Hampden - 9 years old - 2011 - LFCH Single Cask #296 - 60.30%
Hampden Estate is one of the most historic and prestigious sugar plantations in Jamaica. Founded in 1753, this iconic distillery originally belonged to Mr. Archibald Stirling from Scotland. In 1779, the construction of the Hampden Great House marked a major milestone: its ground floor then served as a warehouse for rum, an activity that continued until the early 20th century. The Farquarson family managed this sugar and rum estate until 2003, when the property came under the management of the Jamaica Sugar Company. Renowned for the exceptional quality of its sugarcane fields, Hampden is essential for producing authentic and powerful Jamaican rums, made from the richest sugarcane in the region. At the time, its exceptional rums were exclusively exported to Europe, with strong demand in England and Scotland. Since 2009, Everglades Farms Ltd, owned by the Hussey family, has taken over the estate through a public divestment operation of the Jamaica Sugar Company, owned by the Jamaican government. With their acquisition, Everglades Farms has injected major investments into the rum distillery, creating numerous jobs in the Trelawny region and improving infrastructure for more than 17 local communities and schools.
A key element of the exceptional quality of Hampden rums is the unique origin of the water used, collected by an exclusive mountain water collection system rather than from traditional underground aquifers. This ecological method ensures clean water returns to nature after use. The fermentation, essential to the unique aromas, takes place with natural yeasts specific to the distillery and extends over a prolonged period, giving complexity and richness to the taste. Hampden Estate is also one of the very last distilleries to use batch distillation, a traditional process that differs from modern continuous distillation. It currently operates four stills, including the oldest, a John Dore installed in 1960, which can hold up to 7,560 liters. Hampden rums are then subjected to authentic tropical aging, with maturation of more than 7 years under the hot and humid Jamaican climate, equivalent to over 25 years of European aging, thus intensifying flavors and aromatic depth. Moreover, all rums are produced, aged, and bottled without any additives – no added sugar, tannins, caramel, or glycerin – thus respecting the strict criteria of rum purists.
This 9-year-old Hampden belongs to the prestigious Trelawny Endemic Birds collection, representing the very first single cask cask strength bottlings bottled directly by the Hampden distillery. This exceptional rum comes from Cask #296, labeled LFCH, indicating a high ester level, between 90 and 120 grams per hectoliter, giving powerful, complex, and very typical aromas of high-quality Jamaican rums.
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