Hampden Kill Devil (The Whisky Barrel) 2001

Review by Tschusikowsky

Most helpful positive review

Tschusikowsky

Apr 2023498 reviewsSwitzerland

8.4/10

Often Fiji rum reminds me of Jamaican. Here, rather the other way around. The smoky and peppery barrel notes made it remind me of a South Pacific. Relaxed Hampden. Of the tasted three 01 vintages for me the best.

Review by Jackie Flannery

Most helpful mixed review

Jackie Flannery

Oct 202247 reviews

7.9/10

C: W wine Kill Devil is Hunter Laing´s rum line, otherwise a renowned independent whisky bottler. The black bottle and the dancing devil should be familiar to every rum geek who seek single casks/cask strength. A couple of years ago HL selected exclusively a few Hampdens for The Whisky Barrel and this was one of them. It was a time when Hampden wasn’t what Hampden is today. S: 2001 means the mark and 900-1000 g/hlaa esters. Intense nose despite 17 years in the barrel, it reminds me of the 2007 vintage, my favourite. Pineapple, lime and in less magnitude, acetone M: Here is where I think the barrel might’ve influenced the rum badly. It´s the kind of sourness you find in a spoiled lemon. Bitter. It lacks the sweetness of the 2007 vintages F: Finish follows, unfortunately, the palate

Review by LukaŽiga

LukaŽiga

Apr 2026799 reviewsGermany

8.7/10

8,6:On the nose, esters, solvents, funky, fermented tropical fruits like banana and pineapple, sour citrus fruits with orange, smoky(bacon), roasted wood with pastry, marzipan, sweet molasses with honeycomb, bump into our nosetrils. On aeration, the barrel impact is even stronger, cream toffee, chocolate and roasted nuts arise, spiciness, salty tones, burnt rubber and flowery, musty molasses. 8,7:On the palate, the attack is slightly dry, funky with esters, rubber, bitter, quite peppery, with tropical fruits like banana and pineapple, citrus fruits, later joined with red fruits, the wood is roasted with dark chocolate, pastry, roasted nuts, burnt sugar, smoky with BBQ, salty, as barrel impact is obvious, hints of peat are inevitable, metallic patina, molasses is musty, herbaceous, vegetal. 8,7:The finish is long, dry&tannic, balanced, as smoky, burnt, charred wood notes, a bit dirty, with peat, metallic patina, pair various overripe fruits and vegetal molasses. Edit:28.4.26, an upgrade for 0,1

Review by Chrischi78

Chrischi78

Feb 2025260 reviewsGermany

8.3/10

You have to give it a little time to breathe. If it is regularly musty at the beginning, it releases wonderful aromas after the time it takes to light up and smoke the first third of the cigar. Very round for a Hampden and without the emphasis on ester notes. Smoooooth!

Review by mto75

mto75

Mar 2023693 reviewsGermany

8.4/10

pretty relaxed 2001 <>H. On the nose yogurt, pastry, pineapple, the fermented fruit not super dominant at all. On the palate toasty-smoky.

Review by DomM

DomM

Feb 2022916 reviewsGermany

8.7/10

Least funky and well rounded nose. Brings cookie dough and marzipan to the table. For me somewhat the surprise winner out of my small cross tasting. Definitively the least funky. But on the other hand nicely combining fruity notes with cookies and honey creating the most balanced and enjoyable out of the bunch. If you are more into high esters, this is not the best for you. But then why would you go for <>H anyway..? 😉 So far I liked all out of the 2001 <>H batch. Looking at a close field: KD > TB > RC-M > RC

Review by Skyfly

Skyfly

Feb 2025556 reviewsGermany

8.4/10

Pleasant Hampden in which the esters are more in the background. Instead, tropical fruits, especially pineapple, are in the foreground. Notes of sweet pastries can be detected on the nose and palate, resulting in a really successful combination. The finish is rather woody, slightly smoky and nutty. Alcohol perfectly integrated.

Review by Rodolphe

Rodolphe

Aug 2021308 reviewsFrance

8.2/10

I really liked the nose marked by something like candied orange and traditional marzipan. It was very sweet, not the fruity slap either. I didn't like the mouth as much. I have a hard time describing it. It's simpler, fruity and pastry but it lacks a little complexity and flavors I think. It's still a good rum, but we know much better ones from hampden.