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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (virtually) each day tastings. Santé! |
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July 10, 2022
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A phrase of warning
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are accomplished from the perspective of a malt whisky fanatic who, what’s extra, is aboslutely not an knowledgeable in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or another spirits. Thanks – and peace! |
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Just a little flight of various Jamaican rums
Simply as they arrive out of the containers and cabinets, in no specific order (however we’ll make certain we’ll be having some Hampden and WP!) In our guide, Jamaica stays the Islay of rum.
(Sip and browse whereas listenting to Jamaican jazz star Ernest Ranglin – {photograph} Toma Iczkovits)
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Worthy Park 7 yo 2013/2021 (66.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Jamaica, #R11.11, 2nd fill bourbon barrel, ‘Pushing the frontiers of funk’, 259 bottles) 
Pushing the frontiers of funk? That might moderately be Invoice, I imply George Clinton, no? I’ve no proof that this might be Worthy Park, however nobody’s ever mentioned it was not. Color: straw – pale gold. Nostril: completely on brake fluid, Diesel oil, crushed black olives, anchovies in brine, kerosene and, maintain on, new vinyl certainly. It is not even repulsive at virtually 67%, which I discover moderately miraculous. With water: a lot of love. Just a little caraway plus new magazines, paint, putty, shoe polish, brine, olives… Cumin and anise cookies! Mouth (neat): consuming seawater with some concentrated lemon juice inside, plus some salmiak and recent paint diluted in it. As soon as once more, that is curiously ‘drinkable’. With water: just a few notes of rotting tropical fruits, particularly bananas, and this sense of chewing your new rubber boots. No stress comrade! End: lengthy, briny, with all issues inks and paints. Typical. Feedback: I do not assume WP goes as excessive as Hampden, Lengthy Pond or New Yarmouth so far as esters go, however this looks like a ‘stable 500’ (undecided that makes a lot sense, having mentioned that). Impeccable and implacable drop.
SGP:463 – 90 factors. |
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As soon as once more we’re beginning too excessive.
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Worthy Park 15 yo 2006/2021 (55.5%, Whisky Age, Picnic Bar, Jamaica, bourbon barrel, cask #21, 246 bottles)
Color: gold. Nostril: so arduous to beat on this class! Some magnificent overripe bananas macerated in seawater, with some coal tar and liquorice, plus recent paint, carbolineum, and a few extra delicate touches of high-end inexperienced tea and flowers, which I discover moderately quietening (I can hear you, who mentioned ‘ultimately’?) Grand and positively not ‘simply funk’. With water: that outdated fisherman’s boat, the identical that they’ve on Islay, with outdated ropes, tar, paint, fish, oysters, pipe tobacco and whatnot. Possibly scuba fits. Mouth (neat): what a tremendous distillate, at an ideal age. Marvellous saltiness, olives, drying liquorice, espresso dregs, benzine (tsk, paying homage to benzine), sea urchins, a tiny pinhead of hoisin sauce… With water: simply good, if a bit of easier, as if it did collect its strengths. A scalpel. End: precisely, a scalpel. Feedback: desert island rum. I have never not too long ago tried any officers, I simply hope they’re alongside the identical traces.
SGP:463 – 91 factors. |
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Too excessive, we’re too excessive… It should be arduous to depart Worthy Park… So cheer up, let’s run away from our activity and have extra Worthy Park…
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Worthy Park 14 yo 2007/2021 (59.1%, Hunter Laing, Kill Satan, Jamaica, 241 bottles)
The corporate reminds us that WP is pot-still rum. Color: gold. Nostril: clearly very near the Picnic, only a tad extra ‘phenolic’ and with extra very fragrant grasses and herbs, akin to thyme or melissa, additionally fermenting recent cane juice (however naturally, that is ex-molasses). I am afraid this one too is good rum. With water: no precise modifications, maybe a bit of pinewood that connects nicely to thyme. Mouth (neat): holy featherless crow, this has ev’rything, from diesel oil to heavy liquorice, ink, books, leatherette, tar, rotting tropical fruits, balsamic vinegar, pu-her tea, olives, marmalade, mosses, miso, hoisin… Superb fermentary, but moderately clear profile, definitely not ‘all esters and that is it’. In different phrases, funk, not skunk (ooh that is good, S.) With water: etcetera. End: lengthy and really a lot chiselled at this level, again to the core. Olives, salt, seawater and tar. Feedback: one other flabbergasting Worthy Park, qué alegria! The Picnic was simply aw wee tad extra advanced, however we’re splitting hairs as soon as extra…
SGP:464 – 90 factors. |
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What are we going to do to get round all this? Take down WP?
