97: Inside the Hampden 8 Marks Collection with Peppie Grant, Daniele Biondi, and Howard McCalla

In this episode, we went deep on the eight marks of Jamaica's Hampden Estate and the making of the recently released 8 Marks Collection with Peppie Grant (Tour Manager at Hampden), Daniele Biondi (Export Manager at La Maison & Velier), and Howard McCalla (Production Manager at Hampden).Speaking with people from both Hampden and La Maison & Velier allowed us to get the full story behind the 8 Marks Collection, from the rum itself to how the release came together in the first place. We discussed:How the idea for the 8 Marks Collection came aboutChallenges in creating a unique product like thisThe best ways to taste through Hampden's marksHow to approach blending marks togetherWhy higher ester level does not automatically make a rum more complexWhat exactly is cane juice vinegar?Whether certain marks are only made on certain stills or notHampden's rumored 3,000 (or even 7,000!) ester level rumsWhy Jamaica limits ester levels in rumThe perils of the "high ester" descriptorThe upcoming aged version of the 8 Marks CollectionHampden's futureAnd much more!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.