Hampden RA Jamaica Rum HLCF 1998
Loved by Christoph H., Frank & 49 more
For seasoned enthusiasts only: a 21‑year, 65.9% Hampden HLCF that explodes with esters, grilled pineapple, tropical fruit, spice and well‑judged oak. RumX drinkers praise its intensity, balance and long, characterful finish.
- Huge ester funk
- Tropical fruit & spice
- Oak perfectly balanced
Details about Hampden RA Jamaica Rum HLCF 1998
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
How does Hampden RA Jamaica Rum HLCF 1998 taste?
Aggregated from 51 community reviews.
World‑class, ultra‑intense old Hampden For seasoned enthusiasts only: a 21‑year, 65.9% Hampden HLCF that explodes with esters, grilled pineapple, tropical fruit, spice and well‑judged oak. RumX drinkers praise its intensity, balance and long, characterful finish.
Seasoned Hampden and high‑ester Jamaican fans who enjoy cask‑strength intensity, tropical fruit, gluey esters and pronounced yet balanced oak in a long‑aged single‑cask style.
Beginners, anyone sensitive to high ABV, or drinkers who dislike funky esters, adstringent tannins and a very powerful, non‑sweet profile.
How is Hampden RA Jamaica Rum HLCF 1998 rated?
RumX's 0–10 scale is strict — 9.0 lands squarely in the "Excellent" band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Rum reviews
A selection of the most popular reviews from our community. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Christoph H.
One of my favorite Hampden! What I appreciate so much about this one is its stark intensity, which goes both in the fruity and in very special measure in the spicy direction. In the mouth it hits like a bomb and is very warmly astringent! Tropical fruits, esters, anise, earthy notes and wood take over the aroma. Wood is a good keyword here, barrel aging is really on point for me! Fruity and spicy notes are balanced. Honestly, I got myself a second bottle here. Perhaps it will also still a third....
Review by Frank
Oh so beautiful. The fine ester Hampden nose. Sweet glue and slightly pungent nail polish remover. Fruitiness of ripe pineapple and orange or tangerine zest and tartness of currant. Spicy and resinous-woody. Very round.Very intense on the palate. Comes across very astringent at first. And actually I have something toasty-bacony on the tongue. Bitter-salty-sweet, in that order. Then the sweet glue and just behind that, tart, ripe pineapple. Altogether more tart and powerful than the nose. Spicy woody then. Ester, wood, anise, sometime transitioning to grassy finish.A really nice, old Hampden.
Review by Oliver
I personally like even better than the HLCF of Habitation Velier. Sau strong Hampden! 😍
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
the needs time, but then goes the right off :) the enmore finish does him really good, but comes only after 30/40 minutes fully to the fore!
Review by zabo
Was für ein schöner Klassiker. Wenn man ihm die Zeit im Glas gibt bzw. es wirklich durch hält ihn nicht gleich bei der feinen Nase auszutrinken, wird man voll entlohnt. Für mich einfach einer mit der besten Hampdens die ich im Glas hatte obwohl er ja kontinental gelagert war, braucht er sich vor den tropischen definitiv nicht verstecken. Einzig eine kleine Fehlnote im Abgang verbaut ihn eine noch bessere Bewertung.
Review by Domi Mal
We give it a little time to unfold. After 2h in the glass, he has besides the classic notes of pineapple, banana, ester and citrus, still a noticeable alcoholic note that jumps at you! Not unpleasant when you consider that he has just under 66% alcohol. On the palate a great interplay of all components, very balanced and round despite the high alcohol content! Class astringency, tannins, fruit and esters - in the finish we still find some dried fruit and bitter notes that fit super into the overall picture! For me as a HLCF fan a very great continental representative of the last millennium! Chapeau!
Review by Jonas
We call it a brett!
