Ralfy, the new-ish Hampden 8 year is solely an OWH marque. It's the marque with the lowest ester counts from Hampden. It would be more accurate to say it's high ester when compared to non-Jamaican rum but low ester when compared to Jamaican rum. The cask strength you're talking about is an overproof rum. The meaning of overproof is a debatable term but overproof does not equal to cask strength. Their 1800s practice is not flannel. Part of the secret of their production process is their use of muck pits. They really protect that muck pit as it adds acids to the fermentation which contributes to their uniqueness. Majority of Hampden's flavor comes from their fermentation. Their aim is not to let the cask dominate the spirit's flavor.
I'm making some rum using a muck pit right now. The smells are ethereal and confounding. I love drinking whiskey the most but I'll be damned if making jamaican style rum isn't even more fun. It feels so authentic and drenched in terroir.
I have a bottle of Hampden 8yr old. The unique flavour is something I have never experienced before. Very impressed with this Rum!! Hopefully in the future as a result of being outside of Europe we get more Foursquare, Hampden and other integrity bottlings of rum from the Caribbean moving forward. If we don’t I will be disappointed.
I just finished a bottle of the cask strength version last week and it is a joy to behold. Haven't tried this one, but where I live the cask strength is only 8 euros more, so I'll probably always go for that one
Both are great. Complementary. The 46% is an easier access, the "overproof" needs lots of air to open (quite like a Farclas 105), then it brings more salt, more liquorice and more stuff.
Actually very nice camera quality. Really nice to look at. The quality of the video is far more important than the quality of the resolution, and I've always enjoyed your reviews! 14:56 I love your perspective! It's the distilled essence of a place! A field of sugarcane, boiled down and concentrated into a spirit you can smell and experience for yourself. Brilliant
I finally received and started reading your second book. All I can say is keep them coming! I've seen this rum for sale in my area and have been wondering about it for a while now, so this has been a fascinating review, thank you! Midsummer Malternative Madness, haha.
I have a friend that got me a bottle of the Hampden overproof and I absolutely love sipping it. Good for daiquiris, but I recently switched to Portuguese/Madeira rum for more satisfying cocktails.
I have four different Hampden rums, among them the 8-year cask strength. The more Hampden I drink, the more I like it. Compared to for example Foursquare it is so different. Both are excellent rums but in totally different ways. Nice to see a rum review as a change.
Hi Ralfy, seeing as you like your alliteration and assonance so much why not call the marks you award to rums "Rum Ratings"? Thanks, as always, for keeping it real.
Sitting here with my bottle of Hampden 8yo and loving it. I had that 'what the hell have I just bought?' experience with a bottle of Monymusk (Mezan 12yo Jamaica, still available) but, as you say, it just takes time to work its magic. I think the Hampden is superior as more wood influence has been brought to bear (more active casks). Interesting point you make about the development of the ester notes. Interested to know the journey that the rum takes as it ages. Does the wood come to the fore more? Do the esters subside or become better integrated? Looking forward to finding out!
Here stuck in the middle of a Texas summer, I'd trade Ralfy some 100-degree (rum-like) days for a nice blast of Isle of Mann chill ... but only a couple days worth. 😉 Thanks for another complex rum review! Cheers!
Hi Ralfy, Love your whiskey videos - you've taught me a wee bit about drams over the years so - thank you! I'm based in Glasgow and I'm a photographer, I also work for Canon the Camera company as technical support for Scotland (can advise with you focus issues). Would love to colab with you in someway and obviously once big Rona goes away and you happened to be about Glasgow - give me a shout would love to hear from you. Keep making TH-cam fun All the best, Geo
All jamaican rums smell like acetone mixed with dry fruits to me, especially white rums , but I am not a big fan of white rums anyway, great review 👍🏻, thank you
Thank you for your great knowledge, I have to admit I'm not the rom fan, just because that's probably not try really good ones, I do not discriminate I usually enjoy different spirits (I have to watch added sugars). I will look for this one to try.