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Worthy Park 9 yo 2011/2021 (65.6%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Jamaica, #R11.10, 2nd fill STR barrique, ‘Complete, uncut and unbruised’, 264 bottles) 
Certain the STR cask could have wrecked it, but it surely’s was refill, so in all probability little luck. Color: straw. Nostril: petrol and rotting fruits. This one’s a bit of ‘lighter and cleaner’ than the others, a tad acetic and lemony, and there is even a bit of peach, however let’s not dream, it’s nonetheless great this far, however we’ll get it! With water: tiny whiffs of rotting wild strawberries. Not that we’re ‘nosing’ rotting wild strawberries fairly often. Mouth (neat): high 5 rum distillery, easy as that. Large salty liquorice and moderately extra menthol and aniseed this far. STR wine stays at dwelling. With water: may very well be that the cask handicapped this one in a really infinitesimal manner. Some very tiny fruity notes that ought to not likely belong right here (pink berries) however as soon as once more (and once more), we’re in all probability nit-picking and splitting hairs. End: lengthy, salty, a tad gritty in direction of the aftertaste (tomato leaves or one thing). Feedback: completely great, however the different three have been stars.
SGP:463 – 88 factors. |
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Good, I imagine we’re prepared for different Jamaicans… Picnic is the benchmark at this level…
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Hampden Property ‘Pagos’ (52%, OB for LMDW and Velier, Jamaica, sherry, 2022)
Pot stills, NAS, butts, PX and oloroso, the place else did we spot that already? Would not the world of ‘aged’ (generally barely) spirits get globalised? And what is the correct worth for NAS? Color: deep gold. Nostril: Hampden, no less than this one, is far more acetic (not ascetic) and varnishy than WP. Big brine, glues, nail polish remover, olives and capers. I would not swear poor PX does come by, however that is excellent news in my guide. With water: new magazines and books, contact of juniper and caraway, inexperienced walnuts, nocino… Mouth (neat): excessive and heavy, with plenty of acetone, even a sense of ammonia, liquorice, grass extract (increasingly cooks are utilizing that), salty cough syrup, eucalyptus… Frankly, I would have mentioned Yarmouth. With water: excellent salty and varnishy improvement, all with inexperienced walnuts that preserve it actually tight and dry. End: very lengthy, salty, with sardines, anchovies and olives. Feedback: I discover it completely glorious, however the WPs have been moderately extra advanced (particularly the Picnic). Now, there is not solely complexity in life, naturally. Superb Hampden.
SGP:464 – 88 factors. |
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Hampden Property ‘HLCF Traditional’ (60%, OB for LMDW and Velier, Jamaica, 2022) 
There was once a superb 7 yo ‘Overproof’ at 60% vol. but it surely appears to be like like this new one’s misplaced any age statements. HLCF means 500-700 grams esters per HLPA. Color: white wine. Nostril: as soon as once more, this has much more brine and acetone, extra earth as nicely, olive oil, tarragon, a extremely salty and acidic model on the nostril however at 60% it is arduous to get a correct full image. With water: a beautiful earthiness and a few huge rubber. New wellies, all sizes, plus touches of strawberry gums, a factor that is associated to some yeasts and that will go away over time, I have been informed. Nutshell, pears and strawberries imply actually younger spirit. Mouth (neat): very pungent, very salty, with echoes of essentially the most excessive finos de Jerez. With water: pure brine, liquorice, lemon and tar, maybe a bit of minimalistic however we do take pleasure in Bauhaus sprits. End: lengthy and even saltier. Rubbery signature, with tinned anchovies. Feedback: younger Ardbeg in Jamaica.
