Hamilton Overproof 151 Rum

Rating: 14/23 N: Bold tannins mix with burnt molasses and slices of lemon peel (including the pith). Ethanol bursts out, but not scent-wise. Pretty funky. P: Obviously, this burns. It's hazmat. Getting past that, there's lots of richness and funk. The bitter alcohol flavor mixes well with the hogo funkiness to produce sort of a tannic barrel vibe mixed with molasses. The sweetness balances nicely. There's some lemon as well in with the burn. A little harshness, but mostly we're dealing with burn here. F: Lingering burn, tannic barrel, notes of molasses, and hints of lemon. - Conclusion - This is challenging to sip, but it's pretty tasty. The funky boldness makes this a great mixer, so it's really filling an important niche. But I don't rate spirits other than liqueurs based on mixability. So I think that this is around a 14 neat, though it could be a 13. It's tremendous value as a mixer though and can produce some great cocktails! Really, this is a mixer. It's great at that. Neat, it's challenging. I'll let it have that 14, but I'm still thinking it could be a 13 neat.

Performed a three-way side-by-side with Lemonhart 151 (current release), Hamilton 151, and Plantation OFTD last night, sipped neat from a Glencairn. Bottom line, you can't go wrong with any of the three. On the nose, OFTD started with traditional Demerara aromas, but less than the other two. Lemonhart was an immediate espresso and flan bomb. Coming back to the OFTD after a while brought out Vietnamese coffee, full of light roast, milk, sugar, condensed milk. Hamilton was more just Demerara and brown sugar and deep caramel but no coffee. I could have nosed all of these all night. Tastewise, Lemonhart carried such delicious, rich, creamy, dark, sweet, notes with premium espresso underneath. Hamilton was less intense, focusing more on burnt dark sugar, caramel, some dark fruit, and oozing molasses. OFTD is similar to the Hamilton but fruitier with a touch of coffee and some barrel bitterness that sets it apart. Not that it matters, but I liked Lemonhart 151 the most

An absolutely stunning, glowing red pour. I was literally taken aback by the color. On the nose, rich bananas foster and flan. This sat in my glass for about 2 minutes before I finally tried it. NEAT: The flavor reflects every bit of the nose. Rich beyond belief, syrupy with floral notes, cinnamon raisin bread, brown sugar, and deep molasses. The "Demerara" is unmistakable. Of course, the heat and burn is there, noticeably tongue numbing, and tingling as it goes down, but anyone who enjoys high proof sprits will probably savor this experience. WITH WATER: tasting again with about 25% water added. Nose is sweeter, btw, almost like pancakes with pancake syrup (not maple syrup) and butter. Flavor is also more buttery now, but actually drier, with a more noticeable barrel influence. Some faint hints of cocoa and char.

Tasted neat, the nose has notes of burnt sugar, marshmallows charring over a campfire, flambéed bananas, and hints of cocoa. Rich, velvety mouthfeel, not much alcohol burn for the proof. The palate is a continuation of the nose with more burnt sugar and marshmallows, seared bananas, vanilla, confectioners sugar, dark fruits, chocolate covered espresso beans and oak char. A splash of water amplifies the vanilla, coffee and fruit notes, and especially highlights the coffee note on the nose. The finish is long and hot, a bit too sweet for me. I would prefer a dryer, more oaky finish to tame the sweetness of the palate, but this is dangerously easy to drink.

Very strong nose of molasses and burnt sugar, overripe tropical fruit notes, with a few drops of water comes out as a perfect brown sugar with a touch of baking spices. Upon taste an immediate warming from the high ABV and then buttery salted caramel, brown sugar, molasses. Taste decay is moderate to long with brown sugar and molasses dropping off and getting into some pineapple at times and some spice. Late in the glass aromas of molasses and some slight banana mixed with the fruity over ripe pineapple. A nice very slow sipper.

Rich dark molasses on the nose, you wouldn’t know this is such high proof. That same molasses on the palette, bitter yet sweet, followed by some serious heat, finishes with baking spices that are on fire. I think this is better than the (new) Lemon Hart.