Founded in 1753, Long Pond is a sugar estate and distillery in the Jamaican Parish of Trelawny, which is also home to Hampden Estate. Back then, Long Pond was just one of many sugar estates, the majority of which have been shut down or consolidated over the course of history due to falling sugar prices. These consolidations led to larger and larger areas of sugar cane owned by the surviving sugar estates. Today, Long Pond Distillers Limited is part of National Rums of Jamaica (NRJ) while the Long Pond Sugar Estate, together with Hampden Estate, has been bought by the Hussey family in 2009. The structure behind NRJ is described in the article on Clarendon. Long Pond distillery had to close in 2012 due to leakages at their dunder storage tanks. Pictures suggest that commencing production would require massive repairs and investments but apparently they have resumed operations earlier this year. They have started fermentations at the beginning of 2017 and perhaps even the first rounds of distillation.
Besides a column still (see featured image), Long Pond has two pot stills (see photo above). Most of the rums that found their way to Europe and that have been bottled with the Long Pond tag on them come from one of them. Why do I emphasise the latter point? Long Pond is not a proper brand as the distillery doesn’t bottle its own rum (they distill rum for some NRJ products though). Most of the rum produced at the distillery is sold in bulk to private companies and brokers, who in turn might re-sell it again. What is more, only a tiny fraction of the rum that makes it to brokers also makes it to independent bottlers. The rest goes into cheap blends, the German “Rumverschnitt” (which isn’t even actual rum) and into things such as baking extract or perfume. Column still rums from Long Pond are rather uninspiring while their pot still rums can be anything from good to excellent, varying between the batches. They mostly fall in the Wedderburn category and have a somewhat nutty profile with notes of exotic fruits and, occasionally even old cheese.
The following is a list of Long Pond’s marks and their corresponding ester ranges in g/hlaa:
CRV | 0-20 | |
CQV | 20-50 | |
LRM | 50-90 | |
ITP/LSO | Ive Trelawny Pot (Lluidas Plantation) | 90-120 |
HJC/LIB | (Caymanas Estate, till 1940s) | 120-150 |
IRW/VRW | Vale Royal Wedderburn (Vale Royal, till 1959) | 150-250 |
HHHS/OCLP | 250-400 | |
LPS | Long Pond Special | 400-550 |
STC^E | Simon Thompson Cambridge Estate (Cambridge Estate) | 550-700 |
TECA | Tilston Estate Continental A (Tilston Estate) | 1200-1300 |
TECB | Tilston Estate Continental B (Tilston Estate) | 1300-1400 |
TECC | Tilston Estate Continental C (Tilston Estate) | 1500-1600 |
Tasted rums from Long Pond:
- A.D. Rattray Monymusk (Long Pond) 25YO (1986-2011), 46%
- Barikenn Jamaica Long Pond “ITP” 15YO (2007-2023), 58,3%
- Barrique Long Pond 5YO (2010-2015), 47,9%
- Berry Bros & Rudd Jamaica (Long Pond) 27YO (1977-2004), 46%
- Berry Bros & Rudd Jamaica (Long Pond) 36YO (1977-2014), 60,3%
- Berry Bros & Rudd Jamaica (Long Pond) 33YO (1982-2016), 57%
- Berry Bros & Rudd Long Pond 16YO (1986-2002), 46%
- Berry Bros & Rudd Long Pond 18YO (1986-2004), 46%
- Bristol Classic Rum Long Pond 12YO (1985-1997), 46%
- Bristol Long Pond 13YO (1985-1998), 46%
- Bristol Long Pond 16YO (1986-2002), 46%
- Cadenhead’s Long Pond “IRW” 10YO (1986-1996), 73,6%
- Cadenhead’s Long Pond “IRW” 10YO (1986-1997), 75%
- Cadenhead’s Long Pond “IRW” 13YO (1986-1999), 70,1%
- Cadenhead’s Long Pond “IRW” 18YO (1986-2004), 68,3%
- Cadenhead’s Long Pond “IRW” 18YO (1986-2005), 67,5%
- Compagnie des Indes Long Pond 12YO (2003-2015), 44%
- Duncan Taylor Long Pond Distillery 13YO (2000-2014), 54,6%
