Samaroli Hampden Édition Spéciale Bar 1802 LROK 2013

Hampden of Trelawny is the home of high ester funk, while Samaroli is a historic Italian purist known for elegant, balanced single casks. This LROK marque from 2013, one of Hampden's lighter ester recipes, sits naturally with the bottler's restrained house philosophy, taken to ten years and offered unsweetened.

Distilled from molasses on the double retort pot still and matured in ex-bourbon oak, it shows the funk in a polished register. The aroma is tropical fruit, ester, banana and gentle funk, the palate keeps the tropical fruit with woody and funky notes, and the finish turns to oak, fruit, roasted notes and spice. At 58% it is lively yet well integrated, the alcohol carried smoothly, with the banana and pineapple framed by discreet roasted wood. It keeps Hampden character while softening the edges, an elegant next step for drinkers ready to move beyond standard Jamaican bottlings.