Who's "he"? Hamilton, of course. And was what? He criticized private labels (at the very time he himself was negotiating with Hampden Estates and their fledgling aged rums):
And when was this? June of 2012. His points: Hampden was new to aged rums and hadn't produced much. This confirms one of our speculations. He also complains that the private labels and bulk buyers who are their primary customers "won't tell you much" about the blends. How Hamilton can condescend to Rum Nation as using Hampden's (very young) rums can't be true: Rum Nation's offerings are generally well-aged - in fact their Jamaican offering is 20+ years old and clearly is NOT from Hampden (it's actually from Long Pond).Hamilton: " As the owner of the Hampden distillery, White Lightning can confirm that at this time there is very little Hampden rum being aged. Historically, the Hampden distillery sold high ester rum to blenders in Europe that end up under labels like Rum Nation.
To this date I have not found anyone who will tell me, publicly, how much of each of these different distillery rums going into these blends. It should be clear to the reader that private labels are just that private labels. Most private labels don't want to tell you much about the rum in the bottle for competitive reasons.
More than a few bottlers have told me that they couldn't tell me what was in their bottle because they don't want others to copy their success."
Is someone jealous? Or just badly misinformed?
And about a year later...
It's now nearly a year later and Hamilton wants us to believe he's different - that he will provide more information than any other distiller ever has. Will he? Not so far. His labels don't - nothing about age, distilling or even glitzy tasting notes. To his credit the approved labels DO indicate "no flavor or color agents", but one of his own posters states that the rum will now be colored - a claim that he has yet to confirm or deny on his own website.
Curious to say the least.
Still, I'd prefer to give the boy the benefit of the doubt, even though the rum has been purchased and/or possibly shipped for bottling. He could take a lesson or two from Olli of Ron de Jeremy who pre-marketed that rum like few others have ever been. However there's always the possibility of promoting too soon, and way before the product has been preplaced and sampled to friendly head nodders like the Wolfboy.
Time will tell.
And a Quick Word from White Lightning of Hampden...
Hampden/White Lightning: "Jamaica is known historically in the rum world for its full intensely flavorful pot rums. Of all distilleries in Jamaica, Hampden Distillery is the undisputed producer of quality high ester rums and is the only distillery that dedicate itself exclusively to this production.
The flavor is a product of the yeast found in the Queen of Spain Valley, the largest inland valley and which contain the largest underground aquifer in Jamaica and has (GI) certification.
Longpond Distillery manufacture mostly column rum but do have some pots and makes its own brand of high ester rums.
Hampden distillery for more than 200 years supplied Holland and Germany with its high ester rums that is used to blend other rums (some famous, I wont mention)and used extensively in chocolates, ice cream, eggnog and many other food products.
Today you will find many companies in Europe that sell blended rum brands under the Hampden name. For the real deal remember to always go back directly to Hampden, Jamaica. Hampden Rum Fire Brand is specifically created with ester levels in the lower ranges to provide a truly smooth rum with signature flavors. It mixes well with many fruit inspired cocktails . Pot Rums are expensive to manufacture and takes time to build the flavors into the rum.
Hampden today uses century old fermenters and techniques in the manufacture of its rums. I hope I have answered your questions."