Review by Rene Pfeiffer
Very interesting on the nose. For me, the rum smells at first untypical of bacon (?) and only then fruity, esterlastig.am Palate then the typical Hampden taste. Compared to the young Hampden is the here nice and creamy, you can taste the wood. Slightly nutty, toasty. All very well balanced. Excellent.
Review by SaibotZtar
Immernoch einer meiner liebsten.... von keinem anderen Rum habe ich soviele Flaschen gekillt.... Egal ob Pur oder im Mai Tai einfach lecker. Heute letzte Flasche geöffnet...😭😭😭 ich liebe diesen HD ... PLV Monster !!!
Review by Adrian Wahl
Verkostet im Cross Tasting mit RX686 RX1663 RX9950 Für mich Platz 1. Für 90 reicht es aber nicht.
Review by Basti
Ester, Klebstoff, Holz und Gewürze dominieren anfangs. Mit mehr Zeit im Glas werden dann auch die trop. Früchte präsenter. Am Gaumen viel Holz, Gewürze und trop. Früchte. Abgang ist mittel - lang. Alkohol top eingebunden. Runder Hampden!
Review by Mentalo
Braucht etwas Zeit im Glas, aber dann ist das ein sehr schöner Kontinental gereifter HLCF.
Review by Johnny Rumcask
Großes Hampden Kino: Auftritt der typischen Ester mit ihrem Star, der gegrillten Ananas, co-staring gelbe Früchte. Die lange Lagerung hat ein paar Ecken und Kanten abgeschliffen, ein Altstar mit Charakter. Eine leichte Fehlnote im Abgang steht dem ganz großen Kino entgegen.
Review by Leo Tomczak
Schöner ausgewogener kontinentaler HLCF. Holz und Röstaromen überwiegen hier, Fasslagerung kommt schön durch. Alkohol sehr kräftig, aber bei 65% auch durchaus zu erwarten. Im Abgang dafür recht mild. Verhaltene Nase, im Gaumen sehr präsent.
Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Barrel Aged Thoughts
Read full review →
Expert review by Le Blog À Roger
Read full review →
Expert review by In Spiritus Veritas
Read full review →
Community purchases
108 bottles logged by 52,000+ RumX members. The ratio of closed / opened / emptied, indicates whether this rum is meant to be drunk or is a collector's item.
Also on the wishlist of 53 members.
About the Hampden distillery
The Hampden distillery is located in Jamaica. Rums from Hampden have been reviewed 18,404 times with an average of 8.4/10.
To Hampden →You may also enjoy
Rum enthusiasts who like this rum have also given the following rums high ratings:
Hampden RA Jamaica Rum HD HGML 1989
Hampden RA Jamaica Rum HD HGML 1989World‑class, high‑ester Hampden benchmark
Hampden RA HD C<>H 1993
Hampden RA HD C<>H 1993Iconic, intense HD93 funk bomb
Hampden RA Jamaica Rum (HD Distillery) C<>H 1990
Hampden RA Jamaica Rum (HD Distillery) C<>H 1990World‑class, mature Hampden funk
Hampden RA HD (Whiskytempel) C<>H 1993
Hampden RA HD (Whiskytempel) C<>H 1993World‑class aged Hampden funk bomb
Clarendon RA Jamaica Rum EMB 1995
Clarendon RA Jamaica Rum EMB 1995World‑class, intense Clarendon EMB
New Yarmouth RA Jamaica Rum 2009
New Yarmouth RA Jamaica Rum 2009Wild New Yarmouth ester bomb
Don't miss out on any more deals on Hampden RA Jamaica Rum HLCF 1998.
Set a target price in the app, and we'll let you know as soon as the rum becomes available at that price from one of our partner stores. This works for any rum on your wish list.
Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver — together with Jakob, Robert and Lukas, we started RumX in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
What began as a digital tasting diary is now the world's most comprehensive platform for rum fans. We combine the collective intelligence of our community with an integrated marketplace, so you can choose with confidence — without paperwork, detours, or expert jargon.
Oliver, Stuttgart
About RumX →