As an unrepentant Hampden fanatic, I’m admittedly biased here, but the 2025 Great House is everything I was hoping it would be prior to release. This year’s rendition truly shows all the facets of Hampden’s heart and soul in one outstanding blend. Starting with a 40% base of their light-ester LFCH mark, the blending team then climbs the ester ladder with 20% each of HLCF (400-600 g/HLPA), HGML (1000-1100 g/HLPA), and C<>H (1300-1400 g/HLPA), all of which results in a stunningly layered, complex, and endlessly intriguing profile. No surprise – the aromas fill the room with everything from fermenting pineapple, furniture polish, new rubber, and chocolate-chip banana bread to teriyaki, Werther’s Original butterscotch candies, and ginger biscuits. But it’s not over by a long shot, as faint touches of diesel engine, juicy tangerine, Christmas cake, Jamaican jerk spices, and treacle all emerge against a background of wood and dark cherries. The palate is exactly what you’d expect from the blend composition. The medium weight and exceptionally balanced mouthfeel shows just a hint of heat, with plenty of room for flavors of dark molasses, milk chocolate, cooked tropical fruits, more of those Werther’s Originals, apple butter, and apple pie filling. The barrel regimen is evident but restrained in notes cinnamon and brown sugar, earthy wood tones, clove, anise, and cola, all concluding in a funky, industrial finish that goes on for who knows how long. If you’re a fan of Jamaica’s most authentic rums, this is a must-have.
95 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Oct 2025)
Top Quality Store