SGP:364 – 87 factors. |
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Jamaica 29 yo 1992/2022 ‘HD’ (58.2%, The Colors of Rum, Wealth Options, Jamaica, cask #6, 251 bottles)
A twenty-nine years outdated Hampden, they don’t simply develop on timber, do they. Color: gold. Nostril: likely aged in wet Scotland or within the Netherlands, so nonetheless recent and vibrant, and completely beautiful. Unimaginable set of herbs and grasses, bouillons of every kind and from all peaceable international locations, plus small and bigger inexperienced olives. Simply completely unstoppable on the nostril. With water: sawn eucalyptus wooden, sauna oils, pinewood, all that on high of what was already there. Mouth (neat): we all know these, we all know that they are beautiful, tart and exact, well-chiselled and intensely shiny, identical to the best manzanillas. Inexperienced walnuts, mustard, olives, tar, rubber, liquorice, lime juice and all that. With water: sends shivers down your backbone, it is a Components 1 spirit. I am not saying it is for on daily basis, because it’s the alternative of, say an outdated agricole for instance, and at instances you could possibly even imagine it is solely ten. Grapefruit within the aftertaste. End: lengthy, ultra-tight, high-precision outdated vertical rum. Feedback: brrr…
SGP:473 – 92 factors. |
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Jamaica 29 yo 1992/2022 ‘HD’ (58.1%, The Colors of Rum, Wealth Options, Jamaica, cask #9, 250 bottles)
Naturally, ‘HD’ might additionally imply Harley-Davidson, high-definition, or heavy-duty, however we do imagine the mysterious acronym means ‘Hampden’. Color: pale gold. Nostril: no wait, that is even better, with extra refined herbs, teas, smokes of every kind, mints (spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint et al), earths, fermented sauces together with Chinese language ones, brines (fish, olives)… Wow! With water: like an excellent Meursault of nice age by an excellent winemaker. Mouth (neat): simply evident. Salted tar, liquorice and lemon juice. Extraordinarily centered and tight. With water: astounding brininess. I am additionally discovering notes of sorrel soup, cress, melissa and a moderately reasonable tar this time. End: lengthy, tarrier once more. Would you imagine me if I mentioned it is paying homage to some Port Ellens? Feedback: one thing Bowmore-y on this one, really, neglect about Port Ellen. I discover it even better than its sister bottling, however that will moderately be like 92.99 vs. 92.01, so each 92, let’s not puzzle over numbers.
SGP:374 – 92 factors. |
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Jamaican Rum 19 yo 2001/2021 ‘JMH’ (61%, Thompson Bros. and Bar Tre Hiroshima, Jamaica, 271 bottles)
Hampden once more, a DOK this time. DOK means over 1500 grams esters per HLPA, which I feel is the utmost at Hampden. Color: white wine. Nostril: this one’s moderately extra metallic, not that funky, however very dry, austere, Jansenist… I am positive it will need H2O to open up (or a complete evening in your glass, however there, we won’t). With water: extremely viscimetrical and engine-y. Placing your head underneath the hood of an outdated Jag. Additionally plenty of ink. Mouth (neat): enormous salt and extremely concentrated lemon juice. This one too would ship shivers down your backbone, which is nice if you should test whether or not you’ve got nonetheless bought all of your vertebras. With water: not that excessive, however actually very salty. To assume that in idea, there could not be any salt in any aged spirits, until somebody’s added some on function. Kippers, tar, ink, ashes, and actually plenty of salt certainly. End: lengthy, on ashes blended with brine. Lemon within the aftertaste, in addition to.. peat! Feedback: a fairly slender, extremely centered rum that will nonetheless tick all containers in my very own little tasting guide. We name these ‘good’ spirits. Oh and yeah, it is smoky rum whereas I doubt they’d have dumped it into some ex-Laphroaig cask, as some do. Boo!
