Hampden H 2017/2025 - 8 y.o. - Magnum Series #3

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 60% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

This Hampden combines eight years of tropical maturation with the ester-rich profile of the Diamond H marque. The rum was distilled in 2017 and bottled by Velier in 2025 for Magnum Series #3. Production began with a ten-day fermentation. The marque denotes an ester range of 900 to 1,000 grams per hectolitre of pure alcohol.

The third Magnum Series is devoted entirely to Hampden, pairing four rums of different ages with photographs by Cristina de Middel. This eight-year-old release features GYALIS, her work created at Hampden in 2025. The series takes its name from the photographers' cooperative Magnum Photos, rather than the bottle size: this release contains 0.7 litres.

At 60% alcohol, this is a high-strength bottling. It is neither chill-filtered nor coloured and comes in gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is rich and heady. Intense fuel and petrol notes sit alongside terpene-like, oily, medicinal and camphor-like impressions. Musk and chocolate add to the bouquet. With aeration, cane sugar and aromas of macerating fruit emerge, including persimmon, mango and makrut lime.
• Palate: On the palate, the rum is lively, powerful and concentrated. Ashy, almost peaty notes at times recall an Islay single malt before giving way to a mineral impression of coal. Pineapple and a liqueur-like cane sugar note shape the closing flavours on the palate.
• Finish: The long finish feels soft and velvety. Vanilla pod and pronounced ester notes mingle with carnation flowers, geraniums and honey. Dark chocolate and cardamom tea emerge retronasally. Petroleum-like aromas linger in the empty glass for a long time.

Distillery/Bottler:

Hampden Estate was founded in 1753 in Jamaica's Trelawny region. Long fermentations and batch distillation in pot stills are part of the distillery's working methods. Natural yeasts carry out fermentation, which lasts between eight and fifteen days depending on the rum.

Hampden has belonged to the Hussey family through their company Everglades Farms since 2009. The estate covers 6,000 hectares, one third of which is used to grow sugar cane.

Velier selects and bottles the rum for this release. Launched in 2021, the Magnum Series combines this work with photographs by members of the Magnum cooperative. Following releases featuring work by Elliott Erwitt and Alex Webb, Cristina de Middel turns her attention to Hampden itself.

Facts: