Aroma visualization from community tastings
Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum
Bigger than its label admits: this is Hampden pot still at 57%, so the overripe banana, glue and tropical esters hit hard, backed by pepper, a little oak and burnt sugar. Most people find it a touch hot and prickly neat, and reach for it as a mixer instead — where the funk shines through cola or a Mai Tai. Young, but genuinely fun.
The community says- Overripe banana funk
- Great value
- But: Hot, prickly neat
Offers & prices
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Returns & cancellation Secure payment Sold by Urban Drinks
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Total prices incl. shipping to Germany
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Offers & prices
No shop currently delivers to Germany.
Auction results: 24–29 € (3 sales in 24 months, incl. buyer's premium, latest 06/2026). How the range is built ›
The look inside the bottle
How does Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum taste?
Summarized by AI from community reviews.
Hot, funky Jamaican best for cocktails Adored as a bang-for-buck Jamaican funk bomb. Fruity, estery and characterful, but many find it too hot and prickly to enjoy neat, so most keep it for cocktails.
Aroma profileFans of Jamaican funk who mostly mix cocktails
People wanting a smooth, sweet sipper
Style & occasion: Tropical & funkyCocktails & mixingSipping neat
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
175 of 489 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Which glass for which rum? The community guide ›
Buying advice
Is it right for you?
Yes, if you're after bold, tropical, funky rums for cocktails.
Similar in style and available now.

Woodier
Worthy Park 109 Jamaica Rum7.5/10 (236)32.32 €
118 rated both: 40 scored it higher, 63 scored Smith & Cross higher, 15 gave both the same score.



What does the community say?
489 community reviews
47 selected write-ups on this page, all of them in the RumX app
One of the community's most-rated rums
Rate it in the appPositive from 8.0 · Mixed 6.0–7.9 · Critical below 6.0
Review by Stefan Persson
Most helpful positive review
If you should have just one Navy strength rum in your bar, this is the one. The nose is complex with aromas of esters, fruits and spices. At the palate it’s complex and funky with flavors of esters, fruits and spices. The finish is quite long and dry.
Review by Henning
Most helpful critical review
Funky. Not my taste. You can have it in the bar for the price. Good to use as a mixer because of the % in cocktails, but for me personally not a pleasure to drink neat, even though I otherwise really like Jameika.
Review by Adrian Wahl
Three years ago I celebrated him still as a revelation in May Tai and now he gets only 76 😂. In view of the price but in my eyes a must have for the house bar, especially if you still do not have too many Jamaicans at home. Meanwhile in May Tai on my scale also only 2/5 🇯🇲.After tasting again I take away another three points. 73/100
Review by Joachim Guger
I'm really not a Hampden fan, but it did not taste so bad to me. And the 30€ the bottle...
Review by Galli33
This is a power hampden and perfect for cocktails 🤯 Fruity, estery, woody. The 57% are well notable and not integrated very well. Not the best rum for newcomers, who prefer to drink it neat. It‘s a nice addition to the bar, looking at the price tag.
Review by Fasen
A salad of spices! Great value for money 👍
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#4725 12.05.2024 Relaxing at home. Nose Intense, fruity, banana, light caramel, light apple, faint leather, light wood. Palate Intense, warm, light wood, faint smoke, cherry, apple, light floral, faint leather, light caramel. Finish Medium to long, wood, fruits, light floral, lightly sour. The empty glass has chocolate, light herbs and some citrus.
Review by TheJackDrop
Dinguerie for the price! To sum up, my tasting notes: Nose: Ester, Very ripe On the palate: Tropical fruit, Funky Finish: Honeyed, Warm, Tropical fruit
Review by Rumpalumpa
yeah this stuff is legendary. loads of esters, the nose is great. on the palate very spicy and rather dry also rather sharp. so I dont really like it neat, but for cocktails it's amazing. Especially for the price!
Review by Tim
This rum was aged just long enough so that the ester bomb was sufficiently balanced out by other aromas and a harmonious overall picture emerges. Of course, you can't expect otherworldly complexity. For me, this Hampden is an absolute price-performance hit. Strong!
Review by zabo
A classic that you can also drink neat for the price. Neat it's not an absolute revelation, but still good. Neat: 7.3 But for me, a great mixer, here it scores better. It also has a good value for money. Mixer: 8.5
Review by Chrischi78
Seen as a good companion for shaken drinks in my bar. It does its job solidly as a strong Jamaican. But it can't convince when enjoyed neat. I especially find a slight bitter note unpleasant.
