hampden estate

We’ve been visiting Hampden Estate in January 2015 and had an absolutely fantastic tour. As a rum lover & collector myself I’ve visited many distilleries before but none of them were as authentic as the Hampden tour. We had a very warm welcome with a short introduction to some historic facts and the rum production in general - along with a decent rum punch of course. :) The tour through the distillery was amazing. Amazing due to the fact that nothing is „brushed up“ for tourists & tours. This is a running distillery as it is with all it’s patina. If you visit Appleton on Jamaica you’ll just see their pot- & column-stills from quite a distance and some barrels without being able to take a single picture with your cam - and you’ll see their huge shop of course. At Hampden instead you can literally touch & smell everything in the process, from mixing, to fermentation, to the stills and even see their dunder „graveyard“ (you’ll be able to decode this when you’ve been there;). My personal opinion is: if you’re a rum connoisseur you HAVE TO visit this place! Again, I’ve seen many distilleries so far but this one and their special rum making process is just awesome. After the tour we’ve had a nice tasting of their products in their little but very cosy „tasting room“. The overproof „Rum Fire“, their house brand, is also something unique as it has a whole lot of fruitiness & complexity in it with a huge alcoholic punch, without being peppery. It’s even smooth compared to other overproof rums. The „Gold“ rum has all of that what I said about the „Rum Fire“ but is even smoother with it’s 80 proof.The only one „downside“ is probably that Hampden is located in a quite remote area of the island and hard to find if you are driving there by yourself. We’ve had a driver that took us to there (which is also wise as you’ll taste a lot of rum;) and even he had to ask several times to find this place. But the hassle of getting there is absolutely worth the visit.

Great tour from Royalton White Sands arranged our own transportation with Juta tours to get there. Amazing history lesson on the distilling of rum and sugarcane. Yanick and her associate were very friendly and knowledgeable.

At the end of November 2014, my now wife and I tied the knot in Negril.During our time there, we wanted a snazzy excursion to the interior to see the countryside and a bit of what the vibe is like away from the tourist hubs. Hampden Estate in Trelawny Parish ended up being a destination and was truly a phenomenal experience.Even before arriving, taking in the geography was already worth the trip. Then you hit the vast swathe of cane before heading down the palm-lined lane and emerging at the historic and impeccably maintained estate.We were treated to a history lesson of Trelawny and of the estate that provided a stellar context to the rest of the tour. After a refreshing punch, we headed on the tour and gawked at the gorgeous Estate House as peacocks & guinea fowl serenaded the air. Hardhats were presented and we entered the distillery. A very powerful aroma strikes you, it's intense but invigorating as one observes the old stills working their magic and the staff ensuring you brush up on your rum making knowledge and how it ties into the economy & life of Jamaica.A mix of new and old equipment, seeing how they label and ship is all fascinating.Naturally it all concludes with being able to absorb some of their Rum Fire or Gold rums, bought some for family & friends back home and the bus ride back to Negril was mighty relaxed.Make sure you take the time to get to Hampden Estate if you visit JamaicaJames Bamberger, Toronto

All about the Hampden Estate Rum Tour - Falmouth, JamaicaWe were staying at Silver Sands, near Duncans & were looking for something in our local area that gave us a feel of the "real" Jamaica. Last time we were in Jamaica, we had been introduced to the locally made "Rum Fire." As we were talking about a Rum Factory Tour on the way to our Villa from the Airport, our driver (Guy from Junta) mentioned the Hampden Estate Tour. He told us where it was and that they were the ones who made "Rum Fire." It immediately sparked our interest!We had talked about going across the Island to one of the other Rum tours, but considering the distance (& the fact that it was Rum Fire!), this worked out perfect for us. To be honest, the cost to get IN the tour was a bit pricey but for the quality of the tour and all things considered (transportation costs, etc), we felt it was WELL WORTH IT, in the end. The transportation cost was MUCH LESS than going across to the "other" tour - and our day was only half spent. It would have been an all day trip the other way. All-in-all our total cost & time - we saved about $25 each (total transportation & entrance fee) and we still had 1/2 day to go back to Silver Sands to do whatever we wanted. Great deal all around!So.... This is what we found. It is exactly one hour drive from Silver Sands. If you are on a cruise and dock in Falmouth and are looking for an excursion - THIS IS IT!! Tell your driver or person handling the excursions this is where you want to go. It is about a half hour ride from there. We have been to Dunn's River Falls, the Martha Brae River Rafting and Horse Back riding in the area. This TOPS them all! Along with the Tour, the scenery along the way takes you through sugar cane fields, mountain scenery and the real Jamaica. You will feel like you are ON a "Travel Channel" show.This tour was right up our alley and what a privilege it was to be the VERY FIRST ones to start their "Official Tour." This is a beautiful Estate, an efficiently run & clean factory, a well-run tour, with a great staff and tasty rum. We began with a glass of their own special rum punch and background history of Jamaica & Hampden. From there we were taken on an informative tour of the grounds & factory by the renovated Great House, family Crypt, barrels of molasses, 200 yr old vats still in use, copper pots for distilling,. . . and much, much more. We were introduced to many of the workers and officials of the factory. (Hardhats are passed out and worn inside the factory)At the end of the tour, all were given a piece of tasty rum cake, spiced tea, cane juice and several samples of their tasty Rum Fire and Gold. Each had our picture taken with their mascot - JB the John Crow "Buzzard." You each get your own personal rum cake to take with you. We spent an enjoyable time afterwards in lengthy conversation, learning more about the area, factory, history and people we had met.At the time we were there, they did not have Credit Card capabilities, so you may need to take cash with you. You'll want to purchase some of their wonderful Rum Fire & Rum Gold and they have their rum cake in full size in a great tin to take with you. (I will try & update should this change)If you are looking for something with a "Carnival" atmosphere - this isn't for you. But if you are looking for beautiful lush surroundings, a history of Jamaica, insight into a well-run factory, and lovely tour guides - THIS is the tour for you! Because along with learning how the rum is made, you also get a great lesson in local history. If you're like us and enjoy a bit of the old with the new . . . what a great combination! Really, after all, in the end. . . it IS all about the rum and it just doesn't get any better than that. A must DO on your next visit to the area. P.S. and as a special note: the last "un" official tour to be taken before it opened to the public, was the former Prime Minister of Jamaica. So, what better company were we "almost" in than 'near' Royalty? Not really Royalty, but they sure treated us like Royalty!