SGP:375 – 90 factors. |
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JMH Jamaican Rum 22 yo 1998/2021 (62.6%, RumSponge, Jamaica, refill barrel, 249 bottles)
I am positive the label is a tour de drive, but it surely’s not precisely my technology. Questioning if it will counsel that this one goes to throw bananas at us… Color: white wine. Nostril: very related Hampden, only a notch lighter, I imply additionally with just a few fruity molecules. Maybe extra manzanilla too, extra pine needles, extra backyard peat, extra aromatics, much less austerity… Properly in truth, it is moderately not the identical rum. With water: miso and soy sauce plus pine bark and cotton. Distinctive. Mouth (neat): very excessive as soon as extra, only a wee tad fruitier, and a bit of earthier. However watch it, it might nonetheless tear you aside. With water: cautious with water, when you use water loosely with Hampden, you might unleash some plastic and ‘chemical’ rubbers. I say higher not and that is the issue with these kerosene-y drops, both they’re too robust otherwise you run them off the observe when including water. So, cautious, a high-precision pipette is required. Significantly! End: lengthy and petroly. Peat smoke. Feedback: a sense of peated rum this time once more. Fantastic Hampden, but it surely’ll dominate you, there’s not a lot you are able to do about that.
SGP:375 – 90 factors. |
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Let’s unwind and funky issues down… We’ll have all different Jamaican distilleries subsequent time.
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Hampden 2016/2021 (46%, Rumology, Jamaica, PX end) 
This child’s been completed in PX however I imagine the value may be very truthful, so all is nicely in one of the best of all attainable worlds. Color: deep gold. Nostril: appears to be like like somebody’s smoked grapes and sugarcane; having mentioned that, that is something however disagreeable, quite the opposite, as we’re discovering some chocolate, cigars, natural teas (chamomile), barbecue sauce and Hampden’s anticipated rubber. Raisins too, naturally, the PX cask was not inert in any respect. Mouth: you may learn this spirit as you may learn a guide. Sucking your pencil (cedarwood), precise PX, burnt butter, salted popcorn, tobacco and a few spicy sriracha sauce (chilli). Nice, uncommon enjoyable, even when this little spirit will in all probability lose you. Please remind me, what’s it, precisely? End: moderately lengthy, with a leafy, tannic bitterness that is not obligatorily good mates with the raisins, however there. Feedback: exploratory spirit, let’s consider. We discover it good and positively palatable.
SGP:563 – 82 factors. |
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We’d like a final goodbye. Possibly this one…
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Hampden ‘Rum Fireplace’ (63%, OB, Jamaica, +/-2021) 
Horrible label however that is ‘white overproof rum’, so compassion is so as. Now we have tried a ‘Rum Fireplace Velvet’ two or 4 years in the past, and it was glorious, however undecided it is a related make. That is what’s good with white rums, no foolish and pointless woods or wines can get in your manner. Color: white as Tom Cruise’s tooth. Nostril: yep, new backyard hose, new tyres, new scuba diving go well with, outdated ashtray, plastics, new iPhone, new Tesla, and gherkin brine and inexperienced olives. With water: dusts, chalks, ashes and new newspapers. Mouth (neat): we have simply gulped down a dozen ashtrays and 6 pairs of rubber boots. With water: the trademark saltiness popping out, which works to show that it is within the spirit, not within the woods. Gherkins and carbon mud. End: lengthy, salty, rubbery, with smoked olives and ashes within the aftertaste, in addition to one thing burnt. Certain, I am positive smoked olives do exist. Feedback: robust boy, however I am moderately keen on it, even when I discover WP’s white ‘Rum Bar’ moderately superior.
SGP:364 – 84 factors. |
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Good, we did not handle to transcend Worthy Park and Hampden on this very Sunday, however watch these pages, we have dozens of different Jamaicans lined up… Cheers!
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 Verify the index of all rums we have tasted up to now
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