from this year with not so well integrated alcohol. This is really something for ester freaks.

For my taste a little too woody! The typical Hampden-feeling is missing me unfortunately

Very nice Hampden!

Whouaouuuu another beautiful beast of hampden 🤩🤩 What a delight especially after a wait of at least 45 mins. It comes into its own. Super funky, fruit, esters, happiness. The note is well deserved 😍😍

Very complex Hampden. It's fun to take this thing apart. Fruit, funk, esters on the nose. The palate is definitely dominated by wood with a distinctive spicy note. The ABV is not so integrated, it could be better. Kevin is right in his assessment. A drop of water and you open a new door and new facets open up, exciting.

Blind tasting: another Hampden? Did I perhaps pick the wrong sample? But a glance at the label confirms that I didn't choose sample 3. I put my nose in the glass again: yes, it's a different rum, but it's still a Hampden. Not as brute as Sample 3, much more elegant - more mature. Nevertheless, the ester is concentrated, with the typical pineapple, banana, glue, medicine and herbs. This shouldn't be a LROK either! A pleasant sweetness on the palate at the beginning, which turns into ester and ends in a sourness of tropical fruits and green apples - very tasty! The finish also fits perfectly into the overall picture: long, very herbal/spicy, leather, oak and aniseed. A great bullet and for me by far the best rum in this tasting. As already mentioned, I would exclude the Mark LROK because of its higher ester content. I would also exclude the 1998 batch, as this rum is more elegant and mature than the 1998 bottlings I know. It should be around 60% and after the exclusion principle there is not too much left... Therefore I suspect the Rum Nation Hampden 24yo with 61.6%. 91 points