Lemon Hart 151 back?

I was looking for Koloa rum this weekend and stumbled across this in my local liquor store. This is not an untraveled out of the way store where such a thing could sit around for years. It is also not a big warehouse or collector store which might have been saving these up. So where did they come from? I thought Lemon Hart was gone from the US. Did they start importing it again?

I only bought one bottle because we have Hamilton 151 now and people can't agree on whether it's better or worse.

Edit: A couple people have asked me where in Chicago this was, I guess because I mentioned Binnys. But it was not in Chicago, it was at a Hy-Vee in Moline, Il. I asked an employee about the LH151, he knew nothing and said he'd never seen it. So where it came from and how much of it they have left, I have no idea. There were 2 bottles I did not buy left on the shelf at least.

[ Edited by: Toddmc 2015-05-07 15:38 ]

Welcome aboard, Todd! Where are you located? There's a chance that Lemon Hart 151 is back although I haven't seen any formal announcement. It seems like they're really pushing their black spiced rum. I saw this on their facebook page in response to a user:

Joey Schmidt
We're wishing for Lemon Hart 151 to come back to the US.
Like · Reply · 2 · March 27 at 10:22pm

Lemon Hart Rum
Wishes do come true ...
Like · 3 · March 30 at 7:42am

So interpret that as you will. I think that maybe your local store found/acquired a surplus? I want to check a local North Hollywood store near me that I suspect(ed) might have it still, but I imagine Lemon Hart's supply isn't at fully capacity, otherwise we'd likely see stores like Hi Times Wine carrying it in a surplus. As I understood from Lemon Hart's original announcement, there wouldn't be anything in the US until mid summer to late 2015.

If you look on eBay.it , you can get LH151 shipped to USA. Prob around $60 total per bottle. I got five bottles that way. (Also around a dozen bottles of Havana Club)

[ Edited by: rockydog101 2015-04-26 05:51 ]

This was a store in Illinois. Just a grocery store though. I would have expected Binnys, a big chain in Chicago with some warehouse sized stores, to be the first place to stock LH151 if it was coming back.

If I'd found this place before Hamilton 151 came out I would have bought everything. But as is I just got a bottle to compare since I've never had LH151, got into tiki drinks after it left the US market.

And as you can see by the price it's quite cheap. Cheaper than I've been paying for Hamilton in fact.

I was curious if there's a date somewhere on the bottle or label that would indicate if this is old or new. But while there are some numbers printed on the bottom it's not obvious what they mean.

[ Edited by: Toddmc 2015-04-28 10:33 ]

Todd, I'm Chicago too and looking to pick up a bottle. I think it's back in production and slowly hitting distributors here, as it's showing up on the Lemon Hart website now. I PM'ed you, so please check it and let me know privately where I might grab some. Many thanks!

You may be right about it being back in production, or at least some old stock trickling out into distribution.
I had been grabbing any bottles I found, and had 18 socked away, before it finally seemed to disappear for good.
Then, a couple months ago, I was online, checking a liquor chain's inventory, and I noticed they were showing 2 bottles in one store, luckily in my city. I remedied the situation, as soon as I was able. Later searches turned up no results, like it wasn't even in their system, any more. Until a few weeks ago, when the same store showed two bottles, again. But not for long. :)
Well, just now, I checked, and they have 4, again, in just that one store.
Now, I have to decide... do I tie up even more of my liquor budget in a LH151 hoard, or is it really coming back for sure and the drought already easing?

Worst comes to worst, use your stock up and switch over to Hamilton 151. It's a real treat.

On 2015-04-29 16:57, Limbo Lizard wrote:
You may be right about it being back in production, or at least some old stock trickling out into distribution.
I had been grabbing any bottles I found, and had 18 socked away, before it finally seemed to disappear for good.
Then, a couple months ago, I was online, checking a liquor chain's inventory, and I noticed they were showing 2 bottles in one store, luckily in my city. I remedied the situation, as soon as I was able. Later searches turned up no results, like it wasn't even in their system, any more. Until a few weeks ago, when the same store showed two bottles, again. But not for long. :)
Well, just now, I checked, and they have 4, again, in just that one store.
Now, I have to decide... do I tie up even more of my liquor budget in a LH151 hoard, or is it really coming back for sure and the drought already easing?

Was it Specs? I was eyeing those bottles online. But I'm five hours away. It was cheaper for me to have them shipped from Germany!

Hamilton 151 is available at Specs in Houston, btw.

