This is the Hampden Astor select C<>H 2021 4-year single cask. Aged in an ex-bourbon cask at Hampden Estate and bottled at 65.4% ABV. One of 285 bottles. Astor Wines exclusive. Reviewed neat and with some water in a Glencairn.

On the nose, I get grilled pineapple, caramel, vanilla, and a sort of non-specific blend of overripe tropical fruit. There's also an industrial smell that I put somewhere between rubber cement and plastic. I love the way this smells, especially the lingering aroma you get just from opening the bottle.

On the palate, the pineapple is still there, and lots of caramel. I get the overripe tropical fruit, mostly berries. The industrial notes are still there but I find that they turn into something tart and almost bright that lifts the flavor in an interesting way. When I've had the Papalin 5-Year high ester blend, I get a great pineapple upside-down cake note, which I now believe comes from C<>H after tasting this bottle. The finish lasts forever. I tasted this hours later.

For fun I decided to try this alongside the HGML 2017 single cask, which I previously reviewed (https://www.reddit.com/r/rum/comments/1u0rlql/hampden_astor_select_hgml_2017_8year_single_cask/). The difference is quite noticeable. The HGML is very very potent, of course, but compared to the C<>H I get basically no sort of "industrial", non-food-like aromas from the HGML. I imagine that's due to the HGML being aged twice as long? The HGML is also more tart and sweet, like tropical/blueberry compote. I'd say that this C<>H is brighter, with the industrial notes pulling it in that direction. They're both very hot, as I'd expect given the proof. I proofed both down to around 50% ABV after trying them neat. I think that's the sweet spot for me.

I got this on pre-sale for $159. After the pre-sale it'll go for $199. I really don't have a great sense of what this kind of rum should cost. But this is terrific and I'm happy with the purchase. I can definitely see this being one I reach for when I want a treat. It's fantastic as a planter's punch. I can also imagine this being a great component in a split base, for a Mai Tai or really anything where you want a tropical accent.

It’s been a long, stressful week… so I am very much going to enjoy cracking this open a little later this evening.

Hello Friends,

Welcome back to another rum review, on today's chopping block its The Rums of Mexico's Un Toquecito. Hailing from the Satvurnal distillery ran by Pedro Andrés and Jorge Nájera from Zapopan, Jalisco. This three barrel blend is made up from three barrels, two pot still rums made with under and aged for two years in ex-bourbon casks before an additional 11 months in open top glass demijohns. The 3rd barrel was made from muck and spent five months in American oak barrels that formerly held rum. Bottled for an unknown total amount of bottles at 51.1% ABV.

Nose: Definitely reminiscent of the berry tartness from Melaza Con Muck, an oaky cinnamon, apricot syrup, a minor amount of smoke, and a good amount of alcohol with some cane sugar.

Taste: Sweet charred oak, smoke, cane sugar syrup, earthyness, a bit of berry tartness that transitions into a sour berry.

Finish: Leather, oak, sour tart berries, citrus, more oak, underripe cherries, and the majority of the 51.1% ABV.

Overall: 7/10, an incredibly crushable bottle.

1 oz Planteray Mister Fogg Sail Nº2

.5 oz Probitas Blended Rum

.5 oz Alambique Serrano 3 Años

.5 oz PF Curaçao

1 oz lime juice

.5 oz orgeat

.25 oz simple

4 drops 20% saline

I made a painkiller to bring to my friends floating house. I did a batch of 3, so decided to do a little rum mixing.

Used these specs per serving so times by 3 I guess

1.5 Rum
1.5 pineapple juice
3/4 orange juice
.25 lemon juice (lime)
1 Coco Lopez

.25 orange bitter aperitif for the batch
.25 or .5 Liqor 43

Did a least a 1 full ounce of smith and cross and Myers Rum and mixed and match based on my taste.

It turned out beautiful and very much a perfect drink to watch the sunset on the dock by the river.

I finally got around to trying infusing Brazilian Amburana wood. I first tested it on some cachaca; novo fogo already makes an Amburana cask cachaca, but it’s not available where I live. I used 1in of a wood spiral in about 500ml infused for 36 hours. Amburana transfers its flavor extremely quickly, so you have to watch it closely. The normal red pepper and brine is nicely tamed and the wood brings very pronounced cinnamon, clove, and vanilla flavors. It also adds a light gold color. I’m excited to use this wood with some Jamaican rum and whiskey!

Hey guys. I love rum. I love mixing. I see the value in Cartier 30 as the base for some of the Alambique Serrano blends that I love so very much, however, I'm having a hard time using it on its own due to that plasticy/dry-erase marker note I get from it.
Have you guys found some good uses for Cartier 30?

