Jamaican Rum Brand Hampden Estate Uses Bourbon Casks for a Matured Take on Coveted 8 Marks Collection

(Photo: Hampden Estate)

On Monday, Jamaican rum producer Hampden Estate unveiled the latest iteration of its 8 Marks Rum Collection. While last year’s set explored a series of unaged distillates, this year’s spotlights the impact of one year spent inside ex-bourbon barrels.

As its name implies, the collection is all about the marks. Otherwise known as “marques,” the term corresponds to the characteristics of a particular cut of rum, including but not limited to style, aromatic intensity, flavor, body, mouthfeel and chemical structure. Jamaican rum’s funky character, for instance, is often attributed to its use of dunder and pot stills. Hampden Estate says it also manipulates molasses, cane vinegar, muck and estate spring water to achieve desired effects.

The tasting kit contains eight separately packaged marks, each containing 52% ABV and packaged in 200-milliliter bottles.

The expressions — most of which are named after their creators — are ordered according to their grams of esters per hectoliter of pure alcohol (g/HLPA). The seemingly impenetrable figure coincides with the rum’s aromatic intensity. On the lower end of the spectrum lies the OWH rum, which clocks in at a mildly fragrant 40-80 g/HLPA. In contrast, the heavy-hitting DOK rum brushes 1500-1600 g/HLPA, the legal limit set by the Jamaican government. According to the brand, aromas of that strength are typically reserved for perfumes and chocolate making.

As an added treat for spirits enthusiasts, the set comes packaged with a “geek sheet” delving into a chemical analysis of each rum. Special attention is paid to the impact of tropical aging in Trelawny, Jamaica.

For those in search of a science class and liquor tasting wrapped into one, the collection is now popping up through retailers at around $210. For more information, check out the Hampden Estate website here.

Hampden Estate’s The 8 Marks Collection, 2024 Edition:

1. OWH: Outram Wormald Hussey, 40-80 g/HLPA
2. LFCH: Lawrence Francis Close Hussey, 80-120 g/HLPA
3. LROK: Light Rum Owen Kelly, 200-400 g/HLPA
4. HLCF: Hampden Light Continental Flavoured, 400-600 g/HLPA
5. <>H: Diamond H=900-1000 g/HLPA
6. HGML: Hampden George MacFarquhar Lawson, 1000-1100 g/HLPA
7. C<>H: C Diamond H. 1300-1400 g/HLPA
8. DOK: Dermot Owen Kelly-Lawson, 1500-1600 g/HLPA

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