Hampden : Pagos Batch #3

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Hampden Pagos Batch #3

Tasting

Appearance
A coppery hue, subtly animated with green highlights, a sign of unique aging.

Nose
The nose opens with beautiful aromatic complexity. Initial notes reveal spicy clove and roasted dried fruits, such as toasted walnut. Fruitier aromas then take over: blood orange, apricot pit, and cherry in eau-de-vie. With aeration, nuances of almond, ripe date, and a discreet touch of coffee liqueur emerge.

Palate
The attack is lively, driven by bold flavors of cane sugar and chestnut honey. Tropical floral accents enrich the palate, followed by a backbone of vanilla and cocoa beans with elegant tannins. The finish develops fresher notes, evoking camphor and geranium. Long and generous, the finale reveals airy aromas of coconut milk and honeysuckle, mingled with more distinctive notes of varnish. Ultimately, the profile evolves towards delicate touches of blond tobacco, linden, pink rose, and coriander, sustained by lingering hints of walnut and raisins.

A rich and smooth Jamaican rum

The essence of Trelawny: the Hampden distillery

Nestled in the heart of Trelawny, a coastal region of Jamaica bathed by the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea, the Hampden distillery enjoys an exceptional natural setting. Not far away, the Cockpit Country, a preserved natural sanctuary, is home to rich biodiversity with its endemic birds and majestic butterflies. Although debates remain about the exact date of its founding, an inscription on the threshold of the old manor house suggests "Circa 1753," a date generally accepted. In 2018, after a rich heritage of 265 years, Hampden proudly unveiled its first aged rums.

Pagos Batch #3: the spirit of an innovative partnership

Hampden Pagos embodies the meeting of two heritages: that of the most powerfully aromatic Jamaican rums and that of Andalusian sherries matured in the finest bodegas. This unique project was born from a close partnership between Hampden Estate, emblematic of the Jamaican tradition of “Stinking Rums,” and historic houses of Jerez, including Fundador, the region’s oldest bodega.

For this third edition, Hampden selected 16 former oloroso casks that had aged wine for nearly thirty years in Fundador’s cellars. These casks then welcomed a 100% HLCF (Hampden Light Continental Flavoured) rum, a mark rich in esters and emblematic of the distillery, renowned for its explosive fermentative notes and striking complexity. Maturation in ex-sherry casks adds oxidative depth to this already intense profile, blending dried fruits, sweet spices, and fine wood.