Located in the north-west of Jamaica, in the parish of Trelawny, Hampden Estate sits between sea and mountains in an extraordinary natural setting. From above, and from within, the distillery resembles an old refinery, where the transformation of sugar cane spirit unfolds in an atmosphere that feels magical.
Hampden’s story begins in 1753 – more than 270 years ago – when the Scotsman Archibald Stirling established the property as one of Jamaica’s leading sugar producers. By 1779, a rum distillery had been created at the Hampden Great House. The business expanded across the Caribbean and beyond until the early 2000s, when mounting debts threatened its survival. In 2003, the Jamaican government stepped in to preserve around one hundred jobs, acquiring the distillery before auctioning it in 2009 when profitability remained elusive. The company was then purchased by Everglades Farms, owned by the Hussey family, who undertook substantial investment to restore its fortunes. In 2018, Hampden released its first official estate bottlings, marking a decisive turning point in the distillery’s history.
Defined by an exceptional aromatic profile shaped by time-honoured methods, the estate’s rums are revered by connoisseurs worldwide. Today, Hampden continues to set the standard in pot still distillation and the famed dunder technique, and its momentum shows no sign of slowing.

A Jamaican rum distilled in 1990 and bottled in 2013 by Rum Nation after 23 years’’ ageing. Rum Nation is an Italian independent bottler created in 1999 by Fabio Rossi, who had worked in the family wine and spirits import business founded by his father in 1956. During his trips to Scotland, he was impressed by various casks of rum from Jamaica and Guyana and wanted to offer them to the public. With the valuable advice of Silvano Samaroli, he launched Rum Nation and began travelling the Caribbean. After initial maturation at the production site, the rums selected then continue maturation in Europe, in a more temperate climate, sometimes in sherry or Spanish brandy casks. Rum Nation tries to keep the spirit of the country of origin, reflected in the presence of a stamp from the country on the label, which Fabio has collected since he was a child. Rossi is also behind the independent bottler Wilson & Morgan, which specializes in whisky.