Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum

I was wondering if anyone has made classic Tiki cocktails such as the Navy Grog, Rum Barrel, etc with Hamilton Jamaican Dark instead of Coruba or Myers? I just got a bottle and haven't cracked it yet.

Mahalo!

I am not a fan, but I hope it works out for you.

I am curious what others think of it. I would like to know what your thoughts are.

[ Edited by: Lunavideogames 2015-07-31 22:35 ]

I wouldn't consider the Hamilton Jamaican to be a substitute for Coruba, or any other dark rum. The flavor profile reminds me of white Agricole; it is very pungent. It makes a great daiquiri, and I'm sure there are a few other uses for it, but I wouldn't put it into most other drinks. I tried it in a mai tai, and it wasn't right, and I believe in a Navy a Grog it would stand out too much and unbalance the drink. You would probably have to rebalance each drink to accommodate this rum, unless you are dealing with simple recipes.

I know it's not for everyone, but this is my go-to dark Jamaican rum. I keep Coruba around and sometimes do a 50/50 split for guests if they don't like the funk. Last year I feared it would be a one-off experiment for Mr. Hamilton, so I began buying up bottles where I could. Apparently bartenders love it and there was a new batch this year, so it looks like it'll stick around. (Try his St. Lucian rum as well-- really excellent.)

The Millionaire cocktail in Ted Haigh's "Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails" showcases the Hamilton Jamaican really well (used in place of Myers'):

1.5 oz Hamilton Black Jamaican rum
.75 oz Plymouth sloe gin
.75 oz apricot brandy (I use Marie Brizard Apry)
juice of 1 fresh lime (1 to 1.5 oz)
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Enjoy!

Echoing what you're hearing here, the Hamilton Jamaican rums (Black and Gold) are not 1:1 replacements for current Jamaican rums. They're more akin, from what Mr. Hamilton has said, to a 1920s style Jamaican rum. They're very aromatic and flavorful. Rather than think of them as a replacement for Coruba, approach them as their own thing and build a cocktail around them. Or float the Jamaican Black on a cocktail to get some nice color and a pungent nose.

I think it takes well to older Caribbean drinks, like a simple Planter's Punch, Daiquiri, or a Queen's Park Swizzle. A corn 'n oil might be an interesting experiment also.

Somewhat related - if the notes I took are correct (I'm pretty sure they are) the Gold and Black Jamaican rums are differentiated only by the amount of caramel used in coloring the rum.

kevin

Thanks for your replies! I made a round of DTB Navy Grogs last night subbing Hamilton for my usual Coruba, and using ElDo 8 for the Demerara. I loved it! In all fairness though I love funky rums with lots of hogo.

I was thinking about the 1930's & 40's when many classic Tiki cocktails were created, and what Jamaican rums would have been like in that era. It's my understanding that most Jamaicans in those days would have been made in pot stills, and that it wasn't until the 1970's and 80's that column stills (which produce smoother tasting rums) became the standard in Jamaica. So if you drank a DTB Navy Grog in, say, 1948 would the dark rum component have been a funkier rum more in the style of Hamilton as opposed to modern style Coruba or Myers?

Mahalo!

[ Edited by: CincyTikiCraig 2015-08-01 16:29 ]

On 2015-07-31 23:57, KrakenHunterSteve wrote:
I wouldn't consider the Hamilton Jamaican to be a substitute for Coruba, or any other dark rum. The flavor profile reminds me of white Agricole; it is very pungent. It makes a great daiquiri, and I'm sure there are a few other uses for it, but I wouldn't put it into most other drinks. I tried it in a mai tai, and it wasn't right, and I believe in a Navy a Grog it would stand out too much and unbalance the drink. You would probably have to rebalance each drink to accommodate this rum, unless you are dealing with simple recipes.

Yes, the flavor reminds me of St George Agricole. Does anyone know what this flavor is, or what makes it taste like this?

I've fooled around with Hamilton Jamaican a few more times now, and upon further trial I think that a little of the Hamilton goes a long way. I've made a few Navy Grogs using 3:1 Coruba:Hamilton Jamaican for the dark rum portion, and that seems to be a good ratio for giving a little pot still funkiness to the drink while still providing the smooth, molasses rich dark Jamaican touch that Coruba provides to this drink.

[ Edited by: CincyTikiCraig 2015-08-05 21:55 ]

I want to understand pot still funkiness, what is it? I have Pussers, but not hamilton. What should I be looking for and finding in a pot still rum? is it amazing awesomeness that hits you in the face, or isit very subtle?

South Florida tikiphiles...anyone have a source for the Hamilton Pot Still Jamaican rum? I'm running low, and when I went to the one place I know carries it, the price was $34 (vs. $22 at Binny's in Chicago where I last loaded up). I'll pony up the extra 50% if I absolutely had to, but I'd rather have a more cost effective option.

I know I'm WAY late to the conversation, but since this Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black and Coruba Dark are both available, I think it still relevant.

I just made a Stephen Remsberg Planter's Punch with the Hamilton, keeping all ingredients as requested, including the full 3 ounces of rum. I think it's great. I still prefer the Coruba version, but if you're one who likes Jamaican funk, like I do, this is a very palatable version of the drink. Next time I'll probably try a 50:50 Coruba:Hamilton version, but I'm not opposed to this version at all.

And I can confirm that, as someone previously stated, the Gold and Black versions of the Hamilton are identical rums with the exception of the Dark literally just being colored (i.e. darkened). Otherwise, they're the same rums, unless I'm very much mistaken.

All in all, for about $25, this seems a decent price point for this funky rum. Between the two, I'd still opt for the cheaper Coruba Dark, but when I want to bring some funk to the party and don't have any Smith & Cross handy, this Hamilton is a fine option.

I went to an Ed Hamilton symposium a few years back and we got to try a bunch of his products. If I recall, the purpose of the gold is so bartenders could make better looking drinks as the black made them look muddy. The only difference in the formula of the two was the amount of caramel coloring added. We did an exercise where we added like one drop of coloring to water and it made it black as coal. I forget how many "units per whatever" Ed adds to his pot still black to make it what it is, but I'm pretty sure he was saying there was a significant difference in flavor between the two because of the amount of caramel coloring, which is maybe why both products still co-exist? I don't know, I don't think anyone else perceived a difference. At any rate, I've used both and think they're great products in classic drinks cuz they likely represent the style of Jamaican rum that was used in the creation of many of our favorites. Pungent, full flavored, higher proof deliciousness.

FWIW, Coruba used to be a staple in my bar. I find it boring now and hardly ever use it. I think they've continually lessened the amount of pot still distillate in the product to where it's now a shadow of its former self. For that style of dark Jamaican I've lately leaned more on Blackwell or Appleton. But for the most part these days I prefer the funky pot still flavors of Smith & Cross, Doctor Bird, Xaymaca, Hampdens, and things like that.