Velier Hampden The Younger (300cl) LROK 2016

This is Velier's Hampden The Younger, a five year old LROK distilled in 2016 and released in a large format bottle. Velier is the most prestigious name in collectible rum, and LROK is a mid level Trelawny marque, so this lands in an accessible sweet spot of the estate's high ester pot still range.

Matured in ex-bourbon and bottled at 47 percent, it balances the estate's gluey, varnish like esters with bright mango, banana and pineapple and a whisper of smoke. The palate stays fruity and funky with solvent notes, finishing on olive, brine and a salty bitterness. Certified unsweetened, the lower strength makes it lively yet manageable neat, a great step up from lighter Jamaicans and a standout base for a funky Daiquiri.