Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Casks

The Bottle: Appleton generally does a good job in this department, and the 12 is a good example. The bottle shape reminds me of a Jura single malt with those classy curves and then the black and gold label on the front. Simple with a nice, classic elegance. In the Glass: Somewhere between a dark gold and a bronze with this one. Swirling it in the glass leaves some nice legs that speak to the overall body and structure. Quite good. On the Nose: The forward notes are those of burnt/brown sugar and green banana. The ubiquitous Jamaican "hogo" is on the backend with a slight astringency that plays nicely in the mix. Taste: The arrival is subtle, this is not a punch-in-the-jaw kind of rum. It develops into more of the brown sugar with some baking spices and caramel before finishing quite dry. There's no mistaking this for a rum that's from anywhere else :). The 43%abv is only really apparent on the finish where the astringency kicks in a bit, but it's totally acceptable. Overall, this is a good dram for the money. This wouldn't be bad as a sipper, but I think that it actually plays better in a cocktail, especially as a replacement for bourbon (Kingston Old Fashioned, anyone?). As always, I definitely appreciate a distiller that has the decency to leave out any additional sugar (and likely any additional color).

Strong vanilla and molasses nose. Definitely brings back memories of all of the Appleton Estate I drank in my younger years, but certainly more refined. Oily mouthfeel, and less sweet than I was expecting, which is nice for a change. Leather and tobacco and a little but of allspice. The sweetness returns in the finish with caramel, mango and spice. Medium length. All in all this is very solid. When you need a change from the sweetness of Zacapa or El Dorado, this is the perfect option. Can't wait to try it in a few cocktails.

I’m a scotch, bourbon and mezcal guy so this was me dabbling in sipping rum…… Nose. Herbal with tabacco leaf, leather and a hunt of molasses. Palate. Suprisingly oily mouthfeel. Herbal and much less sweet than I was expecting. No burn but the alcohol is very noticeable on the palate. Finish is fairly short and is mainly the alcohol with a touch of leather and herbal notes. This has not made me want to explore rum further……I think I’ll stick to scotch, bourbon and mezcal.

A rich, Jamaican Rum by Master Distiller Joy Spence aged in oak for a minimum of 12 years before being bottled at 43% ABV. It has an aromatic birth with notes of cane sugar, wood, tropical & dried fruits, nuts, herbs & spices; while a rich life added notes of creamy brown sugar, vanilla, molasses, banana & orange zest; that led to a long brown sugar death with a touch of oak, walnuts, hazelnut, nutmeg, coffee & dark chocolate.

The first scent screams of quality rum. Good clean smells of oak and rich vanilla. First sip you get a mouth full of alcohol, oily notes allspice, clove, light cinnamon and hazelnut. The heat is brief but very good, wish it was longer. If you let the flavors dance around a bit you can catch all of the nuances. The heat lingers nicely after finishing. Very good rum with bourbon flare.

Strong hogo, molasses, overripe banana, brown sugar, tropical fruit, toffee, caramel, vanilla and oak notes. Semisweet and somewhat rich. Enjoyable enough neat. I’m about half way through this bottle. It seems like every pour has been somewhat unique with different notes accented. Not sure that i like it enough to buy another bottle.