Review by Lutz Lungershausen
First impression: funky, crisp, great. Nose: very pleasant and intensely fruity aromas of pineapple, pear, banana and first-class strong but harmonious ester notes. Palate: here the fruits can't quite assert themselves against the 57%, roast and wood notes as well as slight roast aromas follow. Finish: warm, intense, medium length. Conclusion: Smith & Cross should be taken out of storage more often, note to self: mark for replenishment.
Review by Torsten vom Endt
Good but not outstanding spicy rum, the smell of bananas dominates. Price-performance ratio just okay, but somehow it lacks that decisive something for more. Too good for mixing though. I tasted it neat, who knows what could come on ice, I'll add that later. The high alcohol content is not really noticeable.
Review by Jean Louisss
A pure Jamaican !
Review by DomM
Some classic Hampden notes noticeable on the nose. Palate is very much dominated by dark notes like burnt sugar, chocolate, wood and some spices.
Review by Serge
Haven't had this in the glass for a long time... especially not neat. Crazy how perception changes. From the former "Mai Tai secret weapon," I now only taste an average Jamaican rum blend. Definitely not recommended neat. Just remains a solid low-cost mixer.
Review by David Sharman
Fantastic value for money. Yes it tastes young but has great balance, flavour and holds its own as a sipper against much more expensive bottles.
Review by Lot-NAS
Overall a nice drop and the Hampden doesn’t hide. It’s fruity, funky with some wood and spices. The overripe fruits are intense almost to a rotten level but it also reminds me of old flower water (mouldy). At the nose it is quite present and on the palate a bit less. Nevertheless a great drop and you get a lot for 35€. As a mixer I also see its great reputation. The mouldy nose gets lost in the mix and it works perfectly.
Review by Steve the Barman
All my Tastings and Scores are purely based on “Rums under £50”. I rarely look at Rums over £50 for my YouTube.
Review by abaker-rum
A very good mai tai rum, the higher alcohol percentage really comes through and the tropical fruits match nicely with most tiki recipes. The nose has a lot of pineapple and banana with some ester and solvent. The taste continues the tropical fruits but adds spice and wood. The finish is long with spice and wood lingering.
Review by Boletus
A good Jamaican rum that really shines in cocktails. But you can also enjoy it neat without worries, as long as you don't mind the slightly peppery youth enriched with herbal notes. As an affordable mixer, the Smith & Cross is a real winner!
Review by Morgan Garet
Almost unbeatable value for money, it has everything you need. No need of description when you taste it, you adopt it...
Review by Beancheese
First of all, this rum is incredible value even here in Canada where finding value in rum is extremely hard to do. This one is big on the nose and let’s you know right away that you are dealing with a Jamaican rum. The label doesn’t mention it but this is a Hampden (funny that they wouldn’t want to lean into this). On the plate this one is complex and a little intense as a sipper - tropical fruits and spice dominate this one. Have used this in a simple rum and coke and it definitely has the power to show through. This has a long, dry finish.
Review by Schnapsschuesse
The box has already in the nose right tinder. Funky to putrid in the best sense. Extra tube of glue directly to it. Very ripe, very exciting. Lots of fruit, and also fruity esternd. No varnish etc, but a colorful mix from pineapple and banana to raisin. A touch of lime. Alcohol better integrated than in some 40. Enormously warming without becoming spicy. Orange, banana, citrus in general, esters and quite dry. After more breathing there's minimal sweetness with massive fruit. Really good stuff, lines up with the Plantation OFTD.Addendum: tops the OFTD. Who takes his Mai Tai fruity instead of spicy reaches for this.
Review by Maxime Clr 🇫🇷
Nice pastry nose on exotic fruit and solvent specific to Jamaicans. On the palate very nice on chocolate and exotic fruit. Superb value for money for a bottle frankly not expensive. Length a little short however. For those new to Jamaica, go for it! 🇯🇲
Review by Jan Lu
I think Jamaica and I won't be friends anymore... Price-performance is okay. For me it's too alcoholic. Tastes too spirituous and sharp. I prefer it round and gentle. Certainly a good mixer. For me, it's out as a neat drink.
Review by John Coffey
Excellent quality priceLack of length necessarily
Review by Christian Rudt
Find I pure not good to drink, acts very unround. in the fruity cocktail I will try him again.
