Hampden Great House Distillery Edition 59% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (91)

We’re late, once again, but remember, few slots for rum etc. This is a blend of 80% Hampden OWH (80-120 gr esters/hlpa) distilled in 2013 and 20% DOK (1,500-1,600 gr esters/hlpa) distilled in 2017. Ooh my head. So technically, it’s a 3 years old. Colour: gold. Nose: naturally. Immediate, kind of easy, instant phenolic, tarry and briny pleasure, ridden with olives, tarmac, carbon dust, model glue and seawater. Right. With water: olives and gravel amalgamated with tarmac. More or less that. Mouth (neat): it’s like Ardbeg, whether it’s fully there or only as a fraction of a blend, the end result will be the same. So, we’ve got everything that was in the nose, plus some fruity notes that are extremely lovely. Mangos, papayas and crushed ripe bananas. A bit tight, in fact, but the tongue sees no flaws. With water: olive brine and liquorice! You may try to make it at home, just put some stick of liquorice wood in a jar of olive brine (eat the olives first) and keep it for a few weeks. Comments on a postcard please. Finish: long, on similar flavours. No changes, except for this wee fruit that you’d sometimes find in heavy peaters or high-ester rums: wild strawberries! I’m serious – but that’s pretty close to varnish, actually. Comments: impressed but not surprised. Great young Hampden

BOW (88)