Overview
Brand: Hamilton, Ministry of Rum series
Origin: Diamond Distillery, Diamond, Guyana; Worthy Park, Lluidas Vale, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica
Still: Pot & Column Blend
Age: NAS
Finish: ex-Bourbon*
ABV: 42%
For our first post of the new year, we look at another one of Ed Hamilton's wallet-friendly core lineup. As we've seen with the Hamilton 86 and Jamaican Pot Still Gold expressions, Hamilton is a big fan of DDL in Guyana and Worthy Park in Jamaica; they also both fairly easy to get in bulk from E&A Scheer for use in private label blends.
Hamilton West Indies 1670 Blend is composed of Demerara and Jamaican rums from these distilleries. Initially known as the "New York Blend" due to being commissioned by a group in that state, the name celebrates the heritage of the distilleries that initially created the rum used in the blend.
On the product page, Hamilton initially mentions that this expression shares the same proportions as the Navy Strength blend– 60% Guyana rum and 40% Jamaican– with only the proof being different. Later on, he mentions that during tests, different proportions were used, so this may be slightly different than the Navy Strength.
Although the label has no age statement, the Guyana component (assuming it's the same as Hamilton 86) is aged up to 5 years, while the Pot Still Gold does not specify an age. This blend is bottled in New York at a strength of 42% ABV.
Appearance
Orange-gold, low viscosity
Nose
Molasses, prunes, maraschino cherries, yeast, butterscotch
Palate
Brown sugar, plums, butterscotch, ripe green grapes, vanilla
Finish
Medium-long, warm, savory; oak, dates, sour grapes, cinnamon
Rating: 6/10
Summary
Another solid rum that has more complexity than your average cocktail rum. Hamilton's West Indies Blend efficiently marries the milder funk of Worthy Park with the dark fruit and molasses notes of DDL, and presents the result in an approachable format.
It's all very straightforward from the nose through the finish, with plenty of brown sugar, molasses, prunes, dates, and grapes strewn throughout. Like Hamilton 86, West Indies Blend is perfectly enjoyable neat as it is mixed into a cocktail.