Excellent review, will be looking for Hampden 8 y/o. You'd make a great salesman, of fine products, when you enjoy something, everyone knows, I predict Hampden sales are going to see a bit of a spike..📈
With the state run liquor system we have here, they don't jack up prices on a whim and the prices are fixed at every location, so I have never had to pay more for a Ralfy recommended spirit. They probably don't even have someone checking the multitude of reviews on the web anyway.
Ralfy, bless him, just reviewed what has to be one of the best craft-produced rums on the market and it still gets only a 90. How great does a rum have to be to get a 93 or a 95? Same goes for his whiskey reviews. He will give a whiskey huge praise and I am thinking, oh man, this is gonna get a high mark only to see him give it an 89 or a 90 or a 91. Rarely anything greater. A bit frustrating...
I feel your pain..but maybe he's saving the high score for the 'overproofed' big brother ;-) It's the top dog out of the two and certainly deserves the higher accolade
I think Ralfy may have been more inclined to give 90+ marks earlier on in his reviewing, and just has had more experience of more malts or other spirits by now and thus a greater "smell and taste" mental database to work from...although from what I've seen he's never thrown around many marks above 90 even going back to the early days.
hi malt mates, try that - rum nation jamaica 5yo oloroso finish. so far that rum is my very leader among under 100 $ rums, looks like its made for maltheads
The "DO NOT BUY IT" if the price rockets should also apply to whiskies. I have been waiting for Arran 10 price to go down to a reasonable level, but still waiting to reach closer to the £30 mark as before.
Good stuff Ralfy. Love the rum reviews - I am getting into them as sipping drinks more. I find Mount Gay Eclipse is a really nice sipping rum (in my opinion) but very cheap in asda, better than many of the 40-50 quid bottle stuff. I shall put this one on the birthday list!
Really good stuff. I had it before. I have a wee Plantation 2009 Fiji now. Do you consider reviewing Glenlivet Illicit Still 12yo.? Its like an integrity bottle disguised as a limited OB. I am far surprised, that they put this out a while ago and that its still available. I hope they do another bottle in this style soon.
@@mark5ization Its a very educational rum and highly recommanded. The South Pacific Distillery do a style of rum, which is very different than from the caribbians. Its unsweetend, very dry and taste costal like a costal malt. and it has a high ester Content semilar to Jamaican Rums, but a little bit brighter in fruits and less.. funky? The normal plantation Fiji bottling is a nice introduction, but its you find it the Single cask or vintage expressions are far better. The 10yo. Fiji from Compagnie des Indies is an expression of South Pacific Distillery worth mentioning, too.
I don't know when this video was produced, I'm watching it on August 11 and I'm wondering how cold it still must be in your place, that you're still wearing this thick jacket, which I would consider only in the deepest of winter.
G'day Ralfy, I was just looking at a bottle of Glenfiddich Fire & Cane Experimental Series #4, Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Product Of Scotland, 700mL @43%Alc/Vol. All the label reads is "Smoky Whisky Finished in Sweet Rum Casks", also beneath the FIRE reads "Campfire Smokiness" and under the CANE reads "Toffee Sweetness", there is also a small number on the bottom right corner of the label "261986". Have you come across this version of Glenfiddich before and if you have I would be very interested in your opinion of it. Or is this bottle only for Australian markets? I enjoy all your reviews and always look forward to the next ones. Steve K
For what my two cents (Australian) are worth, I had this a few years ago and it was pretty good, though not great (U. S. 750ml release). It can still be found on some shelves where I live.
Cachaca is made from fresh sugarcane juice while this is molasses, so they are very different in smell and taste. But some of them probably could have a high ester content. There doesnt seem to be any information available online on cachaca ester contents
Ralfy, the new-ish Hampden 8 year is solely an OWH marque. It's the marque with the lowest ester counts from Hampden. It would be more accurate to say it's high ester when compared to non-Jamaican rum but low ester when compared to Jamaican rum.