No, not Spec's, though I did check them, again, before I posted. For a while, whenever I've checked store availability for LH151 at Spec's, I've gotten "We apologize but this item is temporarily out of stock at all locations." When I was in a Spec's, last week, I noticed they still had an empty space on the shelves for Lemon Hart 151, forlornly waiting for new stock. Only one Spec's in the Dallas area carries the Hamilton Demeraras, so far. There's also one independent store that stocks it.

Two Spec's stores are showing Hamilton in stock on their website so I imagine any of the others in Texas can get it if people request it. I was passing through Plano the other night so stopped at the store there that shows it available. They only had the 86 and I didnt see a spot for 151 but there was still a tag for LH151 so I asked an employee if they were getting it back and he had no clue. I asked about the Hamilton 151 and he didnt know that either. And made no attempt to find out. Will have to check in with the Austin store soon as they are typically more helpful.

Binnys is showing Hamilton 151 sold out everywhere but one location. Maybe I should go back and snag all that Lemon Hart after all.

Although, except for the Puka Punch, none of the over proof demerara drinks I've tried so far have been my favorites.

LH 151 has not made it back to the US. They have changed their labels and are only distributing to Canada currently. This is an old label bottle, out of production for ever. Buy all the bottles and save them for a rainy day. This rum is extinct.

Luna - so by "extinct" you are referring to American buyers, but not to Canadian buyers?

So. LH151 is apparently some blend of Demerara rum. It's not like there's a Lemon Hart factory down there producing this stuff. When can't someone else just import the same blend?

On 2015-05-05 11:48, AceExplorer wrote:
Luna - so by "extinct" you are referring to American buyers, but not to Canadian buyers?

This label is not being produced anymore, even in Canada. I am almost positive that the formula has been changed again as well, but I have not gotten my hands on the new LH 151 to compare yet.

So by extinct I am referring to this label, as well as the original yellow label LH 151.

And as far as I can tell still no "new batch" being produced.

On their website ( http://www.lemonhartrum.com/rums/lemon-hart-151 ) you can see the new label variation. It is pretty similar but not the same. The LH 80 has a whole new label and is being produced in Canada.

On 2015-04-30 22:15, mikehooker wrote:
Two Spec's stores are showing Hamilton in stock on their website so I imagine any of the others in Texas can get it if people request it. I was passing through Plano the other night so stopped at the store there that shows it available. They only had the 86 and I didnt see a spot for 151 but there was still a tag for LH151 so I asked an employee if they were getting it back and he had no clue. I asked about the Hamilton 151 and he didnt know that either. And made no attempt to find out. Will have to check in with the Austin store soon as they are typically more helpful.

Forgot to text you... The Hamilton I found is at the Twins at Burnet & 2222 just down from your shop.

[ Edited by: Freeland 2015-05-06 21:09 ]

On 2015-05-05 13:36, rockydog101 wrote:
So. LH151 is apparently some blend of Demerara rum. It's not like there's a Lemon Hart factory down there producing this stuff. When can't someone else just import the same blend?

As I understand is that's what Ed Hamilton did. He was the distributor for Lemon Hart in the United States and when they wouldn't let him import any more he went to the source in Guyana and had them make an overproof rum he bottles and sells under the Ministry of Rum label called Hamilton 151 Demerara.

Although I don't think the blend is identical, it's supposed to be very similar and an acceptable substitute.

It looks like Hamilton 151 is getting harder to find lately, but that's probably just the first shipments selling out.

I found the original yellow label of Lemon Hart 151 in a small shop in NYC that I pass on my way to work every day. It's $85. Should I get it? Would you?

On 2015-05-14 07:46, TrophyHunter wrote:
I found the original yellow label of Lemon Hart 151 in a small shop in NYC that I pass on my way to work every day. It's $85. Should I get it? Would you?

Yes and yes.

On 2015-05-14 07:46, TrophyHunter wrote:
I found the original yellow label of Lemon Hart 151 in a small shop in NYC that I pass on my way to work every day. It's $85. Should I get it? Would you?

Up to you and no.

Not at that price.

If you are a "bottle collector" you might have to get it. I would not - I don't collect bottles, and many agree that the flavor profiles of the red label version is almost indistinguishable from the yellow label version. Also, you have Hamilton's available as a good sub for LH151.

So it depends on your taste and if you are a collector. Yellow label is very scarce and that's a lucky find. It would look great on your bar when you have tiki friends come over.

Let us know what you decide. It's really just a question about money and how bad you "need" it -- $85 could be compared to a bar tab for you and a buddy. Stay home and watch TV one night instead of going out, then the bottle is much easier to buy.

I suspect you're gonna decide to get it, and if you do, good for you! It's pirate's booty at this point.

