Appleton Estate Extra
Category:
Dark
Country: Jamaica
Aged: 12 years
Alcohol: 42% (86 proof)
Availability: Everywhere
Price: $30 (750 mL)
Rating:
The Review:
The Appleton estate has been crafting rum for over 260
years, so it goes without saying that they have had time to
figure out what they are doing.
The estate is located deep in the interior of Jamaica, in a
region known as the Nassau Valley - a region perfect for growing
the sugar cane that they use to craft several types of rum.
In the end, however, Appleton Estate Extra is a blended rum and
despite their reputation and experience the blending shows
through in their final product.
One of the first things you'll notice about Appleton is it's
beautiful color. It is a perfect dark rum, with dark,
deep, copper penny hue with subtle flashes of golden honey that
belie the work that has one into purifying it throughout their
copper pot and barrel process.
When you open the bottle, you are met with a whiff of sugar
cane, caramelized molasses, oak and char from the barrel it has
been living in for the last 12 years. If you allow it a
swirl, long legs quickly develop.
The flavor is a surprisingly complex and smoky first impression
- likely due to the blending process. Alone this is not a
tremendous sipping rum. Behind every delicious sip a
noticeable burn follows closely behind. However, if you
are building a drink that calls for dark rum but you do not want
to lose the smooth dark rum taste in the mix, this is a perfect
top shelf choice. It holds it own very well, without
stepping on over ingredients.
Overall, this is a really good dark rum, especially considering
the highly competitive price. However, know up front that
you are buying a blended rum and that it will have different
characteristics than a single batch rum. At the price,
though, this is one of the best rums you can pour without
wincing at the price.
My recommendation is to enjoy this rum with friends and a good
cigar, a Hemingway Series in a Maduro wrapper would be a great
choice. |
