HAMPDEN LROK THE YOUNGER 2016 5 YEARS OLD 47% VELIER

Distilled in 2016, aged for 5 years in tropics and bottled in 2021. The LROK mark (Light Rum Owen Kelly) has been produced by Hampden Estate since 1952.

THE BRAND

Hampden Estate is one of the oldest sugar plantations in Jamaica. Founded in the half of the 18th century, the estate passed under the ownership of the Scottish Archibald Sterling in 1753, who built a couple of years later the Great House of Hampden. In the second half of '800, the property passes into the hands of Kelly-Lawson, Justice of the Peace in Trelawny; later on his daughter Ena married, Mr Farquharson, who inherited the estate upon his death. The Farquharson family produced rum until 2003, when the estate, due to financial troubles, became property of the Government controlled Jamaica Sugar Company.

In 2009 the Everglades Farms Ltd. owned by the Hussely family acquired the Hampden estate, with the aim of preserving the great tradition of rum distillation and the values of the founding family. Today, after 265 years of production dedicated to confidential trade bottling, Hampden has decided to launch in 2018 its own aged rums on the international scene signing a distribution agreement with Velier.

THE BOTTLER

Velier was founded by the Chaix family in Genova in 1947 as a small traditional company specialised in the importation and distribution of wines, champagnes and spirits. In 1983, a young Luca Gargano, former brand ambassador for Saint James at that time, acquired shares in Velier. Under his influence the company began spacialising in the importation of outstanding spirits exclusively destinated to the Italian market. By the early 90s Luca heard about a legendary stock of Saint James rum dating back probably to 1885 and bottled in 1952. After a complex negotiation, he finally managed to acquire the entire stock. This was only the first of a list of legendary selections to come in the following years.