The cask strength you're talking about is an overproof rum. The meaning of overproof is a debatable term but overproof does not equal to cask strength.
Their 1800s practice is not flannel. Part of the secret of their production process is their use of muck pits. They really protect that muck pit as it adds acids to the fermentation which contributes to their uniqueness.
Majority of Hampden's flavor comes from their fermentation. Their aim is not to let the cask dominate the spirit's flavor.
I'm making some rum using a muck pit right now. The smells are ethereal and confounding. I love drinking whiskey the most but I'll be damned if making jamaican style rum isn't even more fun. It feels so authentic and drenched in terroir.
I am often reminded how much I love your videos! Your tasting and nosing descriptions are amazing!
Hampden Rum is amazingly funky and should be on everyone's playlist
Ralfy pissed....Ramble,ramble....I bought a bottle ....lovely: different, but lovely....Thanks Ralfy!
Ty Ralfy! As soon as you noted this was the laphroig of rum I knew this was an acquired taste and would be a try before buy for me
Gotta also thank Ralfy for the Beenleigh review. I would not have thought Australian rum was a thing! Great stuff!
Receiving a bottle of Beenleigh Velier tomorrow as I enjoyed Ralfy’s review very much. And as a rum drinker I take Ralfy for his word 😉
I have a bottle of Hampden 8yr old. The unique flavour is something I have never experienced before. Very impressed with this Rum!! Hopefully in the future as a result of being outside of Europe we get more Foursquare, Hampden and other integrity bottlings of rum from the Caribbean moving forward. If we don’t I will be disappointed.
Oh my God I've been waiting for this review for so long!
This rum genuinely is a delight, really glad you enjoyed it so much! I'd love to hear your thoughts on some more clairins
I just finished a bottle of the cask strength version last week and it is a joy to behold. Haven't tried this one, but where I live the cask strength is only 8 euros more, so I'll probably always go for that one
The 46% is better.
@@escofies how so?
@@alessandrovigano8149 Serge said so...
agreed! the overproofed is an absolute funk-laden masterpiece
Both are great. Complementary. The 46% is an easier access, the "overproof" needs lots of air to open (quite like a Farclas 105), then it brings more salt, more liquorice and more stuff.
Actually very nice camera quality. Really nice to look at. The quality of the video is far more important than the quality of the resolution, and I've always enjoyed your reviews! 14:56 I love your perspective! It's the distilled essence of a place! A field of sugarcane, boiled down and concentrated into a spirit you can smell and experience for yourself. Brilliant
When a good rum comes along, you must sip it! Sip it good...
Ralfy, you mentioned that fermentation is a complex area when making spirits. A topic for a future extra/pat pals maybe?
I finally received and started reading your second book. All I can say is keep them coming! I've seen this rum for sale in my area and have been wondering about it for a while now, so this has been a fascinating review, thank you! Midsummer Malternative Madness, haha.
Very happy to see your take on the Hampden! Fantastic down to Earth review as always. I quite like the label for its unashamedly garish look.
I have a friend that got me a bottle of the Hampden overproof and I absolutely love sipping it.
Good for daiquiris, but I recently switched to Portuguese/Madeira rum for more satisfying cocktails.
First time trying this a few weeks ago, after ordering it over-seas. Then, I see this review. Small world.
I have four different Hampden rums, among them the 8-year cask strength. The more Hampden I drink, the more I like it. Compared to for example Foursquare it is so different. Both are excellent rums but in totally different ways. Nice to see a rum review as a change.
Keep up the good work reviewing the Rums Ralfy, slurp
Finally another real rum review 🙌🏻
Good review Ralfy, almost forgot about this malt. Last editions of these that I had were the 1997 and 2000 12 years old versions.
Hi Ralfy, seeing as you like your alliteration and assonance so much why not call the marks you award to rums "Rum Ratings"? Thanks, as always, for keeping it real.
Malt mention from Abraham Zapruder. Classic!
Man oh man i have been waiting for a ralfy review of this one! Cheers
One of my favorites!
