Aroma visualization from community tastings
Hampden Rum Artesanal Jamaica High Ester Rum HGML 1983
Grilled pineapple, glue and nail polish up front, then marzipan, honey and a spine of gentle oak — this 35-year-old Hampden HGML wears its age lightly. Tasters keep noting how round and creamy it is, the alcohol tucked away despite 58.9%. Full Hampden funk, but softened and balanced. Give it an hour; several say the fruit really unfolds with air.
The community says- Rounded, integrated alcohol
- Pineapple and ester funk
- Long, layered finish
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The look inside the bottle
How does Hampden Rum Artesanal Jamaica High Ester Rum HGML 1983 taste?
Aggregated from 97 community reviews.
Aged Hampden funk, rounded and creamy People deep into Hampden rate this among their favorites — funky, fruity, remarkably smooth for its age. A couple feel the sweet fruit fades a touch fast, but that's nitpicking a beloved bottle.
Hampden and high-ester funk devotees
Beginners and anyone put off by glue-and-solvent funk
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
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47 of 97 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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How is Hampden Rum Artesanal Jamaica High Ester Rum HGML 1983 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 9.2 sits in the “Excellent” band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
100% rate it 8 or higher. 15 selected write-ups from 97 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by HenryL
RumX Adventskalender 10. Dezember Mein erster Hampden mit Jahrgang 19xx. Sehr lecker und ausgewogen! Nase noch einfach Hampden typisch und nicht besonders ausgewöhnlich. Im Mund ist es aber ein wahres Fest! Trotz des hohen Alters noch wunderschön fruchtig mit süßlichen Mangonoten. Es fällt schwer einzelne Noten zufassen zu bekommen, aber der ist verdammt lecker. Anfangs dachte ich noch ich könnte die Bewunderung für die alten Hampden Jahrgänge nicht ganz nachvollziehen, nachdem der hier etwas im Glas war kann ich es aber verstehen!
Review by Tschusikowsky
Rum X Advent 10.12.22 At first I thought of a rather younger version of a Hampden. But in the end it's not wild enough for that. It seems a little tamed by the years. In the mouth, this crisp dryness comes through for me, which brings me to a 92 HLCF. At the same time, it's creamy and smooth, with a slight cherry note, which doesn't quite fit. I also think it's below or close to 60%. The color is also quite bright. Wild guess: Blend of 92 and 90 (?) vintages. Definitely super tasty! Edit: Hampden adventure park. At the top end of the scale. Unbelievable how creamy and accessible the rum is after so many years of ageing. Liquid gold. Insanely delicious.
Review by RumTaTa
This is one of the oldest rum I had so far in the glass and the expectations are high...Nose: not at all appropriate to the age 😉 There is clearly less wood and barrel than in some younger rum from Guyana. I'm sure the storage in Europe plays a role in that. All the Hampden markers are there and show very balanced, none stands out. I like it very much!On the palate, an immense sweet-fruity wave with wonderful transition to barrel and wood notes in the long finish.At the very end, it even gets a little salty and smoky.A fascinating, intense rum with great flavor arc, unfortunately, the fruity sweetness fades relatively quickly. Actually crazy that you can buy the beginning 2023 still on the primary market!
Review by TheRhumhoe
A beautiful unicorn from Jamaica that elegantly reveals phenolic and ripe tropical fruit flavors, citrus, a touch of smoke, brine and olive tapenade notes. A slight floral freshness and cherry also come through. On the palate, we have an extremely well-balanced rum that combines the high ester profile with nice woody, spicy notes, with a touch of marzipan and a meaty influence that sublimates the whole. It's funky, oily, intense and the alcohol is superbly well integrated. The finish, endless, mixes fruits, esters, spices, wood, leather, smoky notes and a touch of bitterness. A rum of the great days which sketches all the richness of Hampden.
Review by Frank
A little highlight for me. 35 yo HD. Probably an HGML. ❤️ Nose: wonderfully intense esters. The solid age makes them appear fuller and less pointed. Alongside the classic glue and sweetish nail polish. Now comes grilled pineapple and marzipan, underlaid with fine vinegar. There could also be grilled peppers. Palate: brilliant! Warm and sweet. And then they come, the esters and the intense pineapple. All wonderfully round and compact due to the age. Honey and umami, what opposites that go together. At the back, the wood is also pleasant with a little aniseed. For me, this is already one of the best Hampden rums. Even if there are now quite a few old and beautiful ones.
Review by Christoph H.
I'm not really a fan of superimposed Hampden and certainly not of superimposed ester bombs. The first thing that went through my mind here was: it's so much better than the RA HD 89. Why is that?...you simply don't notice its age. NEVER, if I had thought it possible that we were dealing with 35 years of maturation here, my feeling would have told me 25. Full HD DNA, but simply round and smooth. If you put the Kill Devil next to it, you know what above the zenith means. Clearly one of the better Hampdens for me!
