Clear copper color. Dusty, savory, baked aromas of high ester Jamaican funking and delicious, over ripe pineapple with orange zest, flambéed bananas foster, and cedar with a lightly tannic, fruity medium-full body and a very long over ripe banana dipped in caramel and rolled in cinnamon nutmeg and ginger, walnut oil, and black pepper, pickled ginger, maple, black tea, and and cinnamon finish. The proof and the dundery high ester funk assure that this is not for the faint of heart or amateur imbiber, but hot damn is this delicious and complex; would happily sit with a bottle all day and reflect on what cigar pairings or cocktails would be best and then discover that the whole bottle accidentally disappeared.
97 points, Beverage Testing Institute (Apr 2024)
The HLCF is the quintessential counterpart to the 8 Year’s relatively lighter, gentler personality. The nose leads with huge industrial notes of new rubber and diesel engine before giving away anything else. Time and air bring out stewed apples, dark caramel, fermented pineapple, and jerk spices. As the funk fades into the background, softer tones green banana, spiced Christmas cake, and candied orange peel add to the stunning complexity. The palate is every bit as bold and assertive, with a fair amount of heat at first. The medium weight sits on a firm, grippy texture with more huge industrial funk leading the way. A deep mix of cooked tropical and tree fruits, jerked chicken, and sarsaparilla emerge with a few drops of water, as the texture evens out considerably. The medium-long finish turns a touch medicinal as the fruits are accented by licorice root and asphalt, a final indication of the high-ester marque. This isn’t for everyone, but those who appreciate the style will absolutely go head over heels for it.
94 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Feb 2026)
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