Thanks for the review Ralfy, I'll try some rums now as an alternative to scotch, learning a lot from your channel
Need a Hampden in the collection. Cheers Ralfy.
Sitting here with my bottle of Hampden 8yo and loving it. I had that 'what the hell have I just bought?' experience with a bottle of Monymusk (Mezan 12yo Jamaica, still available) but, as you say, it just takes time to work its magic. I think the Hampden is superior as more wood influence has been brought to bear (more active casks). Interesting point you make about the development of the ester notes. Interested to know the journey that the rum takes as it ages. Does the wood come to the fore more? Do the esters subside or become better integrated? Looking forward to finding out!
Here stuck in the middle of a Texas summer, I'd trade Ralfy some 100-degree (rum-like) days for a nice blast of Isle of Mann chill ... but only a couple days worth. 😉 Thanks for another complex rum review! Cheers!
Hi Ralfy,
Love your whiskey videos - you've taught me a wee bit about drams over the years so - thank you!
I'm based in Glasgow and I'm a photographer, I also work for Canon the Camera company as technical support for Scotland (can advise with you focus issues).
Would love to colab with you in someway and obviously once big Rona goes away and you happened to be about Glasgow - give me a shout would love to hear from you.
Keep making TH-cam fun
All the best,
Geo
I believe that Foursquare offers a "European aged" version of Hampden - perhaps a comparison is in order.
Love these reviews Ralfy!
All jamaican rums smell like acetone mixed with dry fruits to me, especially white rums , but I am not a big fan of white rums anyway, great review 👍🏻, thank you
Velier are bottling some of the best rum on the planet at the moment.
Well done Luca.
Thank you for your great knowledge, I have to admit I'm not the rom fan, just because that's probably not try really good ones, I do not discriminate I usually enjoy different spirits (I have to watch added sugars). I will look for this one to try.
Looking relaxed in that thumbnail!
Excellent review, will be looking for Hampden 8 y/o.
You'd make a great salesman, of fine products, when you enjoy something, everyone knows, I predict Hampden sales are going to see a bit of a spike..📈
With the state run liquor system we have here, they don't jack up prices on a whim and the prices are fixed at every location, so I have never had to pay more for a Ralfy recommended spirit. They probably don't even have someone checking the multitude of reviews on the web anyway.
I had a 17yo and it was pretty funky
You should do the green LROK 2010 🙏🏻
This is lovely stuff indeed, but the overproof Hampden is sensational.
Ralfy, bless him, just reviewed what has to be one of the best craft-produced rums on the market and it still gets only a 90. How great does a rum have to be to get a 93 or a 95? Same goes for his whiskey reviews. He will give a whiskey huge praise and I am thinking, oh man, this is gonna get a high mark only to see him give it an 89 or a 90 or a 91. Rarely anything greater. A bit frustrating...
I feel your pain..but maybe he's saving the high score for the 'overproofed' big brother ;-) It's the top dog out of the two and certainly deserves the higher accolade
I think Ralfy may have been more inclined to give 90+ marks earlier on in his reviewing, and just has had more experience of more malts or other spirits by now and thus a greater "smell and taste" mental database to work from...although from what I've seen he's never thrown around many marks above 90 even going back to the early days.
Whe got a hampden bottle flipper guys don't invest in this brand thank me later.
hi malt mates, try that - rum nation jamaica 5yo oloroso finish. so far that rum is my very leader among under 100 $ rums, looks like its made for maltheads
The "DO NOT BUY IT" if the price rockets should also apply to whiskies. I have been waiting for Arran 10 price to go down to a reasonable level, but still waiting to reach closer to the £30 mark as before.
Nothing wrong with mojitos. Though I've never had a good one outside Cuba.
Good stuff Ralfy. Love the rum reviews - I am getting into them as sipping drinks more. I find Mount Gay Eclipse is a really nice sipping rum (in my opinion) but very cheap in asda, better than many of the 40-50 quid bottle stuff. I shall put this one on the birthday list!
Set focus to manual and lock it.
