Hampden Estate "HLCF Classic" Overproof Jamaican Rum review

Y'all want more Hampden content, so here it is! And it's a pretty big one.

The first Hampden Overproof hit the shelves around five years ago. It was a well-aged, reasonably priced, pot-distilled Jamaican rum presented strong enough to light on fire, and it was an actual official distillery product rather than a sourced bottling, and there was a fair bit around. At the time there was nothing, nothing like it, and in some ways there still hasn't been in the interim. OG Overproof was gooood - I reviewed it years ago (   • Hampden Estate Overproof Rum review   ) and I'm still in awe of its combination of power and lean, nervous detail. Sadly, however, it was only one batch, and most of it has long since sold out.

But now there's a new Overproof. It's still 60% but it's not a blend of marques anymore - no, this one's essentially a four year old Rum Fire (as reviewed in an even earlier video at    • Hampden Estate Rum Fire White Overpro...   ). Call it Rum Fire Evil Force, if you will. It's not in the States yet but it will be soon and, well, let's get to the headline: it's great. Stats:

Hampden Estate "HLCF Classic" 4 Year Old Overproof Single Jamaican Rum (pot-distilled molasses at 476.9 g/hLaa esters, aged at the distillery; bottled circa 2022; 60% ABV), 90+/100

Especially on the palate this is just a powerhouse, even more so with a splash of water. HLCF, to review, is the marque just getting into "high ester" territory at Hampden, and this has spent enough time in cask to give it some impressively baijiu-like tertiary character. I still prefer the weird, edgy complexity of the old Overproof, yes, but in certain respects this is actually better, or at least more direct with what it's doing. In any case, few things this outrageous are available on the average American spirits shelf and - once again - this is supposed to be a _regular release_. If the stores can sell this for under a hundo, I can easily recommend it. If they can somehow manage $80 - well, everyone else is on notice.

Bonus: while waiting for the glass to open up, you also get to hear me justify why this channel has videos about... well, anything but Hampden. (WineLibraryTV is involved.)

Extra special thanks to my Different Spirits on Patreon (  / differentspirits  ) -

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