Clarendon & Worthy Park & Hampden RA Rum of 2018

This blend, the Rum Artesanal Rum of 2018, draws together three of Jamaica's defining houses, Clarendon, Worthy Park and Hampden, into a deliberately soft and approachable bottling. Combining pot and column distillate from across the island keeps the funk gentle rather than chasing the intensity of any single high-ester mark.

Matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled unsweetened at 40%, it carries a stated three years and aims squarely at the rum-curious. The nose brings tropical fruit, ester, banana and a little glue, the palate turns mild and lightly sweet with tropical fruit and banana, and the finish stays woody, dry and fruity. The low strength and restrained esters make it a relaxed sipper and a budget-friendly gateway to Jamaican character, with just enough funk to hint at the island's heavier rums. An undemanding introduction that earns its place neat or in a fruity cocktail.