Greetings, Rum Freaks!
Today we’re cracking into a collaboration I’ve been fantasizing about for a long time. Hampden Estate x Laphroaig. Yes, you read that correctly. Hampden’s C<>H marque, aged entirely in a Laphroaig cask. High ester funk meets Islay peat. Two distilleries with absolutely zero interest in being subtle, getting together to make what I can only assume is a war crime against the olfactory senses. Here are a bunch of specs because I know you Hampden Estate people need them!
• Mark / Marque: C<>H
• Ester Level: 1300-1400g/hlap
• Distillation Year: 2023
• Bottling Year: 2024
• Age: 1 Year (Fully matured at Hampden)
• Cask Type: Single Ex-Laphroaig Whisky Cask
• ABV / Strength: 64.1% ABV
• Outturn: Ultra-limited 285 bottles worldwide
• Production Style: 100% Heavy Pot Still, Molasses, wild fermentation with dunder!
Nose: Butterscotch, surprisingly friendly esters (nose hairs still intact), bread pudding, and custard.
Top: Jk, those esters are spicy as fuck shawty. Butterscotch concentrate and tongue numbing heat.
Mid: Like the 2010 BP oil spill, this one’s all seawater and oil baby! Sorry… 😬 Anyways, iodine, brine, and thick, heavy tannins are setting up camp for the long haul.
Finish: The Islay peat is subtle but present. Little smokiness on the inhale, but a healthy dose of Laphroaig on the exhale. Intermittent bursts of that Islay mesquite-iness make an appearance, but ultimately, the esters are the most formidable opponent in here.
Conclusion: A true rum lover’s (or alcoholic’s) rum! Massive personality: boozy, funky, and occasionally peaty. The Islay influence is subtle, but the tango between these two worlds is absolutely bumbaclot sublime!!
Score: 91.5/100