Aroma visualization from community tastings
Swell de Spirits Hampden Constantia (Clos des Spiriteux) <>H 2013
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"Esters and glue on steroids" is how one taster opens, and that sums up this cask-strength <>H Hampden well. Expect roasted and fermented pineapple, marzipan, lacquer and vanilla over a dry, tannic finish. Several find the cask rounds it out nicely; others call it a little sharp and short. A high-ester Jamaican for people already deep into the style.
The community says- Loads of esters
- Roasted pineapple
- But: Short finish
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The look inside the bottle
How does Swell de Spirits Hampden Constantia (Clos des Spiriteux) <>H 2013 taste?
Summarized by AI from 41 community reviews.
Intense, glue-and-pineapple Hampden at cask strength Most tasters rate it a very good 2013 <>H — intense pineapple, glue and esters with a dry finish. The recurring gripes: the finish fades fast and a few find the alcohol not fully integrated.
Hampden fans who want high-ester funk at full strength
Beginners and anyone sensitive to high ABV
Style & occasion: Tropical & funkySipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
21 of 41 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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Fruitier
Swell de Spirits Hampden Wonders of the World #3 <>H 2011
9.0/10
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Community voices
What does the community say?
41 community reviews
26 selected write-ups on this page, all of them in the RumX app
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Ranges include their upper bound: “7–8” means above 7 up to and including 8. See the full rating guide
Positive from 8.0 · Mixed 6.0–7.9 · Critical below 6.0
Review by LukaŽiga
Most helpful positive review
8,5:On the nose, the first impression we get are esters and glue on steroids.We notice fermented fruits like pineapple, strawberry, citrus fruits pop up quickly.A wood is roasted with honeyed pastry, spicy, as a molasses is vegetal. On aeration, it becomes sour and a bit floral. 8,4:On the palate, the attack is again strong with esters and glue on steroids and fermented tropical fruits like pineapple, banana and strawberry, which is intermittently rotten.The wood is roasted with honeyed pastry, spicy, as the molasses vegetal, with nice resting even floral.It becomes sour with sour cherry, this doesn't disbalance the tasting, as the prunes and citrus round up the whole picture. 8,5:The finish is long, dry and tannic with most of the palate notes continuing here also, even more in balance with tasty crunchy bread notes in the end... Edit:1.8.25
Review by Maxime Clr 🇫🇷
Most helpful mixed review
Nice release after airing the sample. My first tasting wasn’t great, but I found some indulgence in this rum which I’m rating. Alcohol maybe a bit poorly integrated.
Review by zabo
Another <>H from the never-ending bottlings of the 2013/2014 vintages. There was no direct comparison with its competitors, but from memory it fits in seamlessly with the very good bottlings. However, it still doesn't make it into the top group, as the finish is shorter than some others. It is also more expensive compared to others that can offer the same or a better taste experience.
Review by Thunderbird
This 2013 <>H is definitely a weaker one from the vintage for me! The nose is still classic with beautiful fermented pineapple/ester aromas and vanilla. On the palate, however, it loses a lot. Initially a brief marzipan/vanilla aroma, the aromas quickly change to a tart, woody/spicy note. Esters are also recognizable here. However, the whole is not harmonious and rather angular. The finish is more on the woody, spicy side and of medium length.
Review by Timo Groeger
Hampden, always Hampden. A nice thing, but nothing that stands out. Ester funk almost overshadows everything here besides the present glue. Tropical fruits are only subtly recognizable here, ester overshadows everything.
Review by RumTaTa
Already when pouring it's clear: this must be a Hampden but let's go in order... Nose: pure butter, fermented and grilled pineapple, varnish, vanilla, slightly sour and many other aromas associated with Hampden. Palate: no doubt, this is a Hampden rum. I estimate at least <>H, probably higher. Alcohol slightly over 60%. Also I suspect a bottling of a younger distillation: 2010 would be possible. Aftertaste: slightly bitter, dry. A very good rum! Resolution: fits quite well, recognizing and distinguishing the high Hampden marks is very difficult for me.
