Aroma visualization from community tastings
Distilia Long Pond The Golden Age of Piracy Charles Vane 1983
Near-universal love here, with only a couple of tasters calling it slightly overrated. This 38-year Long Pond noses like Hampden at first — glue, pineapple, papaya, ripe peach — then turns clearly Long Pond on the palate: oily, nutty, woody, with roasted almond and white pepper. Remarkably fresh and balanced for its age, alcohol beautifully tucked in. A few wish it had more tropical-aging depth.
The community says- Perfect alcohol integration
- Complex tropical fruit
- Fresh for its age
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How does Distilia Long Pond The Golden Age of Piracy Charles Vane 1983 taste?
Aggregated from 43 community reviews.
Elegant, complex 38-year Long Pond funk Adored by nearly everyone who tried it: a fresh, complex old Long Pond with esters, tropical fruit and nuts, alcohol perfectly integrated. A rare few found it a touch light or overhyped.
Serious fans of old Jamaican funk and Long Pond/Hampden esters
Beginners and anyone wanting a big, heavy tropical-aged bruiser
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
22 of 43 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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How is Distilia Long Pond The Golden Age of Piracy Charles Vane 1983 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 9.2 sits in the “Excellent” band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
100% rate it 8 or higher. 27 selected write-ups from 43 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Oliver
Incredibly complex and intense nose - to fall in love! First association was Hampden. Boiled down, tropical fruit, peach and pleasant esters - not too funky. The 38 years in the barrel rounded it out to perfection. Wow, a real explosion on the palate, this is also where the Long Pond character comes out. Perfectly balanced yet complex. Very pleasant bitterness. In the finish, some smoke is added.Outstanding! Absolutely exceptional Jamaican.
Review by Jakob
Sip for sip a piece of rum history. On the nose still impressively fresh for a 38 years aged rum and due to the force of the tropical fruits with great proximity to the Hampden bottlings from the same vintage. On the palate, the fruity melange remains far ahead, but now additionally paired with light lime notes, well-tarred barrel influence, spices and after a moment in the mouth with a subtle tart note that reminds me of dark chocolate. Age comes into play on the finish, somewhat capturing the youthful freshness from the nose and releasing us into a downright velvety finish. An impressive experience.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
Retasting with the RumX guys. Lost a few points 😊 ------------ This is close to a perfect rum. We'll balanced and intense with perfect ABV integration. Draws very nice curtains in the glass and the empty glass has a wonderful nose. The angels must have been happy hovering over this cask for so long.
Review by SaibotZtar
WOW. I am blown away! What a great rum! Nose Incredibly complex with esters, pineapple, mango, papaya, banana and delicious fruit esters .... mild wood note very harmonious. Palate Oily sweet ... wonderfully balanced again pineapple, papaya, banana and ester... paired with a portion of wood which rounds off perfectly. If it wasn't so expensive.... what a Mai Tai it would be 💥💥 By far the best Long Pond I've tried so far
Review by Piddusan
Nose: powerful intense note of sovent / glue / tropical fruit (not fermented ritten fruit type, but rather intense mature ones) oily. Waiting few minutes: white peach, winter melon. Esters notes are dominant, intense, never harsh or acidic. Mouth: WOW. powerful attack. Oily, tropical fruits, red juicy apples, grapes, bananas, roasted almonds, white pepper. Aftertaste: Moderate to long, not infinite. Very nice notes remaining, tropical fruits, banana mousse, roasted almonds, delicate white pepper
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Insanely beautiful old LP! Surprisingly little wood for almost 40 years old, plus beautiful esters of nutty fruit bread, peach iced tea, butter cookies, leather, green pepper and tropical fruits such as papaya and melon. Really good stuff! Thanks Oli! All in all, however, it's still an example for which I find tropical maturation more appealing; it would probably have been even better with a large proportion of tropical maturation!
Review by Johannes
Amazing Long Pond! On the nose, I would have guessed Hampden. On the palate then more Long Pond with a good amount of wood and a nice complexity. Reminds me a bit of the Long Pond 1941 with less herbs. Fantastic and unique!
Review by Beach-and-Rum 🏖️🌴
WOW! Something very special today. This rum is really something special. Tropical fruits, esters and pleasant woody notes. Very complex and extremely smooth in taste. Unfortunately, as always, far too expensive. Thank you Oliver for the wonderful experience.
Review by Holle525
First I thought it is Hampden, the nose and the taste is very much Hampden like. But this one is a very unique Long Pond due to a lot of Hampden influence. I know that in every LP is always a Hampden but not that dominant. I scored on the Nose 93, Taste 93 and Aftertaste 94 and overall 93 points. Very balanced with perfect integrated alcohol. Full of fruity flavors and almost no acid. Awesome.
Review by TheRhumhoe
A blessing from Jamaica. Straight from Long Pond, this rum is a true gem. The nose is incredibly complex and deep. Tropical fruits (pineapple, banana, mango, papaya) appear, bordered by phenolic notes, a sweet touch of marzipan, a hint of tobacco, a hint of tea and a barely perceptible woody touch. A nose on which one could spend hours. The attack on the palate is incredible. An incredible roundness that makes this nectar seem like milk. Exotic fruits invade the palate, followed by a spicy, slightly licorice-like touch that's hard to describe but extremely delicious. Dried fruits, pastry notes, esters and nuts create a unique, absolutely epic profile, both mysterious and opulent. The finish is practically eternal. More woody notes emerge, with leather, vanilla, nuts and a few spices. Pastries and exotic fruits are not left out, giving this rum its letters of nobility. A veritable liquid treasure, this Long Pond belongs in the pantheon of rums.
Review by Volkmar Weber
First nose - Hampden Funk. In the mouth, however, clearly Long Pond, refined and super complex. Don't drink it too quickly, the oxygen is good for it. Always new nuances, a light smoky note like in mezcal gives a wonderful interplay with the fruitiness of the rum. Whow!
Review by Frank
This sample was given to loyal RumX users at the 12th GRF in Berlin. Thanks for that Olli ☺️🙏 Nose: intense and very round. Despite or because of its age? 38 years is a statement! The pleasant esters are surrounded by pineapple marzipan and finely tart passion fruit. The typical LP-Pattex glue comes into its own. Behind this, green tea and camomile infusion. Beautiful, full and complex nose. 9.0 Palate: wow, very full-bodied, dense and complex. Pleasantly oily, malty-smoky and bacony. Some pencil lead goes well with the oiliness. Now the esters also come through with restraint. Papaya comes closest to the fruitiness. A little smoke, light tobacco and black tea come through at the back. I like it extremely well. 9.4
Review by Tim
Komplexer Jamaikaner mit extrem runder Nase. Lecker Früchte, angenehm Honig und Vanille. Pflanzliche Noten sind auch leicht vorhanden. Das Alter merkt man nicht wirklich an der Nase, im Mund und Abgang dann schon, was aber nicht negativ ist. In Mund nussig, holzig, erdig. Als Jamaikaner empfinde ich ihn sehr rund und angenehm, was diesen Rum für mich von der Masse abheben lässt. Aber 90+? Bin mir nicht so sicher.
Review by Jarek
Danke an Serge fürs Teilen! Leckerer und guter Rum, aber für mein Empfinden etwas überbewertet.
Review by Serge
Tasted against the 83 Tastoe hd-lp A very good rum with a very light and mild character. Really free of off-notes and very fine but a little too light and mild for me. Didn't really convince me.
Review by Mirco
Sehr komplexe Aromatik, in der sich tropische Früchte wie Ananas und Papaya mit estermäßigen Noten von Lösungsmittel und Holz verbinden. Daneben treten nussige Töne und ein Hauch schwarzer Tee hervor. Die Struktur ist meisterhaft ausbalanciert, dadurch wirkt der Rum trotz langer Reife lebendig und präsent. Der Abgang ist anhaltend, mit leichtem Rauch und raffinierter Bitterkeit, die dem Profil Charakter verleiht
Review by Skyfly
Herrlicher Rum. Bringt die typischen Jamaika Aromen mit und kombiniert diese grandios in Nase mit Tee und Tabak und im Gaumen mit Nuss und Holz. Die starke Präsenz von Papaya macht den Rum nochmal besonders spannend, sodass diese Kombination wirklich einmalig ist. Habe selten einen Rum getrunken bei dem der Alkohol so gut eingebunden war!
Review by Tom Buteneers
Mind blowing. Probably one of the best rums of 2022. Need to try it next to the TasTToe1983 LP/HD, would love to compare them. Intense, glue/solvents and ester-y but at the same time amazing balance. After the 1994 NYE it the esters were more present in the nose but at the same time it mellowed a bit. Wonderful rum experience.
Review by Thunderbird
Eine sehr schöner eleganter, fruchtig kräuteriger LP! Sehr süffig
Review by Rene Pfeiffer
Richtig tolles Zeug. Total ausgewogen.
Review by Mopar Rules
number two and a typical Long Pond with a light ester touch that seems to be the Long Pond signature. Complex, balanced, fruity and almost perfect in the balance with the esters.
Review by Alex1981
Slight olives on the nose, followed by intense herbal notes. Palate with spices & wood, balanced with some rotten fruits and herbs. Long finish. Great complexity & integration, invites for a mor thorough tasting in a more quite setting.
Review by CaRaph
Just tasted this rum. It's really an incredibly good one. Very balanced, perfect alcohol integration. Lots of fruits, I love it !
Review by Rumrunner
This rum is by far the best of all ‘The Golden Age of Piracy’ releases from Distilia. A true masterpiece! Flavors of apple, roasted almond and white pepper gives you a thrill in every corner of the mouth. I adore the funky Jamaican rums in particular Hampden and Long Pond. I honestly put this rum in my personal top 10 of Jamaican rums I tasted. What an explosion of sent and taste! Nothing but love for this long pond!
