Overview
Brand: Hampden Estate, 8 Marks series
Origin: Hampden Estate, Wakefield, Trelawny Parish, Jamaica
Still: Pot
Age: Unaged
Finish: n/a
ABV: 60%
With HGML, we cross a major threshold in the Hampden 8 Marks Collection: at a range of 1,000-1,100 g/hLAA esters, this expression inches ever-closer towards the legal limit of ester concentration. HGML stands for "Hampden George MacFarquhar Lawson", with the last three initials forming the name of another one of Hampden's previous owners.
Looking at the raw components of this marque, the molasses, dunder, water content, and muck addition are all listed at medium levels, with cane juice vinegar listed as a high level. This mix spends 5 days in alcoholic fermentation, and another 10 days in a dead wash, for a total of 15 days (half a month!) of fermentation. The 2-4% ABV wash is then pot distilled, resulting in a rum that is 85.5-86.5% ABV.
The following Hampden Estate release contains the HGML marque: Great House 2022 (73.5% HGML).
Appearance
Clear, medium viscosity
Nose
Bananas, paint primer, model glue, pineapple, dish soap, green apples, fresh blueberries, white wine vinegar, green grapes, yeast
Palate
Pineapple, banana, sugarcane juice, blueberries, raspberries, starfruit, dried mango, floral honey, black cherry
Finish
Long, warming, tangy; blueberries, fresh pineapple, saltwater, black cherry, orange juice, pears, cardamom
Rating: 9/10
Summary
This HGML expression is an interesting one: the nose is absolutely monsterous, but the palate– while plenty complex in its own right– is a bit more structured, making it easier to pick out individual notes.
Bananas are joined by chemical funk on the overture of the nose, with pineapple playing a backup part in HGML. Dish soap, green apples, and assorted other sweet/sour notes come through on this wonderful bouquet. Tasting yields that pineapple and banana combo Hampden is known for, followed by sugarcane juice and a number of other tropical fruits, and finally some floral honey, that also brings a fuller mouthfeel. The finish sends one off with a tangy, warming sensation, filled with blueberries, pineapple, and an outro of zesty cardamom.
Given that I love Great House 2022, it's no surprise that I enjoy this marque as a standalone rum so much. I would be interested to see HGML used in another blend or core expression in the future, as I think it has a lot to bring to the table, and can play well with other, lower-ester marques.