There’s a reason Jamaican rum fans have made this bottling a go-to. The balance of the blend is pretty much flawless, offering up everything you want and nothing you don’t. The component marks, each from an iconic Jamaican distillery, climb the ester ladder, starting with some light Worthy Park WPL, moving up to some STCE from Long Pond, and finishing with an all-time great ester bomb, the C<>H mark from Hampden at a whopping 1,300-1,400 g/hlPA. The nose is highly detailed with fermented pineapple and plantain, huge industrial funk, toffee, peach syrup, and lemon shortbread cookies. Barrel tones of vanilla and cinnamon provide background support. The big, George Clinton-level funk continues on the palate along with cooked apple, overripe tropical fruit, pretty cardamom, and rich wood spices, but the texture and weight are so smooth and suave (in contrast to the 7 Year OVR) that it’s eminently approachable, even with the high-ester flavor profile. The industrial character settles down with some air, revealing notes of ripe apricot and peach leading to a really fresh, medicinal finish. If you’re looking for bridge expression to some of Jamaica’s true funk bombs, this is a great choice. It doesn’t overwhelm, but it’s not shy either. Just a quintessential example of top-tier Jamaican pot-still rum that does everything it’s supposed to do.
92 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Apr 2026)
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