Hampden LROK White Rum

The Hampden distillery in Jamaica has, for more than 265 years, without any interruption, produced rums using Forsyth and Vendome pot stills. This "light pot" bottled by Velier has an ester content of 350 to 400 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol. With a remarkable fresh expression, the palette of flavours and aromas of this particularly ethereal white rum is a real melting pot of sugarcane aromas, heady florals, fresh and exotic fruit, and rich, spicy and herbaceous flavours.

Profile: the subtle initial nose wavers between notes of sugar cane, citrus fruit, heady florals, and fresh and exotic fruit. Allowed to breathe, it becomes honeyed and herbaceous. The rich attack is then fruity (pear, peach). A mixture of chocolate and vanilla, like a flan. The concentrated finish is herbaceous, spicy, fruity and floral. The retronasal olfaction adds new fruits, aromatic plants and lime.

TASTING NOTES

Appearance : Clear.

Nose : Fine, subtle. The very ethereal initial nose wavers between flowering sugarcane, citrus fruit (orange, mandarin), heady florals (dahlia, gardenia), fresh fruit (plum liqueur, Williams pear), exotic fruit (lichee, kiwi) and spices (coriander, star anise). Allowed to breathe, it becomes honeyed, delicately roasted (tobacco, tea) and herbaceous (alfalfa). Next, the fragrances of geranium, vetiver and root ginger fill the entire aromatic palette.

Palate : Complex, rich. The very fruity (pear, apple, peach) attack also wavers between dark chocolate and bourbon vanilla. Rich, like a vanilla flan or a verbena-lemon tart. With lots of freshness, the mid-palate knocks the tasting up a notch. Candied apricot, walnut, cumin and tobacco bring lots of energy to the end of the palate.

Overall : Long, concentrated. Freshly cut grass, coriander, sweet chestnut, kiwi, strawberry, geranium blossom, iris butter and many other flavours illustrate the extreme complexity of the flavour palette. Not to be outdone, the retronasal olfaction brings lime, cinnamon, rosemary and mint leaves. The empty glass reproduces the notes of still warm cane sugar, saffron and vetiver.