Review #: 143
Description: DOK Still Strength
Spirit: Rum
Background: Hampden Estate’s highest ester marque, DOK makes it’s return to my reviews. Unlike my initial review, which was diluted down to 69%, this sample comes straight off the still at a screaming 85.76% ABV. Easily the highest alcohol percentage I have (and likely will not be challenged for quite some time) reviewed, the panel said they believed water helped open up the flavors. There are also logistic issues with selling a bottle at 70% or greater, so let’s see if that might have been more of a driving factor in the decision. This sample came from the amount provided by the broker in selecting the rum for bottling.
Distillery – Hampden
Bottler – E&A Scheer
Brand – DOK
Selection – N/A
ABV – 85.76%
Age – Unaged
Nose – Burnt rubber, still plenty of tropical fruit: papaya, pineapple, melon but it’s a bit more muted at higher strength. Some sweet skittles fruit.
Taste – Sweet cinnamon and cream with lots of tropical fruit. Like a tropical fruit milkshake.
Finish – Hot, searing funk, rotten banana peel, gasoline, really hard to drink without burning your tongue and back of your throat.
Score: 6
Would I buy a bottle? No, I honestly think the dilution is needed
Thoughts: I was honestly scared to open this sample and do this review, as the Aficionados DOK bottle can be too much for some (and I worried what my wife would do to me when she could smell the funk from across the house). Ultimately, the high proof really did limit flavor and being able to pull distinctive fruit from it and then on the finish it was just too hot to even try to enjoy. Every sip is met with a wince as even the most experienced drinkers would struggle to not burn their throat. It was still a cool experience but I’ll stick with my 69% bottles.