3 Hampdens + Many Feelings: Pagos, Great House 2023, Down Island HD 🔷H 2014 10yo Jamaica Rum
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- Опубліковано 9 тра 2024
- And we're back at Hampden Estate in Trelawny, very possibly my favorite distillery in the world, reviewing two releases that basically everyone else already talked about earlier this year plus a shiny new single cask independent bottling from Down Island. We've got sherried mid-ester Hampden, we've got blended marque mid-ester Hampden, and we've got higher ester Hampden partly aged in the UK - what could go wrong? Aaand stats:
- Hampden Estate "Pagos" Pure Single Jamaican Rum, 2023 Edition (Trelawny; wild-fermented, pot-distilled molasses aged in ex-oloroso and pedro ximenez sherry butts; 467.9 g/hLaa esters; 52% ABV), 86/100
- Hampden Great House Distillery Edition 2023 Old Pure Single Jamaican Rum (Trelawny; Trelawny; wild-fermented, pot-distilled molasses aged in ex-bourbon casks, 40% 2016 HLCF and 60% 2021 LROK; 57% ABV), 89+/100
- Down Island Jamaica HD 2014 10 Year Old Single Cask Rum (Hampden Estate, Trelawny; wild-fermented, pot-distilled molasses, aged in ex-bourbon casks for 4 years in Jamaica and 6 years in the UK, bottled 2024; 🔷H, 900-1000 g/hLaa esters; 68.5% ABV), 91/100
These are really, really good, because of course they are. But the cheapest thing on the table is $90 and, well... as a reviewer, what do you do when pricing has crept up to that degree? I've been hyping up Hampden for years now and despite the evident quality in everything they do, this is the first time I've felt that I really need to pick and choose my purchases. I really, really don't want to Springbank these guys.
On to the bottles, and let's start with the Great House. I've reviewed three of these things before ( • Hampden Great House Ru... for 2020, • Hampden Great House 20... for 2021, and • Hampden Great House 20... for 2022) and with this one they've reversed the high speed train towards higher esters that characterized the previous two releases. This one is polished, poised, balanced - textbook aged Jamaica, really. It loses some of the complexity and length of previous years, but it's also arguably more drinkable and it's up to you whether that tradeoff is worth it. I'd love to have a bottle of this stuff but I'm also waiting for sale pricing, if you see what I mean.
Now the Pagos, at least for me, doesn't really work. This is their line for sherry maturation, and here the sherry mostly gets run right down by the power of the distillate. It's a good Hampden, of course - it's hard to ruin Hampden - but it's very short in the mouth and, well, just not worth the ninety bucks. The HLCF Classic Overproof that came out around the same time, for the same price ( • Hampden Estate "HLCF C... ), just crushes it. I would love to see Hampden experiment further with maturation - European oak, anyone? - but so far the sherry doesn't convince me.
And then there's the Down Island, which nails the lunacy of oaky high-ester Hampden (because of course it does). It's floral and fruity and completely blown out and also features a weird Buffalo Trace riff, and I just adore it. But it's also $175 and, well... gun to my head, for that money I might prefer that 2010 STC❤️E I tried last year ( • Funkin' For Jamaica: P... ).
So: is the Hampden hype still legit? Yes, absolutely! But at the same time... you know, be sensible.
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I somehow doubt this. But thank you!! 😁
Nice to see these reviewed.
I had a duty! That said, don't think I'm not at a place where I'm seriously questioning how much more fuel I should be adding to the hype fire every time I have a chance to pop a new release...
I hear you, it has been nice to actually see these stay on the shelf for a bit in Lincoln Park. Was worried I wouldn’t get the chance at one. I think as we are getting out of the pandemic, some demand is going down. There is a market segment that was willing to spend a lot on their home bar during the pandemic, but now with the option to go out again, are not spending as much in the liquor store. I am hoping this will lead to more stability on the Hampden prices.
the Stolen Overproof is still the best Hampden bang for the buck and after that the old Overproof that was $60 a bottle that I stockpiled wisely, just like I did with the Stolen stuff. 2020 is the best Great House and I also have a bunch of bottles of that
We can debate about 2020 being the best GH... but it was certainly the cheapest! 😂
Duuuude Vin Jaune cask. I'm pretty lucky I can still find 2021 great houses for 95-99 ea by me
You're luckier than I! And yes, seeing how this Pagos here has gone I would smash the Hampden distillate with the heaviest casks I could possibly think of. Ex-chacha, here we go.
Darn it, you made me open my Pagos before I should have just to see if I agree or disagree with you. I agree with you, it's light. It's a bit watery even at 52%.I just tried it next to a dram of The Younger and I think I like the Younger better. Why the f**k isn't the Younger part of the core range? As for the Great House: Well as a long term fan of Hampden the price has always been a bit of a problem for me.
The 5yo LROK should absolutely be part of the core range, I adore it. But hey, it's still out there if you really look around for it!
Amazing video! Great points all around!
Here's the line that most intrigued me: "I'm not going to say that there's real competition for these guys yet. Not yet. But there are some characters waiting in the wings that I think you should be looking out for."
So, in the interest of toning down the Hampden hype a little bit, which of these characters waiting in the wings should we look out for? Who did you have in mind when you made this comment? I'd love to reward the other contenders for greatness with a few purchases!