Review by linsen davy
23May 2025 , long looked forward to this this weekend , and to this day. In front of me is an unopened bottle of long pound “the vane” , after the sample last year and fading flavors in my head , I was curious if my first experiences would return . Plop ... piotr opens the bottle and slowly hands it to me . The moment my nose passes the bottle I am,overwhelmed with that blissful feeling of an old never forgotten memory. The closed box of the first tasting opens and my eyes close . Meanwhile without I know a nice glass has already been filled , yes you can keep smelling this masterpiece for days. The thin even lines descending along the glass keep running agonizingly slow , the most desirable scent of ester so perfect and sweet fills the glass , honey , fragrant wood of fresh sawn cedar and elegant light fruit . Incredible how the scent is perfectly continued in flavor . How a very old longpond can be so fresh , so light and so thin is phenomenal . The ester is so beautifully intertwined with fruit and a bit of nuts , the transition to japanese pear is incredibly complex and the alcohol perfectly integrated . My eyes open again and everyone stares at me , yes youngsters this is the best there is , and smiling faces appear everywhere . Without realizing it I swallow and may I,once again enjoy a broad palate of light notes , bitterness is cut off just in time ,alcohol gives way one last time and the explosion of fruit comes along perfectly once again. What a balance and freshness , perfect proportions , not an outlier anywhere , the character of this longpond is sublime in all its flavors and aromas. This rum is a must have , experiencing these flavors will stay with me forever and long pond is in danger of extinction, just a few more caks...don't say you haven't been notified
Review by bur2000
Fruity Jamaican on the nose, but not at all overripe or fermented, but rather fresh and bright. Reminiscent of unripe bananas. After standing for a while, it becomes softer and some chocolate or caramel appears in the background. On the palate, a direct, almost medicinal, woody kick that immediately transitions into that special mixture of fruit salad, oily rags and hot metal that I often taste in Jamaica. Here, however, less fruit and a proper workshop. This also forms the finish, which is medium in length and contains lubricating oil and tropical fruits. Overall, clearly Jamaican, but completely without glue, butyric acid and overripeness. You can clearly smell the full, paper-covered glass from a distance, so the nose is intense... The empty glass smells very interestingly of tobacco, slightly sour, leathery, like a dusty junk store. It's worth leaving it overnight. But: the bottler Distilia wants more than 1000€ for it? The rum is good, but the price is absurd (compare RA, Velier, Rum Cask ...). #29:250817
Review by linsrn davy
23May 2025 , long looked forward to this this weekend , and to this day. In front of me is an unopened bottle of long pound “the vane” , after the sample last year and fading flavors in my head , I was curious if my first experiences would return . Plop ... piotr opens the bottle and slowly hands it to me . The moment my nose passes the bottle I am,overwhelmed with that blissful feeling of an old never forgotten memory. The closed box of the first tasting opens and my eyes close . Meanwhile without I know a nice glass has already been filled , yes you can keep smelling this masterpiece for days. The thin even lines descending along the glass keep running agonizingly slow , the most desirable scent of ester so perfect and sweet fills the glass , honey , fragrant wood of fresh sawn cedar and elegant light fruit . Incredible how the scent is perfectly continued in flavor . How a very old longpond can be so fresh , so light and so thin is phenomenal . The ester is so beautifully intertwined with fruit and a bit of nuts , the transition to japanese pear is incredibly complex and the alcohol perfectly integrated . My eyes open again and everyone stares at me , yes youngsters this is the best there is , and smiling faces appear everywhere . Without realizing it I swallow and may I,once again enjoy a broad palate of light notes , bitterness is cut off just in time ,alcohol gives way one last time and the explosion of fruit comes along perfectly once again. What a balance and freshness , perfect proportions , not an outlier anywhere , the character of this longpond is sublime in all its flavors and aromas. This rum is a must have , experiencing these flavors will stay with me forever and long pond is in danger of extinction, just a few more caks...don't say you haven't been notified
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Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Rob Bauer
One of the top 3 long ponds I've had so far.
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
What this bottle last achieved at auction. A research indicator, not a forecast.
Auction results 850 € – 1075 €
from 2 sales, latest 10/2025
Prices incl. buyer's premium — what a buyer pays, not what a sale nets you.
Avg. community purchase price 705 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about Distilia Long Pond The Golden Age of Piracy Charles Vane 1983
A Pot Still Rum from Jamaica, bottled by Distilia, at 52,5%.
Community purchases
17 bottles logged by 14 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
5% opened, 0 emptied and repurchased.
What does Distilia Long Pond The Golden Age of Piracy Charles Vane 1983 cost?
Community paid 690–880 €.
Current best price: 1500.00 € – above the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
17 purchased · 44 tasted · 54 wishlist · as of
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I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
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