Hampden - 12 years - Rare Cask Series No. 78 - HLCF - Bourbon Barrel - 61.90%
Hampden Estate is one of the oldest iconic sugar plantations in Jamaica, world-renowned for the exceptional quality of its agricultural rums. Founded in 1753, this historic estate originally belonged to Mr. Archibald Stirling from Scotland. In 1779, Mr. Stirling built the Hampden Great House, whose ground floor served as a rum warehouse until the early 20th century. The Farquarson family cultivated sugarcane and distilled rum on this estate until 2003, the year the Jamaica Sugar Company took ownership. This exceptional terroir is recognized for producing the best sugarcane on the island, with the highest yields, thus ensuring superior quality for artisanal rum production. Historically, Hampden rums were exported exclusively to Europe, notably England and Scotland. In 2009, Everglades Farms Ltd, owned by the Hussey family, purchased the estate through a public offer as part of the divestment measures of the Jamaica Sugar Company, owned by the Jamaican state. Since this acquisition, Everglades Farms has made significant investments in modernizing the distillery, creating many jobs in the Trelawny region and improving infrastructure for more than 17 local communities and schools.
The water used for rum production comes from an exclusive mountain water collection system, ensuring optimal purity and minimal environmental impact since the water discharged after use is completely clean and naturally reintegrated into the soil. Fermentation is carried out using natural yeasts, promoting a unique and authentic aromatic profile. Hampden Estate is one of the last distilleries in the world to maintain the tradition of batch distillation in dated copper stills, with four pieces of equipment still in operation. The oldest John Dore still, installed in 1960, can distill up to 7,560 liters per cycle. Aging takes place exclusively in the Jamaican tropical climate, where barrels benefit from accelerated maturation; thus, 12 years under these latitudes is equivalent to about 25 years of aging in a European climate. True to its values, Hampden offers fully natural rums, without any additives, sugars, tannins, colorants, or glycerol, for impeccable purity and authenticity.
This prestigious edition of the Rare Cask Series was distilled in 2010 in a single numbered barrel (#78). This rum marked HLCF underwent a full tropical aging in the distillery for 12 years, revealing rich and complex aromas typical of Jamaican tradition. Only 231 bottles of this exclusive batch were released, making it an essential reference for high-end rum enthusiasts and collectors.
