Hampden 2007 10 Year Cask Strength Jamaican Rum - Kill Devil (Hunter Laing) TWB Exclusive

I feel like there's irony in reviewing something entitled "Kill Devil" on Easter weekend. Historically, "kill-devil" was a colloquial reference to rum liquor as far back as the 1650s. Using rum from Hampden Distillery in Jamaica, this single cask 10 year Kill Devil exclusive is a collaboration between Hunter Laing’s Kill Devil Rum Range and The Whisky Barrel. Distilled in 2007, this Pot Still single cask yielded 270 bottles at 62.5% ABV.  Initially, I smell overripe papaya alongside rubber and solvent. With time, brown sugar comes out, which grounds the nose to lean more sweet. This is a very powerful pour that takes me on a flavour ride of contrasts: A sour, salty start leads to brief flashes of peated scotch smoke amidst some sweet and spicy tones like hot cross buns. My tongue salivates at the end but yet it's drying. The aftertaste reminds me of the black rubber ground of a playground baking in the sun. Or paint thinner. While this rum scores points for originality and flair, it's not to my personal taste to be had neat. I feel some flavour whiplash, though after letting it breathe and some water drop experimentation, I bumped up my score through the session. I appreciate its smoky moment that I'll interpret as a wink to its Scottish influence.  6.75/10