Review by Dr.Django
A great Hampden from Swell, which impresses less with its high-ester and Jamaica funk characteristics, but more with the mixture of these with light and super balanced flavors of sour cherries, currants and wood. Another great Hampden from Swell.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#7222 26.08.2026 Got a handful of Swell samples today so why not give them a run for their money. Thanks for the samples Peter! Watching the TV Series "Swamp Murders". A very nice Hampden with a good price tag in my mind. Intense profile with solvents, fruits, spice, roasted wood, honey, pastries, light smoke, glue, ester, tannins and light salt.
Review by Basti
Very nice 2013 HD. Brings quite a lot of cask influence, which makes the rum overall a bit rounder than some other young <>H. On the nose, besides solvent, estery pineapple and overripe fruits, there are also quite some spices and marzipan. Creamy mouthfeel with predominantly tropical fruits and vanilla. Alcohol is well integrated. I like it very much overall!!
Review by Master P
So now the last Jamaican for today. The start with slight glue and marzipan notes. Then it goes into wood and light sweetness with fermented fruits. Some acidity, possibly from berries, spreads out. The finish is a bit edgy and fades quickly. You have to like it, for the money and age there are better representatives.
Review by Vincent D
A new <>H Hampden that I have the chance to taste. Seeing the alcohol level, I was quite worried about my palate. But I must admit this is yet another superb selection from Swell de Spirits. A compote of overripe fruits, esters galore, and a subtle touch of acidity. On the palate, the alcohol is superbly integrated. An H with no big surprises but very well made. It's good, intense, fruity, and oaky. Infinite length and a nice bitterness brought by young tannins. Very cool.
Review by DomM
Looking at a little 2013 <>H side-by-side today. On the nose the House of Cane bottling takes the crown with TCoR and Swells Constantia taking second place. The Nectar is the only real outlier, not able to compete with the pack. Roots comes with a bit more overripe notes, while TWJ is a bit stronger on solvent notes. Both are very nice as well. On the palate the crown goes to The House of Cane, again. Very high intensity with Hampden funk and fruits nicely balanced by some sweetness and cookie notes. CoR and TWJ both show an intense <>H profile as well, excellent. The SdS Constantia presents the most balanced profile. Very nice to drink indeed. Roots looses on the palate, unfortunately. There is a distinct note of lightly peated Whisky in the bottling. That’s not bad, but doesn’t benefit the rum imo. The Nectar, again, cannot fully win my heart. The cask presumably had less influence, leaving the bottling in a more alcoholic and less balanced state.
Review by Djoul 🇧🇪
With a drop of water it gains in appreciability Too bad to release such an uncontrolled alcohol strength
Review by TheJona'Spirits
Tasting a sample in 2x2.5cl. 👃 All kinds of variations around pineapple that continuously evolve during the tasting (candied, glazed, roasted, fermented, rotten). Lots of glue and varnish, very beautiful esters. With aeration, subtle spices, the fattiness of butter in the pan, and fresh vanilla bean. I also got ripe jackfruit at the end of the glass. Very nice nose. 😋 Still those roasted pineapples, very sweet and overripe. Nice sweet acidity. On the retro-olfaction, the astringency of the starfruit not quite ripe this time. The fruits are smoky at the end of the mouth, a bit of overripe strawberry essence too. The esters are well present and accompany the fruits, just like the glue. Very good integration of the alcohol. ⛳ Hot, spicy, lively, intense. Little cubes of candied pineapple covered with powdered sugar sparkle on the palate. Slight bitterness on sour cherries, a bit of sweet/salty, umami type. The finish fades too quickly in my opinion. A beautiful representative of the 2013 vintage mark <>H 👌
Review by Schnubbii
Great, elegant Hampden <>H, which gets better and more complex with a little time in the air (and a few drops of water). Not quite enough for the top class, the finish is not long enough for that. I also think the price is pretty ambitious when you can get something as great as the <>H from the bottleshop for (calculated at 0.7L) €40 less. Thanks to @RumTaTa for the sample!