Oh that's a very long conversation. 😅
Let's just keep it to Jamaica to keep this reasonable (although there's a _lot_ of experiments in high ester rum happening elsewhere...). Appleton seems very happy to follow the standard Gruppo Campari path of a rather boring lineup plus some stupidly overpriced LEs, so they're out. Monymusk/Clarendon can make _amazing_ rum, as the IBs indicate, but they seem content to remain a bulk supplier to various bottlers. Then there's Worthy Park, though. Worthy Park is making phenomenal distillate, they're interested in this hunk of the market, and to be a credible threat to Hampden the only thing they're missing (IMHO) is better cask management. But of course the easiest comparative case is Long Pond on the other side of Trelawny: similar methods all around, and unlike Hampden they've got some much older stocks to sell (despite shutting down for a few years). The only real problem is that they're hampered by ownership which, in the best case, has little interest in seriously developing a Long Pond brand.
And never forget about New Yarmouth. I'd be shocked to see a New Yarmouth lineup ever hitting the market, of course, but no one really knows what's going on down there...
@@differentspirits4157 Awesome, thank you!
I like the idea of some enhanced competition to keep Hampden honest! We want them to keep the quality and innovation up and the prices down! Some of these other Jamaicans could be contenders in the right circumstances. (And by the way, you've done a good job hyping the other Jamaicans too!)
I hope the growing appreciation for high ester rum spills over into other spirits categories. It would be great to try high ester expressions in brandy, whisky, etc.
That FRS bottle is insanely wonderful.
Dang but it's good. I'm wondering if I can go without wine for a few weeks to afford one...
Scott, thanks for reviewing these. I have the Pagos and it is good, but I was expecting and hoping for more sherry influence. I bought it assuming it would be the Hampden equivalent of Aberlour Abunadh, Glenfarclas 105, or a Glendronach sherry bomb. Again, it is good, but i am a little disappointed.
That's interesting. Each to their own of course. I have a bottle of the Pagos but haven't opened it yet. I bought it thinking that Hampden wouldn't turn it into a sherry bomb. Let's face it, Hampden's USP is it's extraordinary distillate. I like a little direction from a cask but don't want it be the talking point.
I do know an independently bottled Hampden which might be right up your street though. It's a 5 year old, single barrel, aged in an ex-cognac cask by Darkwood at 51% and the flavour profile is very dark indeed. It's reasonably priced at £60 but sold out pretty much everywhere. I know a seller in the U.K that still has three bottles if you're interested. I enjoyed a couple of bottles but that's enough for me.
@@welshtoro3256 you bring up a perfectly good point. Hampden's distillate is wonderful and I have enjoyed every bottle I have had from them, especially the aged Kill Devils. When it comes to the Pagos, however, I specifically bought it see how Hampden reacts and plays with sherry. As I said, it is of course good, but I was expecting/hoping for an experience that was very different from the other expressions.
@@iangendler Yes, those Kill Devils were amazing. I have to agree that I'm somewhat disappointed with the Pagos. It's good but could do better.
Even with the traditional "sherry bombs" in Scotch there should be a marriage between cask and distillate, right? And one which is, at least a little bit, better than the sum of its parts? It's that synergy which is missing here: Hampden is Hampden, and the sherry is just sort of... there. But I'd love to see if that synergy can happen with other cask types.
Ive had the Green and the Blue Great House, both outstanding. Im really interested in how this one compares to the previous
Most comparable to the 2020, I'd say. It's on the woodier, more balanced side of things.
how about a video on some old scotches, 25 yo or older. I've got a 27 yo springbank single cask I can help with
An entire flight of such things would probably break me, financially! 🥲 Not to say I'm against the idea, of course.
@@differentspirits4157 you could review samples sent to you, as you often do
How would you rank the great houses?
Oof. Objectively I think this 2023 is the least of them qualitywise, but it might actually be the most drinkable of the series so far. 2020, 2021, and 2022 are _very_ close in terms of how absolutely good they are. If you put a gun to my head, I'd (personally) say: 2021 > 2022 = 2020 > 2023.
@@differentspirits4157 I tried the 2022 sat night and was blown away by how absolutely bonkers the palate was. The nose was maybe my favorite of any spirit I've ever had. But definitely with you on the 21 being just so enjoyable all around
I just tried 23 and I'm totally with you, the nose tho is more like 21 and 22 imo but the palate certainly doesn't follow suit. I poured about a quarter ounce of sajous into a 2 oz 22 pour and was amazed at how much it changed. Made it way more civilized which, I'm not sure what that says about who but wow
@@differentspirits4157 Interesting! I tasted the 2022 and agree it was bonkers, I bought the 2021 and can't wait to try it but haven't popped the bottle yet. And I tasted the 2019 in a bar and it was probably the most deliciously drinkable rum I've ever tasted (so far--I think the 2021 will probably beat it!)
But the 2019 (basically the same recipe as the 2020) was interesting because it wasn't a full-on wild Hampden, it was much more composed and elegant and toned down. Which normally would be a negative for me. But it was just so tasty and accessible. I felt like I could share it with a "normie" and they would agree it was delicious, whereas they might not want to join me for a drink of Rum Fire!
Anyway, if I can never find an affordable 2019 or 2020, the 2023 seems interesting (if and when it goes on sale) just for that drinkability factor.
But for now I'm holding off on everything. The 2021 Great House is actually the single most expensive bottle I've bought to date ($110 plus tax) and I don't need to add any more triple digit bottles right this minute!
In other news, the whisky boom does seem to have passed its peak, so maybe the entire spirits industry will cool it with the price increases for a while. We'll see.
@@differentspirits4157I popped my down island bot last night and gawd damn ur right it's so fantastic