Review by cigares
An explosion of fruit on the nose, with esters but also freshness. The power is there, no doubt about it. The entry is almost sweet, but immediately the power increases and the whole mouth cavity fills with fruit. The palate continues with a noble, persistent bitterness. Then the wood that was masked by the fruit appears, a rather young and elegant wood. A little parasitic acidity appears next, which is a pity! All in all, a very fine rum, expressive and powerful.
Review by Christian Rudt
Einfach nur toller High Ester Hampden mit gesetztem Alter. Holz ist natürlich spürbar aber längst nicht so wie man vielleicht befürchten konnte. Es tut dem Rum vielmehr wirklich gut, zähmt ihn etwas ohne daß er seinen Charakter verliert, er ergänzt es einfach um schöne röstige Noten. Und es ist auch nur eine leichte Bitterkeit zu spüren.Von vorne bis hinten ein Vergnügen. Da könnte man viel Zeit mit verbringen. Ich reise daher kurz in der Zeit zurück und Kauf mir zwei Flaschen okay 😉
Review by Galli33
#10th dec RumXCalendar Blind tasting: Nose: delicious, pineapple, ester, fruitbasket, glue Mouth: Pineapple, ester, barrel, oak Finish: long, pineapple, barrel, oak, dry, a bit astringent Amazing delicious High Ester Hampden 😍 Funk Extreme! A lot of fruits in the nose, the more time you’ll give it the more fruits you’ll get. Important: This rum needs time to fully open min. 1 hour. I think it’s a hampden… in the high ester section <>H ca.60% approx. 30 Years
Review by Jakob
Exquisite Hampden and the uncrowned king from 1983. Understand who can and why this bottling was available for so long - clearly, the price was not entirely negligible, but in parallel ran various single casks at absolutely comparable, if not significantly higher prices over the (secondary market) counter, which play in my eyes qualitatively in a completely different league.
Review by mto75
epic Hampden! On the nose, the full (fermented) fruit basket with pineapple, banana, kiwi, gooseberries, plus a subtle yogurt butter cookie note. And all brought together impressively, with no noticeable barrel influence. Also bacony, toasty rather than oak barrel on the palate. Creamy finish, and somehow between sour drops, smoky bacon, pineapple and marzipan.
Review by Thunderbird
RumX Day10: What a treat! This Hampden is once again absolutely top! It has a balanced maturity and is not as impetuous as many others, without denying its origin! All the expected flavors are represented, just a little more mature and subtle! Great Tasting evening with Dr. Django: Can only confirm my assessment of danals, first class bottling
Review by zabo
Edit Edit Je öfter ich ihn probieren je besser finde ich ihn. Nochmal nach oben korrigiert Edit: mittlerweile habe ich auch andere HGMLs im Glas gehabt, und es ist schwierig zu sagen welcher mein Favorit ist. Alle bewegen sich auf einem sehr h Nochmals probiert und das einzige was ich jetzt tun muss, ihn einfach nochmal nach oben korrigieren. Mein neue Nummer 1!
Review by Vincent D
Au nez, un Hampden bien funky qui semble pourtant plutôt calme. On retrouve l'ananas, les esters, les fruits trop mûrs, etc. En bouche, un Hampden assagi par les années, avec un alcool parfaitement intégré et un boisé qui sert de colonne vertébrale aux sensations qui se dessinaient au nez. C'est superbement équilibré. Magnifique. Et quelle longueur !
Review by Adrian Wahl
Happy E(a)ster Tasting 2023. Hampden 1983 HGML. Rum Artesnal Hampden 1983 HGML 58,9%. Absolute legend in a glass. Finally I have the chance to try it. Beautiful Hampden DNA despite its great age. Nose somewhat reserved. An outstanding rum. It's amazing that you could buy it for so long for the issue price. 91/100 for me.
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Expert reviews
5 critics scored it, averaging 9.2/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Single Cask Rum
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Expert review by Barrel Aged Thoughts
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Expert review by Tasting Bro's
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Expert review by Zucker und Zeste
It's amazing that this rum still exists. A very fine Hampdel that has not lost its DNA despite being stored for ages. Classic pineapple, moderate wood and very harmonious spices. Very tasty and relaxed to drink.
Expert review by The Dunder Hut
What 35 good years can do, unbelievable that this was available for so long. This was very pricey when It came out but the market came around. And now it is actually quite a steal. Hgml is very nice...
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Market value
Avg. community purchase price 391 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about Hampden Rum Artesanal Jamaica High Ester Rum HGML 1983
A Pot Still Rum from Jamaica, bottled by Heinz Eggert GmbH, at 58,9%.
Community purchases
101 bottles logged by 77 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
19% opened, 8 emptied and repurchased.
What did the community pay for Hampden Rum Artesanal Jamaica High Ester Rum HGML 1983?
Community paid 348–455 €.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
101 purchased · 100 tasted · 86 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
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