Background
Good ol’ Hampden Overproof. This absolute classic is a blend of marques aged eight years at the distillery in which is was made. As Hampden’s new HLCF Classic, the successor to the original Overproof, makes its slow, slow voyage to the United States, I figured this would be a good time to give the old formula a proper review.
Tasting
On the nose, I get cola, vanilla, clove, allspice, charred pineapple, crème brûlée, black pepper, mulch, just a hint of black truffle, and honeyed wood—like what a oak barrel might smell like after it held honey.
On the palate, the cola evolves into cherry cola. Charred pineapple, clove, allspice, and black pepper return, now accompanied by confectionary notes like vanilla ice cream, mango, and black licorice, plus some of those slightly burnt spots on good pizza crust. Having tasted a lot of relatively oak-light Hampden lately, I’m reminded just how oaky this is.
Verdict
It’s awesome. If you took the time to read this, you probably knew that.
This my one-hundredth review. Without getting too schmaltzy about it, I wanted to use this opportunity to say thank you. Hampden Overproof was one of the first bottles to make me love spirits, and I only bothered to try it because folks like you took the time to share their thoughts about it. Thanks for being the nerds you are, and here’s to many more drams as good as this one. (8/10)