A good bottle of rum has a certain ability to transport us. It could whisk us to the distant shores of Haiti or Jamaica, express itself powerfully and sometimes showcase a unique depth or polarising funkiness that challenge our ideas of what makes a beautiful spirit. It seems fitting then, that Velier would find a partner in Magnum Photos, the renowned photography agency celebrated for its impactful photojournalism that has been capturing pivotal moments in history and offered unique perspectives on the human condition for many decades.

Saint James Velier 15 Year Old Magnum Elliott Erwitt Series #1 (Read review here)

In 2022, Velier unveiled the Magnum Series #1, a limited edition collection of rums presented in their signature stocky black bottles. Each of the four bottles is adorned with a label showcasing an unpublished photograph by Elliott Erwitt, a master photographer celebrated for his elegant high-contrast black-and-white images, sometimes infused with satirical humour or a certain sense of humanity. For me, the stark contrast in Elliott Erwitt's photographs reminds me of the powerful and raw character of the Hampden expression in the Series #1.

This year, Velier has unveiled the second Magnum Series of rums at Whisky Live Singapore 2024 where we had the opportunity to sample the series. This time, tribute is paide to the work of American street photographer Alex Webb, known for his vibrant colour photographs.

Born in 1952, Webb's lens has roamed the bustling streets of Haiti and the vibrant crossroads of Istanbul, documenting the human experience with a keen eye for colour, composition, and the serendipitous moments that unfold within the frame. Webb’s work is known for masterfully capturing fleeting moments of everyday life, often amidst the backdrop of socio-political tension, punctuated by serendipitous moments of ordinary life in the Mexico-United States border and more recently cities in America. His work has graced the pages of renowned publications like Life and National Geographic.

One of Webb's most iconic works is this photograph of a little boy in a southern Mexico town who "seems to have the world spinning on his fingertip" (Source: Alex Webb / Magnum)

It's also fitting to have Webb’s visual storytelling to represent the range of character found in the rums of the Magnum Series #2. Like its predecessor, this series features four iconic rums. Hampden and Saint James make a welcome return, alongside two new faces: Monymusk-Clarendon from Jamaica, also famous for its rich and estery rums, and Beenleigh from Australia - one of Australia's oldest rum distilleries.

Let's take a closer look at each bottling. First up, the Hampden offering is a different beast from the potent and funky 5-year-old Hampden HLCF mark featured in the first series. This time around, we're treated to a 13-year-old Hampden with a smoother and more approachable marque, LROK. The LROK marque, which stands for "Light Rum Owen Kelly," refers to a specific ester range (about 150-200 gr/hlpa) and is known for its balanced fruitiness and spice.

We revisit Saint James from Martinique. While the previous release showcased the distillery's classic Creole column still rum, this year's offering is a 12-year-old spirit distilled in a pot still that might offer an interesting contrast to the previous release.

Next up is the 8-year-old Beenleigh which was distilled in both column and copper pot stills before resting in ex-bourbon casks. Finally, we have a Clarendon’s MBS marque, also known for its lower ester content and smoother profile with an ester count of MBS, or "Marque Basse Savalle," typically has an ester range of 10-60 gr/hlpa.

With this context out of the way, let's get down to the business of tasting this iconic series.

Hampden 2010 LROK, 13 Year Old, Velier Magnum Series #2 Alex Webb, 60% ABV – Review

Tasting Notes

Nose: An initial wave of candied sweetness hits first, bringing to mind overripe bananas and pineapple alongside poached pear drizzled with brown sugar. There’s a refreshing minty edge. Some candied citrus notes. As the rum breathes, some delicate floral and herbal tones of geraniums emerge.

Palate: Full-bodied and lively. It bursts onto the palate with a lively, almost industrial funk. Pepper and liquorice intertwine with dark chocolate with a smoother tropical fruit counterpoint of ripe pineapple and banana. A hint of industrial solvent, with continued sweetness and some savouriness of candied honey bacon and raspberry jam. A lasting warmth and pepperiness persists from the initial attack.

Finish: Fairly dense but short. A tightly-wound blend of tart fruits like quince cheese and dried cranberries and brown sugar sweetness, culminating in that classic Hampden flourish of tropical fruits.

My Thoughts:

My initial impression on the palate was quite intense and lively, but the Hampden LROK marque quickly settles into a fairly balanced and smooth tropical profile. The nose and palate are moderately intense, but the rum never overwhelms.

It's very flavourful but much more polite and without the high-octane brusqueness of the Hampden HLCF from the previous Magnum series. This expression is a study in moderation, allowing more of the subtle tropical fruit sweetness to show. It’s a more versatile, approachable and sensible Hampden expression. 

Saint James 2010, 12 Year Old, Velier Magnum Series #2 Alex Webb, 45% ABV – Review 

Tasting Notes

Nose: It opens up bright and honeyed, even a little citrusy with orange blossoms outlining the bouquet on the nose. Digging a little deeper there’s that gentle and supple herbal jellies, rock sugar syrup, brown sugar syrup, those elegant and herbal asian confectionaries, thinking cheng tng soup and guilingao (herbal jelly). It’s also got that grassiness, a little bit of wheatgrass even. With time it turns richer, with more herbal Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa syrup coming through, along with a slight dryness of dried herbal and medicinal roots.

Palate: Medium-bodied here, more on those delicate herbal jellies, just gently sweet with a touch of brown sugar syrup, as well as that herbal cough syrup. Again as it progresses, it turns increasingly more root-y and medicinal, with dried angelica, ginseng and liquorice roots. That in turn delivers a gentle dryness that’s backed by some brown sugar that keeps it fairly rich. Here it’s earthy, more medicinal and herbal root filled, with just a touch of brown sugar.

