Appleton Estate 12 Year Old Rare Blend Gold Rum, 70 cl

Product Information

Once distilled, the spirit is placed into lightly charred American oak barrels where it rapidly ages in the hot Jamaican sun. When it has sat in the barrel for enough time, the spirit is blended together with other barrels to make a consistent end product for sale. If you enjoyed our rum of the year then this 21-year-old expression offers a logical progression in terms of style and maturity. Here we find the hallmark orange and spice notes from the 15-year-old greatly intensified and accompanied by stewed fruits, raisins, prunes and sweet, oaky notes of toffee and vanilla. This is exactly what the company has done, condensing the “core” lineup into the following three bottles: Appleton Estate Signature Blend, Appleton Estate 8 Year Old Reserve, and Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Casks. These brands re-debuted in the spring with a new bottle shape as well—taller and slimmer than the previously squat Appleton bottles, but with some of the same shapely curves. It’s a thoroughly modern approach, as indicated by this quote from Marsha Lumley, marketing director of J Wray and Nephew Limited, Appleton’s parent company (itself owned by Campari): In the world of rum, there are few names as well-respected as Joy Spence. Raised in Kingston and studied in chemistry, Joy joined J Wray & Nephew – the owner of Appleton Estate – in 1981. In 1997, her work and talents were recognised when she was promotion to the rank of master blender, making her the first woman across the global sprits industry to ever earn the title. She has created blends for royals and heads of state, she was instrumental in gaining GI status for Jamaican Rum, and she is involved in numerous philanthropic ventures that aid women around the world. The marketing material continues “As a Minimum Age rum Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old has been aged for a MINIMUM of 12 years in select American Oak Barrels”.

The Appleton Estate 12 year is actually a blend from casks with rum between 12 and 30 years of age. Many producers would jump right at the chance to call it a 30-year rum, but not Appleton Estate. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Appleton is a great distillery and this is a great rum,’ says our buying director Dawn Davies MW. ‘It shows the perfect balance between elegance and power and would be equally enjoyable for someone just dipping their toe into rum as those already in love with the category.’ What’s in the bottle?

What does it taste like?

The consumer palate has become much more sophisticated. Appleton Estate’s range boasts some complex and elegant expressions, which inspire us to both educate and entertain on a higher level. This relaunch gives us the opportunity to illustrate Jamaica’s rich history and geography, as we reinvent our most iconic international brand to connect deeper with our existing consumers and appeal to new markets across the globe.” On the other hand, because of the orange peel and vanilla flavors, I think this rum would also excel in a variety of mixed drinks where these flavors complement.

The barrel aging components have been reduced significantly here, with pretty much just that dark chocolate note staying in prominence up front. Otherwise, the biggest flavor you get at this point is a delicious combination of banana, pineapple, and coconut, which rides that chocolatey richness very nicely and makes for a good flavor profile. I still get a flash of brown sugar around the middle of the experience, but otherwise this becomes really just a mixture of dark chocolate and tropical fruits. Fizz (Dark & Stormy) As you would expect from a Jamaican rum distillery, Appleton uses traditional pot stills with a double retort system — essentially two additional distillation vessels added at the end which increase the alcohol content and allow additional time for flavor elements to make their way into the spirit. They also do use a traditional column still as well for mass production of spirits that will be added later during the blending process.The nose also draws you in. Unlike many Jamaican rums it is not at all pungent. The Jamaican funk of lesser aged rums such as their White Overproof or the V/X is not present. It is a million miles away from the ester heavy Smith & Cross, Hampden or a Monymusk offering. It is a very nice nose. It remind me of Bajan rums and also St Vincent’s Captain Bligh XO. It has that extra little spicy nose. The nose is all rich brown sugar/molasses, dry oak tones and mix of citrus and cinnamon and ginger notes. It’s as good a nose as I have noted especially from a Jamaican rum – thus far. Nose: Rich molasses hits you right away followed by clove studded oranges, cinnamon, almonds, apricots and plums. In addition to the fruit and spice there’s also a pleasantly phenolic side with engine oil, a dab of shoe polish and a drop of tar. We’re definitely in Jamaica.

All in all, though, the biggest takeaway for me in this tasting is my new appreciation for the mid-tier 8 Year Old Reserve—if what Appleton wanted to do in this revamp was get attention on the newest blend, then they’ve done a good job of it. Here’s hoping I can find it for close to MSRP going forward. To celebrate the occasion, we’re taking a closer look at this award-winning Appleton rum, starting with the most important question of all: What does it taste like? I’m not sure many unfamiliar with the Extra would ever guess it was a Jamaican Rum. Having tried a few Hampden and Monymusk offerings along with blends such as Myers’s and Smith & Cross I have come to realise that by Jamaican standards the Appleton Reserve rums are quite refined and less rough and ready. Possibly slightly less in your face and a little more complex overall. Especially the Reserve and the Extra. I’ve hesitated in reviewing the Appleton Estate Extra. This is because I found it to be very different from the younger Jamaican rums. With only a few distilleries on the island of Jamaica, I wanted to try some other Jamaican rum before diving into a review. There were facets of the Extra which I was unsure about and wanted to try some other aged Jamaican rum to ensure my comments have been made from an educated viewpoint. I will explain more as I take you through my experience with the Extra.Ice can sometimes diminish the lighter and fruitier flavors in a spirit, but in this case I think it actually gives them a little space to breathe. J Wray and Nephew/Campari have recently announced that the whole Appleton Estate range is to be revamped. A press release has been issued and here is a link to that. Personally I don’t really see the point but hey I’m not in charge of J Wray and Nephew/Campari. On the nose, my immediate impressions are ripe dessert banana and molasses, along with light grassiness and faint hints of oak. Sweet brown sugar is featured prominently on the palate, along with sweet, toasty baking spice and fruitiness that trends toward caramelized plantains or tostones. There’s a bright note that is something like lime citrus, and an overall profile that is nicely balanced between freshness and richness, while being slightly punchy as well. The taste is nice, a bit of sweetness up front with fruit and then oak and tobacco or leather. Then it settles into the heat.

This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services. Very serious stuff indeed. It’s a real treat to try a Jamaican rum of this age, especially a rare traditional pot still bottling of Appleton. One for the hardcore rum drinker or the serious spirits collector. While the Appleton Estate was cranking out rum, another Englishman named John Wray started his own business venture by founding The Shakespeare Tavern in 1825 in what was then the small village of Kingston, Jamaica. The town would eventually become the nation’s capitol, and the tavern a wild success. Wray was joined in 1860 by his nephew Charles James Ward, who proved to be an indispensable business partner, eventually earning his spot in the company name when it was changed to J. Wray and Nephew.This was clearly a good time to revisit the core range as a whole, so we commenced a tasting to do exactly that. On the finish, I do finally get some of that pineapple and just a hair of Jamaican “hogo” funk, but not nearly to the level that we saw in the aforementioned younger expression of this rum. On Ice Rum replaces whisky here to reveal the true quality of the spirit. But not just any rum – rum that is carefully crafted and aged in Jamaica for a twist on a timeless classic. Rich and full-bodied Appleton Estate Rare Blend Rum makes a truly unforgettable Rum Old Fashioned.” Ingredients