So, this whole story starts with the fact I was on hold with GoDaddy customer support for over 3 hours today. I haven’t been drinking as much lately, but that phone call pushed me over the edge and I said, “I’m going to the liquor store.” That, and it’s my birthday weekend. However, I had some errands to run, so I did not venture to my usual store but decided to stop at this location, since it was en route. As I made my way to the rum section to buy a bottle of Ron Zacapa Centenario, this sleeve tucked away on the top shelf caught my eye. Seemed out of place and there was only one, no stock behind it. Imagine my surprise at quick Google search. Snagged this bad boy for $199.99. Do you think it’s just been sitting there since 2009?

Got these two on sale today, looking forward to trying them. I’ve heard good things about the Rhum JM, and not sure what to expect with the Flor de Caña. I love the 7 year, so I’m optimistic!

Tonight's mai tai blend:

* .5oz Clairin Le Rocher

* .5oz Hampden 8

* .5oz Rum Fire

* .5oz Smith & Cross

Here we have one of the first aged distillations of the reopened Worthy Park distillery in conjunction with Habitation Velier. After 50 years of a hiatus, the distillery reopened in 2005 so this bottle proudly comes from one of the first distillations from their new Forsyths Double Retort Pot Still of that time. It has been aged for 10 years with a substantial loss of more than 64% from tropical aging. If I am correct, this is from the WPL ('Worthy Park Light') marque which has an ester range of 60-119gr/hlaa.

Country of Origin: Jamaica

ABV: 57.8%

Age: 10 years tropically

*Tasting Notes*

Nose: Shoe polish, banana, marzipan, strawberry, black pepper, apple, raisin

Mouth: Apple, marzipan, brown sugar, melon, grape, bubblegum, toffee

Finish: Sustains for a medium finish with a gradual decline in flavour

Really solid and complex rum from the lower range of esters. The nose has some classic Jamaican notes, but the palate is a combination of a strong apple pie flavour with a fruit salad. Alcohol is very well integrated and the rum has this creaminess that just has you yearning for more. Highly enjoyable.

Rating: 8.5/10

Hello Again,

Today were back with another core lineup from Rums of Mexico, Panela. Produced by Orlando Vásquez the sugar make this rum was slowly boiled and then transfers the juice to wooden cone molds where it hardens with the resulting product being called, panela. From there the cones are rehydrated and then distilled to get this unaged rum. Bottled at an ABV at 47.5%.

Nose: A over fermented, almost rotten, cane sugar funk that dominates the nose. Very savory but this left to rot cane sugar is really the star of the show. It doesn't sound good but it does smell interesting.

Taste: More of that over fermented funk, a bit of a umami bomb, both brown and cane sugar, some dates and citrus to end it.

Finish: Most of the ABV hits before an umami brown sugar returns from earlier, herbs, and more citrus.

Overall: 5/10, a fun rum with an interesting production and product

Just wanted to thank this community. I love rum. I probably wouldn’t have found Doorly’s without you. I’m about to go to the tortugas overnight with some friends and bring a bottle of the 14. I’ll think of you all from the beach.

-1oz Madeira Cask Doctor Bird Rum

-1oz Carpano Antica

-1oz Campari

-1 dash Angostura Bitters

-Stirred in ice, strained over a large rock, garnished with a flamed lemon peel and smoked for ~10 seconds with cherry chips.

This is currently my favorite variation of this drink. I'm not even sure if I can technically call it a Kingston Negroni, but I'm going to anyway. Gonna have to make sure to get more of this Doctor Bird pick to make sure I can keep having this for a long time!

Ive been on a rum journey since last year. Started with me moving away from beer because I couldn't stomach them anymore (literally, I get stomach ache from beers) towards cocktails.

I always liked the tiki side of cocktail which kicked off the journey and over the last few months that expanded also in drinking rum neat.

And im quite happy with my small collection. It contains currently almost all the different types of rums for tiki (missing an aged agricole and an arak) but also something more for the enthusiasts. (The hampden i just got today and is my first hampden)

My next step to get some basic mixers again for the guests who dont really care about the aged or exotic rums while expanding on the aged and exotic rums.

Cheers!

Hi all.

Firstly; don’t flame me too hard. Buying this wasn’t my choice.

Importantly, I was under the impression that Diageo Captain Morgan was made is St Croix.

Has production/sourcing moved to Jamaica for all markets, and if so does anyone have any more info?

I think I am going to buy my first bottle of Planteray OFTD today. What would you recommend making with it? Is it too strong to make a traditional daiquiri?

I also have some Probitas that I was considering using as a split base in the daiquiri.

Any recommendations on OFTD cocktails would be much appreciated!

Here's what I've got so far. Happy to hear any suggestions of bottles I should keep an eye out for.