Review by Gasparini Andrea
Final craker doria
Review by HenryL
Super Mai Tai rum! Also tasty neat and especially for the price great. But here it doesn't quite match my preferred flavor profile. However, as a mixer in a Mai Tai, I'll probably have it at home more often now.
Review by Vincent D
Jamaican with poorly integrated alcohol. It rips the palate, the tongue, the throat, the larynx and the stomach, which tends to spoil the experience...
Review by Schorgelorsch
This one is really round and very nuanced in its funkiness. The nose is decent. The taste is more complex: there is banana, fruits, dried apricot and esters. It changes over time so it stays exciting to always discover something new. The long finish is fun!
Review by Maxime Leclerc 🇨🇵
Excellent in a Kingston negroni.
Review by Léo Delek
We're on a typical Jamaican profile, with banana standing out. Other tropical fruits accompany it on the palate, with good length. Very appreciable for the price.
Review by Rumclub Latvia
Superb value for money
Review by Nicofr
A very surprising rum for the price. You immediately feel the notes of Hampden and the flavors of Jamaica. There are esters and spices. It remains a bit sharp pure (57%) but it's a very good value for money.
Review by Knie
Reminds me, drunk with a little water, of "plum in Madeira".Delicious and strong.Price / performance ingenious.
Review by Righrum
Bang for buck young Jamaican blended rum
Review by DutchRumPirate
I love this one!! A lot of funky in your glass. A Must have for me in my collection. Also very nice in cola.
Review by MiGaBro
Value for money. Jamaica funk.
Review by PeterPapp
Perfect for a Mai Tai. But also pure enjoyable. Top price / performance
Review by Philipp Kestel
Holla the wood fairy... spicy without end
Review by SNYBOR 🇧🇪
🔥 Perfect in cocktails 🍸
Review by Jakob Deiner
Of the 'funky' rums I've tried so far (Xaymaca, Hampden 8), in my opinion the best and most consistent. Strongly banana-overripe-fruity in the smell with slight lacquer and petrol hints. Surprisingly drinkable for 57%, first the fruit explosion, banana in the foreground, then lacquer, petrol and alcoholic only in the finish, but somehow not bad.. Makes a very good mule. In my view better than the Hampden 8, for half to a third of its price. Greatly upgraded because of the mule. Drinks: - Neat: 3.5/5 - Rum Cola: 3.5/5 - Rum Mule: 4.5/5 - Rum Punch: 2.5/5
Review by Andi
Super blend, perfect for a Mai Tai!
Review by Piotr Ignasiak
Part two of the new mixer supply. Quite nice, it has the funk, spices, fruit. Tastes quite young obviously, should work well in cocktails. Given crazy rum prices this has a great PLV.
No reviews match this filter.
Expert reviews
6 critics scored it, averaging 8.0/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by Rum Runner Labs
Read full review ›So this is what “esters” are! 😂 A super fun rum, though a bit much for me to drink neat. Can’t wait to mix with this—leaving unrated until I do (but as a sipping rum it’s getting 7.4) Refractometer: 17.6% brix Edit: As a daiquiri or barbados, really incredible! 8/10 for mixing, so I’ll give it a 7.7 overall for me :)
Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review ›It might well go great with a bit Ting - jammin!
Expert review by New World Rum Club
This is an absolute gem of a rum for the price. Pot stilled blend of 2 funky Hampden rums. Although it can be drunk neat, most will want to use this rum for a cocktail as it’s quite alcoholic and prickly when drunk meat.
Expert review by Single Cask Rum
Read full review ›Expert review by Rum nagykövet
Read full review ›Expert review by Rhummer
Read full review ›Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum at live auctions
A bid is not a final price: the house sets the buyer's premium, shipping and any customs duty.
All live auctions ›Community shelf
1,484 bottles logged by 1,163 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
44% opened, 281 emptied.
What does Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum cost?
Community paid 23–40 €.
Current best price: 26.99 € – within the typical community range.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 28 €. Price history with 3 auction results in RX+ ›
+87 additions in the last 3 months.
Additions per month over the last 12 months; dark bars: the last 3.
1,484 purchased · 642 tasted · 519 wishlist · as of
Details about Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum
A Pot Still Rum from Jamaica, distilled by Hampden, at 57%.
Read on in the RumX Guide
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