Review #: 543
Description: Golden Devil Hampden 1993 27 Year
Spirit: Rum
Background: This is a single cask of Jamaican rum. Distilled from molasses in a pot still in 1993 by Hampden, it was put in ex-bourbon cask and spent most, if not all of the the nearly 3 decades aging in Europe. Bottled by Hunter Laing for K&L Wines. This is believed to be C<>H but could potentially be JMC mark This is some birth year rum from one of my favorite distilleries.
Distillery – Hampden
Bottler – Hunter Laing
Brand – Kill Devil
Selection – N/A
ABV – 66.1%
Age – 27 Years
Nose – Heavy and intense, lime zest, shortbread cookie, smoked guava, grilled pineapple, dark chocolate and caramel, sea salt, sharp diesel fumes, behind the aggressiveness is a really well integrated toasted oak smell. It’s so strong but harmonious
Taste – Candied bacon, brown butter, grilled pineapple dipped in caramel, kind of this dry exhaust taste in there
Finish – Lime zest, salt, torched cherry, charred oak, almost burnt caramel, a touch dry but the plastic/industrial notes that come in don’t leave a tacky feel like some other old Jamaicans do
Score: 9
Would I buy a bottle? At $280, it’s spicy, but damn is it good. I say yes
Thoughts: Man, this really had a lot going on. The nose has a super intense fruit and industrial, but then the oak comes in the background to remind you of the age. The taste is savory yet fruit. And then the finish blasts more fruit and citrus and then the Jamaican funk hits. I can be a little picky where some of the older Jamaican rums I’ve tried get really tacky and dry, but this stays away from that feel while getting the taste. It does taste every bit of 66% which is the only thing really holding it back for me.