1 Bottle 1 Story : Hampden 1959 Cees Van Wees

Sixty-five years is precisely the time it took between the distillation of this rum in Jamaica and its bottling in the Netherlands. And like any self-respecting treasure, its discovery stems from chance and strokes of genius, as much as from vision and passion. Like many other Jamaican distilleries, Hampden's past is known to be closely linked to the world of trade, which it has supplied widely and globally since its beginnings in 1753. It is therefore not so surprising to see a vintage as old as 1959 resurface from the past today, even if keeping it for so long could raise a billion questions.

Cees van Wees, the providential man

We owe this feat to the Van Wees family, and more specifically to Cees, a businessman, merchant, and distiller from the 1960s until the 2000s...

Born into a family of merchants, importers, and above all experts in beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), Cees was a passionate scholar who studied distillation and history at a very young age, devouring books like a child devours sweets. He quickly developed an unparalleled nose—and palate—that would earn him numerous successes throughout his career. Excellent at what he undertook, he also became a great sports champion, but that would be to forget the essential: he was, above all, the best distiller in his country and a fervent defender of Dutch heritage. He fought mediocrity throughout his life to achieve excellence, and passed on all his expertise to his daughter Fenny, who, in turn, passed on her legacy to her daughters. Today, the family company AvW distills no fewer than 160 different distillates for more than 60 liqueurs and 22 types of genever, while maintaining distillation traditions dating back to the 19th century. A unique thing in the world.

From his many professional adventures, Cees one day in 1962 recovered this Jamaican rum, which he would never want to part with again... For Fenny van Wees, who took over the family business from her father in 2004, "the rum could have come from the company W.F.G.L Spaan, which at the time imported wines and spirits (including cognac and rum). But this remains a conjecture, due to the lack of written records. A company in which Cees had earned his stripes in 1958 and which he later acquired.

Fenny would only become aware of this treasure, which had been sleeping in the cellars since 1962, much later: "I discovered it years after taking over the family distillery, and it was by questioning my father that I was able to trace the story." Fenny then wondered what she could possibly do with it, and especially what her father intended it for: "He told me that this rum should definitely not be used for blending because it was one of a kind. I remember that he loved the smell of it and didn't want anyone to touch its personality."

The rum remained in barrel in the family company's cellars until 1988, after a "cumulative" aging of 28 years. Probably judging the moment to be opportune, Cess then decided to transfer the rum into demijohns. Then the rum was forgotten again, comfortably nestled on a shelf where it rested out of sight. At least until 2019...

A treasure among treasures

That day, Luca Gargano came to visit the Van Wees family, accompanied by Giorgia Cassani. Some time earlier, Rene van Hoven, a renowned collector, wrote to Luca Gargano to inform him of the existence of a very old collection that the Van Wees family kept in storage (The Ciguena Collection, see this article for more information).

After dealing with Cees and his daughter Fenny, as he was leaving the distillery, Luca's gaze stopped abruptly... "As I was going down the stairs, I saw this old demijohn out of the corner of my eye," Luca recalls. "I was in a hurry and was in danger of missing the plane, but I couldn't help but stop and ask what it was. I was told it was Jamaican rum, but unlike the rest of the Ciguena collection, I immediately noticed that it had remained at its natural strength, 71.9%. I didn't have time, but I asked to smell the liquid. 'But it's Hampden!' I said as I brought my nose close to the demijohn."

Fenny remembers the scene as if it were yesterday: "My eyes were opened when Luca nearly jumped to our sealing when smelling it, and I knew when I smelled the rum myself that we were in front of something special. I had never touched or opened it before."

The memory of this rum would never leave Luca, and the frustrations of Covid only reinforced his idea of ​​returning. In 2022, he was finally able to taste the distillate with Fenny, and they decided to release this rum together, dedicating it to Cees van Wees, who passed away in December 2019. "My father always told me to sell this rum to someone who would appreciate it at least as much as he did, and I'm glad Luca came along," Fenny tells us.

Initially planned for December 2024, the rum was finally bottled by Fenny and his team in February 2025, from nine demijohns (with capacities ranging from 7.5 to 20 liters) totaling 151.7 liters. 218 bottles will be produced. An extremely limited edition, which not only represents a great rum, but also a bridge between generations and a tiny part of the genius of Cees van Wees.

And if by chance you, in turn, have the chance to smell and taste this rum, spare a thought for the great man that Cees van Wees was and for the courage that Fenny and his daughters are putting into perpetuating their family legacy. Cheers!