Secret Distillery #11 C<>H

Unmistakably a superb Hampden. Alcohol well integrated. Very fruity nose typical notes of pineapple 'papaya ' banana and ne fat portion of ester. On the palate similar initially a short sweetness but within seconds is slain by the ester ... the mouth space fills out schööön fruity with some time in the mouth also comes a slight bitterness and wood notes to it. I like very well even if he does not reach my personal reference (Flensburg JMC2007) he comes very close. Great mixer in May Tai 🤗

#4236 03.09.2023 this was a nice blind tasting where I saw the black Glencairn tasting glasses for the first time. This was the final one and what a bomb to finish the evening. Esters are definitely there as well as close to rotten fruits. Intense and well balanced rum with nice and funky profile. The empty glass is really nice with some marzipan and vanilla. Price to quality is very good in my mind.

A real aromatic hit, this Hampden knows how to exalt the senses. The nose is a concentrate of funk, with powerful phenolic and medicinal notes (thanks to the C<>H mark) that embalm the nostrils with solvents, glue, varnish, camphor and esters. The fruit is extremely ripe, very exotic and gripping on the nose. A hint of spice and pastry add roundness to this extreme profile. The attack on the palate is very tasty and fleshy. Underneath this dry, oily juice, overripe, exotic fruit competes with medicinal and estery notes in a brutal battle on the palate. The result is an aromatic concentrate as rich as it is powerful. The alcohol is very well integrated. The finish is the Achilles' heel here: although it's of decent length, the aromas become much duller, leaving only a vague memory of the opulence present on the palate. While it's a shame to end on a more subdued note, this Hampden remains an undeniable and reasonably-priced value. A recommended rum for lovers of new sensations in Jamaica.

In direct comparison with the FRC Hampden C<>H 2007 (RX17125) I find both to be pretty similar spirit-wise but it seems that the TBRC one was laid down in a way more active cask which has added a nice smoothness and complexity. Thanks to MrRumantic for the sample.

Edit: Crosstasting C◇H 1. kill devil 2. FRC C◇H 3. the Duchess 4. TBRC Frankenstein 5. The Whisky Jury Very nice representative, actually quite nice, but with the price it is a bit too high in my opinion.

I had been looking forward to this one for a while. The "Zombie" fulfills exactly what it promises. Namely to be a very good, typical Hampden. Tropical fruits en masse, esters, astringent. The alcohol is perfectly integrated. Delicious, that's how it should be!

C<>H is my favorite mark! This is amazingly round for its younger age and brings everything a Hampden needs. To the very great vintage 1990 he comes perhaps not approached, but who is already close.

Once again a beautiful classic C<>H! Just my thing!

Fleshy pineapple-papaya-ester bomb. Nose 91/mouth 90 - finish unfortunately a bit flat and thin 84 - but overall a great C<>H, the alcohol is integrated buttery soft and in the Mai Tai this rum also does great.

Wow, a great Jamaican. Initially very fruity on the nose with pineapple and overripe banana. Typical nail varnish and solvent notes, slightly spicy with a hint of mace. After a while, more and more vanilla comes through. Very intense on the palate, fruity and also very tart at the beginning. Pineapple and fermented fruit predominate here too. The finish is very intense, warm and astringent. Great fun and a very good PLV (RRP, not today's prices 😉)

Reasonable price for the quality

Trop extrême dans les solvants et vernis.

An absolutely great Hampden. The nose is super intense and funky. Nicely balanced on the palate with more barrel influence. Funky all the way. Makes really fun.

My first proper integrity rum! And I love it! Funky heaven. Fermented bananas and pineapples, nail polish, gingerbread cookies, cherries, and vomit (in a weirdly good way). UA: The surgery to pierce my sense of smell went perfectly! I went the other way, and for this I decided to try the most nuclear dram from my modest collection. Namely, the funky psychedelic single cask Hampden. Colorful and dizzying as Van Gogh's Starry Night. Green bananas and overripe pineapples drenched in acetone, a little cherry concentrate, and lots of gingerbread cookies. Fresh PVA glue on a wooden surface and fermented fruit. A strange but fascinating juxtaposition of tropical motifs and industrial chemicals. The alcohol is perfectly integrated, and at a bombastic 63.5% abv, it's surprisingly easy to drink. I've tasted this Frankenstein before, but only now I decided to open my bottle. As before, it's a solid 90 🍌.

Nose is unmistakably Hampden. Overripe fruit, banana and some funky pineapple on the nose. Inviting and tropical. The mouth starts well, vibrant and intense flavours, glue and esters making way to more tropical fruits. The finish has more salt and brine than I would typically expect, good long finish and softer fruity notes. It’s good and a big punching C<>H rum but not sure I would buy a bottle as the alcohol is not quite as integrated as I would like