- Duncan Taylor Long Pond Distillery 15YO (2000-2016), 51,9%
- Duncan Taylor Long Pond Distillery 16YO (2000-2017), 54,1%
- Ekte No.4 Long Pond 15YO (2000-2016), 61,4%
- Habitation Velier Long Pond STC♥E (2018), 62,5%
- Habitation Velier Long Pond STC<3E 3YO (2019-2023), 60%
- Habitation Velier Long Pond TECA 14YO (2005-2019), 62%
- Isla del Ron Long Pond 30YO (1982-2013), 56,2%
- Isla del Ron Long Pond 12YO (2008-2020), 59,1%
- J.B.S. First Rate Rum, 54%
- MacY Jamaica (Long Pond) 14YO (1992-2006), 45%
- Mezan Long Pond 18YO (2000-2018), 57,95%
- Moon Import Jamaica (Long Pond/Blend) 22YO (1982-2004), 46%
- Moon Import IJHB (Blend) 29YO (1983-2012), 46%
- Nobilis Long Pond 20YO (2000-2021), 54,9%
- Old Jamaique (Long Pond) 35YO (1977-2012), 50%
- Old Jamaique (Long Pond) 30YO (1982-2012), 50%
- Plantation Collector No. 1 Jamaica (Long Pond) 18YO (2000-2019), 43%
- Plantation Extreme No. 3 Jamaica (Long Pond) “ITP” 22YO (1996-2018), 54,8%
- Plantation Extreme No. 3 Jamaica (Long Pond) “HJC” 22YO (1996-2018), 56,2%
- Plantation Extreme No. 4 Jamaica (Long Pond) “CRV” 24YO (1996-2020), 60,3%
- Plantation Jamaica (Long Pond) 25YO (1986-2011), 42%
- Plantation Jamaica Long Pond 27YO “CRV” “for The Nectar” (1993-2021), 76,8%
- Plantation Jamaica (Long Pond) 23YO “ITP & HJC” (1996-2020), 49,1%
- Rest & Be Thankful Jamaica Long Pond #1757 “ITP” 24YO (1998-2023), 54,7%
- Rest & Be Thankful Jamaica Long Pond #10242 “LSO” 23YO (1998-2022), 55,5%
- Rest & Be Thankful Jamaica Long Pond #10241 “LSO” 24YO (1998-2023), 60,2%
- Rest & Be Thankful Jamaica Long Pond #10276 “LSO” 24YO (1998-2023), 58,6%
- Robert Watson Jamaica (Long Pond) 26YO (1982-2008), 48%
- Rom Deluxe Long Pond 19YO (2001-2000), 59%
- Rumdealer’s Selection Long Pond Distillery 14YO (2000-2014), 63,8%
- Rum Albrecht LPS Long Pond Single Rum 11YO (1993-2005), 53%
- Rum Albrecht LPS Long Pond Single Rum 17YO (1993-2011), 53%
- Rum Albrecht LPS Long Pond Single Rum 18YO (1993-2012), 53%
- Rum Artesanal Long Pond 17YO (2000-2017), 62,5%
- Rum Artesanal Long Pond 20YO (2000-2020), 55,3%
- Rum Nation SBRR Jamaica 30YO (1977, 1985 & 1986-2017), 48,7%
- Rum Nation Supreme Lord II (Long Pond) 26YO (1977-2003), 45%
- Rum Nation Supreme Lord IV (Long Pond) 21YO (1986-2007), 45%
- Rum Nation Supreme Lord V (Long Pond) 25YO (1985-2010), 43%
- Rum Nation Supreme Lord VI (Long Pond) 26YO (1986-2012), 45%
- S.B.S Long Pond “STC<3E” ‘Ex DOK Cask” (2020-2022), 57%
- Silver Seal Long Pond 21YO (1986-2007), 50%
- Silver Seal Long Pond 1996, 46%
- Silver Seal Long Pond 15YO (2000-2016), 51%
- Silver Seal Long Pond 18YO (2000-2018), 50%
- The Duchess Long Pond “LPS” 20YO (2001-2021), 60,1%
- The Nectar of the Daily Drams Jamaica Long Pond “PX Finish” (2020-2021), 55%
- The Rum Cask Long Pond Estate 13YO (2000-2013), 58,2%
- The Rum Cask Long Pond Estate 15YO (2000-2016), 62%
- The Secret Treasures Long Pond 24YO (1986-2000), 40%
- The Whisky Warehouse Long Pond 14YO (2000-2014), 46%
- The Whisky Agency (Liquid Sun) Jamaica (Long Pond) 30YO (1982-2012), 50,8%
- The Whisky Agency (for The Nectar) Jamaica (Long Pond) 35YO (1977-2012), 52,9%
- Uaahouua Long Pond Brandy Finish (1986?), 43%
- Valinch & Mallet Long Pond “VRW” 15YO (2005-2020), 56,8%
- Velier Long Pond 12YO (1985-1997), 46%
- Velier/ NRJ Cambridge (Long Pond) STC♥E 13YO (2005-2018), 62,5%
- Velier/ NRJ Cambridge (Long Pond) STC♥E 12YO (2010-2022), 57%
- Velier/ NRJ Vale Royal (Long Pond) VRW 12YO (2006-2018), 62,5%
- Velier/ NRJ Long Pond TECA 15YO (2003-2018), 62,5%
- Velier/ NRJ Long Pond TECA 12YO (2007-2019), 63%
- Velier/ NRJ Long Pond TECC 11YO (2007-2018), 63%
- Wu Dram Clan Jamaica Long Pond “LPS” 21YO (2001-2023), 56,3%
The photos are provided courtesy of Matt Pietrek.