Ralfy, you should get a bottle of their 7 year old, 60% ABV bottling. Wonderfully intense!
You've found one of our secrets!
I love the dark rums and this looks great.
Really good stuff. I had it before. I have a wee Plantation 2009 Fiji now. Do you consider reviewing Glenlivet Illicit Still 12yo.? Its like an integrity bottle disguised as a limited OB. I am far surprised, that they put this out a while ago and that its still available. I hope they do another bottle in this style soon.
Hello Ray, do you recommend the Plantation Fiji? It might be my next rum purchase.
@@mark5ization Its a very educational rum and highly recommanded. The South Pacific Distillery do a style of rum, which is very different than from the caribbians. Its unsweetend, very dry and taste costal like a costal malt. and it has a high ester Content semilar to Jamaican Rums, but a little bit brighter in fruits and less.. funky? The normal plantation Fiji bottling is a nice introduction, but its you find it the Single cask or vintage expressions are far better. The 10yo. Fiji from Compagnie des Indies is an expression of South Pacific Distillery worth mentioning, too.
Nice box.
Is it sort of similar to Worthy Park? I've had the Single Estate, and quite liked it.
Worthy Park SER is much more delicate on the funk than most Hampden, but perhaps similar to low mark (ester) Hampden.
I don't know when this video was produced, I'm watching it on August 11 and I'm wondering how cold it still must be in your place, that you're still wearing this thick jacket, which I would consider only in the deepest of winter.
G'day Ralfy, I was just looking at a bottle of Glenfiddich Fire & Cane Experimental Series #4, Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Product Of Scotland, 700mL @43%Alc/Vol. All the label reads is "Smoky Whisky Finished in Sweet Rum Casks", also beneath the FIRE reads "Campfire Smokiness" and under the CANE reads "Toffee Sweetness", there is also a small number on the bottom right corner of the label "261986".
Have you come across this version of Glenfiddich before and if you have I would be very interested in your opinion of it. Or is this bottle only for Australian markets?
I enjoy all your reviews and always look forward to the next ones.
Steve K
For what my two cents (Australian) are worth, I had this a few years ago and it was pretty good, though not great (U. S. 750ml release). It can still be found on some shelves where I live.
Cheers
Is this a reminder of kavalan solist sherry? In terms of first impression on nose n taste.
Would a good Brazilian cachaça be considered a high ester rum?
Cachaca is made from fresh sugarcane juice while this is molasses, so they are very different in smell and taste. But some of them probably could have a high ester content. There doesnt seem to be any information available online on cachaca ester contents
@@doran22 Ah ok thanks.
@@doran22 Is cachaca like a Brazilian rhum agricole?
@@mark5ization that depends on who you ask, I think it is basically the same but some people would disagree
First time I noticed such a instant forming mist in the glass that keeps on evolving throughout Your Review. Can you please help me understand why?
Rum review 👏😀
Yes, it is ;-)
Where on Earth -- okay, not really -- where in the USA can I buy this?
Rum mixed with Coca-cola is delightful. In no time at all, one can become shit your pants drunk. Yee-ha!
Fifteen men on the Dead Man's Chest -
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest -
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Scotch yaps on about the moors and rum talks about birds and BS water.
Eh, very intriguing, but in my country it costs about 58 pounds. Is it worth it?)
See if you can get your hands on something similar from Plantation, it's a similar experience with wider distribution.
10:49.... booom!! xD
❤️👍🥃
I liked this one but found it a little overpriced for the age.
horsehoof glue... 8))
That was my impression on tasting the Rhum Barbancourt 8 year-old. Only bottle that's ever gone down the sink :-(
If you want your camera to focus properly, you have to say the magic words: "focus you f*ck" ;)
:-O
Ha! Ave is a fan of Ralfy’s brother, Clive. Small world.
The malt mentions are getting weak
Ralfy: This is cultural appropriation. Shame on you.
What?
@@jbennison5672 Rum should only be consumed by people living between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn sailors excepted.