Hampden Estate 8-Year

Smooth for 46% ABV, vanilla oakiness, funky, tropical fruit and grilled pineapple in the mid palate, dry but not too dry, and well balanced. This rum isn’t for the sugarbomb lover. However, it is very enjoyable and fairly priced at $40 USD. This one is good sipper. It’s a tropical island in a bottle. Enjoy.

Update:

Ive had the bottle for a week and the taste has changed. Less fruit taste, more harsh, more grassy hogo flavor. Smell is kinda like nail polish. This rum isn’t horrible but I would not buy it again

Dark glass bottle hides the golden colour. Smells are not overpowering, taste explodes in the mouth. Does not burn the throat flavour stays in the mouth.

Tasted in Drinks By The Dram - The Rum Advent Calendar (2019 Edition)

Velmi specifický jamajsky esterovy rum. Hodně puristicky, nic navíc, dojezd hodně chuťově divoký (pozitivně). Nepůsobí vbc jako 46%. Asi nechytne široké publikum, ale aspoň vyzkoušet rozhodně doporučuju. Nejzajímavější rum co sem měl.

Over-ripe tropical fruit on the nose. Bitter palette followed by long caramel finish

This rum has a very strong character and flavour. It has a lot of over-ripe fruit notes but also lots of petrol/oil characteristics so it won't be to everyone's taste. I actually prefer drinking this in a cocktail like a Mai Tai rather than on its own because it blends well with other flavours.

Good. .rum

Silná vôňa plná tropického ovocia, kože a korenia. Na jazyku olejový a výrazný. Na mňa je toho zatiaľ ešte veľa. Určite ho ale ešte neskôr vyskúšam.

taste - 8/10
smell - 8/10
sweetness - 6.5/10
price/value rating - 6.5/10

Best nose I've had: tons of overripe fruits, savory and herbal bits, and some lingering petrol at first.
On the palate: not as explosive as the nose. Still lots of old bananas and pineapple, herbal and woody, creamy and rich, but all in balance.
Conclusion: unlike it's distant cousin Smith & Cross (a wondrous cocktail staple), this is a very pleasant sipper with much of the same complexity and Jamaican character, without blowing the doors off.