Finish: More on sarsaparilla, sweet brown sugar, root beer syrup, black liquorice, giving it this earthy chewiness. The finish is clean and lighter with the brown sugar receding to reveal more of those medicinal and herbal roots that lingers on the finish.

My Thoughts

True to the rhum agricole style, this was elegant, grassy and herbal, really aromatic and even though the style calls for a lighter and more grassy profile, this came through with still a good amount of richness and concentration that gave it a fair bit of substance on the nose.

That said, it broadly takes on a more prominent medicinal and herbal root element that the is alluded to on the nose, but really comes through most on the palate and finish. I personally enjoy that herbal and root-y aspect, although I do tend to find that it might be a little bit of a particular taste that can be divisive. On the palate there’s loads of those dried angelica, ginseng and licorice roots, that also gives some dryness, although that is metered by a good serving of brown sugar that does keep it fairly rounded and approachable.

It is perhaps on the finish where the brown sugar recedes that the root-y qualities become quite dominant and definitely more dry, although again, I quite enjoyed that textural contrast set against the richness of the brown sugar from the palate.

This is classic rhum agricole, here with more concentration and a more pronounced herbal and medicinal aspect that gives it more of a dryness. I found this very elegant and thoroughly enjoyable!

Clarendon 2014 MBS, 10 Year Old, Velier Magnum Series #2 Alex Webb, 60% ABV – Review



Tasting Notes

Nose: Warm, spiced and approachable. Opens with aromas of baked apples and nectarines drizzled in caramel and brown sugar syrup. There is a subtle, slightly industrial feinty note laid on the background of warm baking spices and a hint of liquorice.

Palate: Sweet, savoury with an unctuous and thick palate. Opens with plums and tropical fruits like pink guava and pineapple, sweet-tangy lemonade and rich brown sugar syrup. There’s also a touch of savoury balsamic and perhaps sweet teriyaki sauce.

Finish: Remarkably warm and long on the finish, with drawn out notes of mint and liquorice. Polished antique oak and a mild herbaceous bitterness of gentian is followed by sweet, minty, liquorice and Hacks mint candy. A final touch of salted crushed peanuts.

My Thoughts:

This is easily one of the most elegant and approachable Clarendon expressions I've encountered. It beautifully balances those sweet tropical notes and a satisfyingly unctuous texture with a smooth, approachable character.

The funk is minimal, allowing the warmth of brown sugar and baking spices to shine through. Though, what sets this apart is its impressively long finish, with those antique wood notes lingering on and on.

Beenleigh 2015, 8 Year Old, Velier Magnum Series #2 Alex Webb, 60% ABV – Review

Tasting Notes

Nose: Chock full of red apples, apple strudels, serious servings of brown sugar, and a little bit of cane sugar garnishing it. It’s thick and decadent, fudge-y almost with more on molasses and butterscotch. In time it opens up and takes a more lifted stance - as is always the case with Beenleigh’s - brighter now, with banana blossoms and brown sugar. It’s got great richness, rather floral and nicely lifted.

Palate: Really nice punchiness that’s backed by great richness, it’s lush and velvety, yet has all that exciting and vivacious spiciness. Also lots of brown sugar, apples and banana blossoms, coming together as caramelised apples, flambeed bananas and freshly baked banana bread. Some of that diesel and rubber tyres too, just a touch. Great intensity and richness here, bold and energetic.

Finish: Long, really long! Intense and rich, giving also coffee grounds, banana blossoms, burnt brown sugar. As it recedes, it brightens and gives itself a lift to showcase more vanillic and confectionary qualities - lots of those toasty and savoury creme brûlée crust and banana bread that lingers on the finish.

My Thoughts

A really superb rum that’s intense and forward, bold, energetic, very excitable with all these big flavours that are delivered with the utmost vigour!

This came across as a very distilled and focused expression of that Beenleigh character that we’ve all come to really love - those heavy brown sugars, banana bread, red apples, that dramatic uplift that brightens, turns it more confectionary and gives it this wonderful airiness - this delivered all of that in the most distinct and concentrated manner. With Beenleigh’s its always about that evolution, and this was no different, you’ve always got to give it some time to open up and really take flight, and this does so with such power and intensity. Such a lovely addition!

Overall Thoughts

Every expression in the Velier Magnum Series #2 is undoubtedly high quality and well-matured. That said, it was a little surprising that the emphasis here seems to lean more towards balance and approachability rather than intensity or explosive funk when you expect it.

The Hampden LROK and Clarendon MBS, in particular, showcase this shift, as they are not what funk-seeking rum connoisseurs would expect. They prioritize smoother tropical fruit notes and warm spice, respectively, over the more aggressive, high-ester profiles typically associated with these distilleries. This makes them excellent entry points for those exploring Jamaican rum, and real crowd pleasers, but perhaps less captivating for those enthusiasts seeking a very wild ride.

The collection certainly has its standouts, though. The Beenleigh has been a force of nature, delivering a concentrated blast of brown sugar, banana bread, and red apple. It's a rum that demands attention and rewards with its intense, evolving character. Similarly, the Saint James offers a satisfying quintessential rhum agricole experience with the characteristic grassy and herbal notes and added layer of medicinal complexity.

Ultimately, this edition does its job of highlighting the diversity within the rum world while giving us a reminder that there's beauty to be found in balance and refinement as well.

@CharsiuCharlie