Review by Romain de L
The nose is quite interesting, a lot of glue, solvants, quite typical but appealing. The attack is… strong - but silky, alcohol could be a tad more integrated. The lingering taste is a bit bitter. Overall quite pleasant and interesting
Review by Adrian Wahl
Solider HD 2013
Review by alex
It's well done despite a slightly short finish. You find all the classic markers with a little mix of pineapple and almonds. I've had better from 2013, but it's still quite pleasant to drink.
Review by F.L.O.
When the swell bar is set high, it’s even hard for swell to jump over it. As always a great bottling! Alcohol perfectly integrated, lots of esters and fruit associations. Top!
Review by Johannes
Top Hampden!
Review by Richard Krupa
Distinctive aroma and taste, slight sharpness, gum.
Review by BnBrt
Tasted after the On Tour Limoges, I prefer it - the attack is more pleasant and leaves a nice warmth. I like it a lot. Nose a bit disappointing, on model glue, little fruit (not enough open time?). Very nice attack, silky on the fruit (pineapple) while keeping a pastry side. Finish a bit more on the bitterness.
Review by Rhum Mirror 🇧🇪
🟢 Swell de Spirits – Hampden <>H 2013 – 66.4% (Constantia) Distilled in 2013 at Hampden, this rum aged 6 years in Jamaica, then nearly 5 years in Europe (ex-Bourbon barrels). The mark <>H indicates an ester concentration between 900 and 1000 g/hlap — in other words, very heavy. Bottled in June 2024, cask strength, 140 copies. 🔸 Nose: green olives, solvent, very ripe fruits, smoky and herbal notes. 🔸 Palate: powerful, raw, unbalanced according to some. Olive, roasted pineapple, dry and astringent wood. For fans of extreme sensations. Personally, I found it a bit too brutal and unbalanced.
Review by Nik the spirit-ed
The sample was in the glass for about 3 hours before I started tasting. At first, a smell of esters, glue and solvents dominates. Then citrus notes and yellow fruits come in. With more air, tropical fruits and overripe pineapple take over. You can also perceive leather and tobacco before a bergamot note dominates. Even longer in the glass, it smells like a tropical fruit salad that has already started to ferment slightly. The taste is initially dominated by pineapple, wood, leather and tobacco. Some caramel is added. The alcohol and funk are well integrated but clearly recognizable and give the whole a good kick. With even more air, overripe tropical fruits and light caramel dominate. I always had the following image in mind: At the end of a hot day, someone offers overripe pineapples and bananas at a street food stand, having first fried them in caramelized sugar. The finish is short at first but becomes really long at the end. At first, wood, burnt sugar and dark caramel are in the foreground, later overripe fruits on the verge of spoilage and caramelized sugar. A really awesome Hampden, where I again don't understand the low rating.
Review by Vidaa Wz
We know the quality of Swell from this origin. This bottling confirms their full mastery of Hampden. Although criticized for the lack of alcohol integration (an opinion I don't share), I find that this rum has all the pleasant markers of a successful Jamaican.
Review by Pavel Ungr, RumRock
Vintage 2013. I rate it 8.4 out of 10, very good rum.
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Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
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Community shelf
35 bottles logged by 27 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
14% opened, 0 emptied.
What did the community pay for Swell de Spirits Hampden Constantia (Clos des Spiriteux) <>H 2013?
Community paid 88–139 €.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 126 €. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
35 purchased · 42 tasted · 6 wishlist · as of
Details about Swell de Spirits Hampden Constantia (Clos des Spiriteux) <>H 2013
A Pot Still Rum from Jamaica, bottled by Swell de Spirits, at 66.4%.
Read on in the RumX Guide
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