Precious Liquors Hampden Tortuguita HPDN OWH 2012

Precious Liquors bottled this 2012 Hampden, marque OWH, under the Tortuguita label as a single cask, aged eleven years in ex-bourbon and held at cask strength 57.1%. Hampden is the Trelawny reference for high-ester funk, but OWH is its lightest, cleanest mark, around the bottom of the ester range, so this is a more restrained Hampden than the loud DOK end of the house.

Distilled on pot still from molasses and aged continental-style, it noses on citrus, banana and a fresh lift, the classic estery pungency emerging after a few minutes in the glass. The palate turns woody and citrusy, the continental ageing giving the wood a prominent role that can crowd the lighter OWH fruit. At 57.1% it is firm and benefits from rest and a little patience. Unsweetened and bottled from a single barrel, this is a cleaner, woodier Hampden for drinkers who want the distillery name at honest strength without the full solvent intensity of its higher marques.