Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year Rum

Rating: 14/23 N: That typical Jamaican funk comes out. I get a bunch of wood with molasses behind it, but I also get a lot of tropical fruits, particularly banana, mango, and orange. There's something a bit vegetal in here too, suggesting the underlying spirit. There's a smoky suggestion of fireworks, but not much. Based on this nose alone, this seems like a fantastic rum! P: It's a dry rum with a lot of wood and a fair amount of fireworks. There's a lot of spice as well, with cinnamon being the dominant flavor, but clove being present as well. There are hints of maple and there's caramel, as well as some tropical fruit. A few minutes of air do good for it. It's fairly smooth and definitely tastes reasonably aged. It's a little bit on the thin and uncomplex side though, which is disappointing following the nose. It tastes a bit overoaked, at least given how flat most of the rest of the flavor is and how little punch the 43% ABV provides. It's fairly rich, but not really as full as I would expect after 12 years in the Caribbean. A nice finish or more flavorful barrels or something could be good for it. F: The spices and caramel really linger. There are elements of the wood and fireworks remaining as well. I can't say I'm a big fan of this. It's inoffensive and a great introduction to Jamaican rums, but it's kind of bland and weak. Sadly, the nose is the best part. It's a decent enough rum, but it's asking $40 when it really tastes like it should be going for closer to $25. For a lot less money, I'd buy Doorly's 12 instead and be happier. This is good for winter months though and I'd be happy having a glass of it by the fire. It's solid, but I'm going back and forth between either 13 to 14 or 14 to 15 on every sip. A 14 it is, I guess.

Nose - overripe banana, pineapple, mint, molasses, leather, coconut, kool-aid, butterscotch, dry grass, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, brown sugar, barrel char, whiff of smoke, sassafras, orange and lemon zest, grape, cherry, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - orange zest, overripe banana, grape, cherry, plum, brown sugar, vanilla cream, clove, cinnamon, grassy herbal notes, pineapple, coconut, butterscotch, mint, anise, tannic oak, black pepper, ginger, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with overripe, funky fruit, bitter oak, caramel, and vanilla cream flavors. This is a solid entry into Jamaican rum. The overripe, borderline putrefying fruit notes are present, but they’re not as overwhelming as with some of its peers. These are counterbalanced by some very strong tannic oak, spices, butterscotch, and dark, rich molasses notes. I think it’s slightly too bitter and oaky, but feel this may be necessary to add depth and keep the experience from being too weirdly cloying. For me, it’s better than good but not quite great. I’m going to round up though, as this was the first quality bottle of rum I bought when I started my tasting journey, so it’s a bit nostalgic for me.

The bottle has such a nice heft and feel to it, the cork is synthetic which is great, but the topper is dark wood with a brass embossed cap. Super classy, I dig it. Ripe bananas, grilled pineapple, coconut sunscreen, magic marker (in a good way), flan, burnt caramel, and molasses. Wow, this nose just keeps going, and there is so much to unpack. First sip, it's dry, not anywhere near as sweet as the nose implies. Warm spices, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, a chili pepper bite too. Further tastes, the bananas, and vanilla come on strong. Burnt caramel covers the tongue, with a slight bitterness, and a richness with molasses, brown sugar, and nutmeg. The finish is oak, and white pepper corns, as well as chili pepper. The cloves and ginger linger for a long time. You really can pick up age on this, it has such depth of flavor, and the barrel is a strong background to every other note. There is a bitterness that I love in aged bourbons, that I haven't found in rum before, at least not this deep and complex. I love this stuff, and going forward will likely try and always have a bottle on hand. 93/100

The 12yo, after experiencing Signature Blend and V/X ones, is the finest of Appletons do far. But it comes with price. 12yo is well rounded, lost the harsh edges, have decent taste, not so sweet, not so burning, not so tangy. it's good. But it is no fun. The smell is barely here, the taste is distinctive but not fun, like the younger blends. This blend is just blend. Overall performance is very good, especially for a price, it sips too well, only with hint of spicy taste, fruits (especially date) and little honey aftertaste, but it is far from "Shit, this tastes gooood!" sips. It leaves funny tingling in back of my mouth after sip. Well, some may enjoy it as sipper, especially those who like rather hash than sweet rums. And some may enjoy it with Coke or in other drinks (distinctive taste of Jamaican style rums surely helps that use). I can understand both. But my conclusion is that cheaper bits from Appleton are more fun to play with, and with sipping qualities - I'm not so impressed, but overall quality is above good and bottle of Appleton 12yo should be part of any rum cabinet.

On the nose it has tons of caramel and brown sugar with vanilla bean. Also apparent is a banana being fried in sugar mixed with a light cocoa and pineapple. Very aromatic and rich. The taste is very different to the nosing with a very spice forward first sip that has a very strong black molasses note. The flavor lasts an eternity with the molasses becoming very potent. Further sips provide evidence of the vanilla and caramel but the fruits are difficult to pick up. The molasses note continues to come through. This rum has the spiciness to enhance any rum cocktail and can be drank neat but, beware the bitter note from the molasses note. Nose: 3.75/5 Taste: 3.25/5 Overall: Overall 3.5/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: Daily Drinker/Cocktail Mixer

A very bourbon dominated rum, the nose is loaded with vanilla and molasses with just a hint of woody spices and citrus. On the tongue it actually tastes more like a bourbon than it does a rum, with caramel and barrel char leading the palate and just a little funk and cherry-like fruitiness in the back. There’s a surprisingly strong alcohol bite to this for being 12 years old and just 43% ABV. The body is so so, satisfactory but nothing to write home about. On the finish, there’s a semidry note of oak and traces of sweet bourbon and pepper. Not a bad rum, but a little disappointing for a single estate with a 12 year age statement. (Note: the bottle shape and label have been changed). Nose: 8 Taste: 7 Body: 7 Finish: 7