TrophyHunter, at this point I would buy the original label LH151 even at that price. And I don't agree that the Hamilton 151 is a good replacement it's fine but I don't find it similar to LH 151, the Hamilton 80 is more intresting to me and though it's not overproof the flavor complexity is more impressive than Hamiltons 151 which seems heavy on a couple of notes with less depth than the LH 151.

aloha, tikicoma

On 2015-05-14 07:46, TrophyHunter wrote:
I found the original yellow label of Lemon Hart 151 in a small shop in NYC that I pass on my way to work every day. It's $85. Should I get it? Would you?

While I personally haven't had the chance to actually try LH 151 (sniff sniff), If you're planning on drinking it, I wouldn't lay out that kinda bread for it when there are still other options. In NYC, you can find a bottle of Hamilton 151 Demerara Rum at a few stores (check online), which, was created out of necessity for a good overproof demerara rum to replace LH 151, so I'd drop the $28 on a bottle of that instead. Here in Baltimore, I can't get either, so I've been using Gosling's 151, but I've got a connection trying to get me the Hamilton as we speak. Hope that helps. Just my opinion.

Yeah man - if you're drinking it just realize that within 24 hours of consuming the rum it'll be pooped and peed out of your body. Will it have been worth it? Well, that's up to you. Personally I'd not get caught up in the hype and mystery and just buy more bottles of another rum with less money. :)

Dunno if it means anything but the LH website is showing the 151 as well as regular & spiced. Doing a search online I caught a fleeting glimpse of a Total Wine page indicating LH151 would be in stock June 2015.

On 2015-05-16 18:44, Brumdan wrote:
...the LH website is showing the 151 as well as regular & spiced. Doing a search online I caught a fleeting glimpse of a Total Wine page indicating LH151 would be in stock June 2015.

CONFIRMED - see screen snapshot below from http://lemonhartrum.com.

Good catch, I don't know if this signifies anything, but it could. A search on TotalWine.com yielded nothing, so I'm not sure if there is a Total Whine connection yet, and June is just around the corner. But there certainly is something on the Lemon Hart web site if you look now.

Soon I may have 3 different LH151 labels in my home.

Kahiki Guy here in Baltimore. Never got a chance to get my hands on LH 151, so I can't offer up a comparison of the two, but I did finally find a place to get Hamilton 151 from. Anyone in the Maryland area that needs the info, PM me. Unfortunately, it's hard to get in this area. Will be making a few choice cocktails tonight and look forward to tasting the difference, as, up to this point, I've had to use Gosling's 151.

On 2015-05-18 09:48, AceExplorer wrote:

On 2015-05-16 18:44, Brumdan wrote:
...the LH website is showing the 151 as well as regular & spiced. Doing a search online I caught a fleeting glimpse of a Total Wine page indicating LH151 would be in stock June 2015.

CONFIRMED - see screen snapshot below from http://lemonhartrum.com.

Good catch, I don't know if this signifies anything, but it could. A search on TotalWine.com yielded nothing, so I'm not sure if there is a Total Whine connection yet, and June is just around the corner. But there certainly is something on the Lemon Hart web site if you look now.

Soon I may have 3 different LH151 labels in my home.

Emailed Total Wine about it Friday actually. They reported that their distributors would, at least presently, not be offering LH 151. Don't know if that's across the board or just on the East Coast.

On 2015-05-18 10:03, Kahiki Guy wrote:
Emailed Total Wine about it Friday actually. They reported that their distributors would, at least presently, not be offering LH 151. Don't know if that's across the board or just on the East Coast.

Thanks, Kahiki Guy. I did the same for Lemon Hart by using their "contact us" link on their web site. Let's hope we hear good news from them, and soon.

By the way, Gosling's 151 isn't bad, so have fun with it. I think you will enjoy comparing LH151 and Goslings 151.

Look what I found on a neighborhood liquor store shelf! The old school yellow label Lemon Hart 151.

And, on sale for $19.99 to boot!

DC

That's the right stuff! Buy it all.

Don't bother with the red label.

And definitely check out the Hamilton Demerara 151. It's great!

Fort Collins - come buy up this stuff!!

Supermarket Liquor

Lunavideogames, is that new LH151 stock, or old stock that avoided detection, till now?

I found 3 bottles in Cape coral. I left 1 if anyone wants to know where.

Limbo Lizard it is old stock for sure.

There are a couple of stores on the Big Island of Hawai'i that have multiple bottles of the red label in stock. Since you can't (legally) fly home with it, you'll have to finish it off here! :drink:

Correction - totally misheard the guy. No idea whether the LH151 is back in boston area....

I'm at a tiki cocktail event in Cambridge Ma and the bartender was using a bottle of the red 151. I asked and apparently it is back in stock at Kappys again...

Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica
Esquivel Big Band & Global Jazz and Exotic Chamber Music Quintet
“anything but straightforward”–Washington Post
http://orchestrotica.com/

[ Edited by: Mr. Ho 2015-08-08 14:21 ]

On 2015-05-18 11:42, Dustycajun wrote:
Look what I found on a neighborhood liquor store shelf! The old school yellow label Lemon Hart 151.

And, on sale for $19.99 to boot!

DC

Damn! I wish I had this type of luck...

Lemon Hart 80 proof appears to be in stock at The Whiskey Exchange for $37.20 per 700ml bottle. As a service to mankind, I have calculated shipping for 1, 2, and 3 bottles:

1 bottle - 37.20, 47.91 shipping to US, total $85.10 ($85.10 per bottle)
2 bottles - 74.39, 63.88 shipping to US, total $138.27 ($69.14 per bottle)
3 bottles - 111.59, 79.85 shipping to US, total $191.43 ($63.81 per bottle)

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7231.aspx

Alcohol isn't the answer, but it makes you forget the question.

On 2015-08-13 07:44, AceExplorer wrote:
Lemon Hart 80 proof appears to be in stock at The Whiskey Exchange for $37.20 per 700ml bottle. As a service to mankind, I have calculated shipping for 1, 2, and 3 bottles:

1 bottle - 37.20, 47.91 shipping to US, total $85.10 ($85.10 per bottle)
2 bottles - 74.39, 63.88 shipping to US, total $138.27 ($69.14 per bottle)
3 bottles - 111.59, 79.85 shipping to US, total $191.43 ($63.81 per bottle)

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7231.aspx

That is ridiculously expensive! Here in Germany, the 151 is about €27-€32 (without shipping), the 80 proof between €22 and €25 (w/o s).
Finding a store that offers shipping to the US might be tough, though.

Hallo, Poltergeist.

Yes, very expensive indeed... I looked up the pricing and shipping out of curiosity, then decided to share with others here. If you really must have it, then at least there is a way, even though it's expensive.

I have ordered other things from worldwidespirits.de in Germany, and they're much more cost-effective, and very friendly. They don't have everything we want, but still, what they do have is impressive. I enjoy the Bavarian Grassl Gebirgsenzian (gentian) which is impossible to find here in the US.

Cheers!

I think I paid like 24 Canadian dollars for it when I was in Vancouver in April, which was only like $20 US with the conversion since their dollar sucks right now. And I was able to put it in my luggage to avoid hefty shipping costs. Obviously not everyone can cross the border to do that but if it's on the shelves in Canada for $24, why is it so high at the Whiskey Exchange? Maybe there's a Canadian website that has a better base cost and cheaper shipping.

More importantly, if Canada and Europe are getting 80 proof (as well as 151 and spiced) without issue, what's the hold up with the US? If Hamilton doesn't want to distribute it anymore cuz it's a conflict with his own products, why doesn't another company just pick it up?

On 2015-08-13 10:54, mikehooker wrote:
I think I paid like 24 Canadian dollars for it when I was in Vancouver in April, which was only like $20 US with the conversion since their dollar sucks right now. And I was able to put it in my luggage to avoid hefty shipping costs. Obviously not everyone can cross the border to do that but if it's on the shelves in Canada for $24, why is it so high at the Whiskey Exchange? Maybe there's a Canadian website that has a better base cost and cheaper shipping.

More importantly, if Canada and Europe are getting 80 proof (as well as 151 and spiced) without issue, what's the hold up with the US? If Hamilton doesn't want to distribute it anymore cuz it's a conflict with his own products, why doesn't another company just pick it up?

I may very well be in error, but I thought Hamilton formulated his product specifically because LH decided to pull the plug on US distribution. Did I miss something?

On 2015-08-13 12:50, Sunny&Rummy wrote:

I may very well be in error, but I thought Hamilton formulated his product specifically because LH decided to pull the plug on US distribution. Did I miss something?

That may very well be true. I was just speculating cuz I don't comprehend how or why this all went down in the first place. LH of their own volition decides to pull the plug on their US distro and picks a date about a year later (which is right about now) that it's supposed to resurface yet we've not heard a word about it. Meanwhile, their distributor comes out with a product that many state is a suitable replacement. So is it in their interest to bring LH back to the US market now that everyone who hasn't stock piled is flocking to buy theirs? Something just doesn't sit well with the whole situation.

Bring back Betamax! :)

On 2015-08-13 19:41, AceExplorer wrote:
Bring back Betamax! :)

Just throw out that old Deep Throat tape already, it's a dead format!

:)