Late last year, Jamaica’s Appleton Estate pushed through three very popular pop-up bars in Sydney, jumping from venue to venue to deliver the essence of their acclaimed rum expressions in an temporary environment that captured the spirit, food, and drink of Jamaica’s Cockpit Country. Demand outlasted the pop-up though, and thankfully Appleton Estate Rum is easily accessible through most spirit providers across the country. In our latest On the Shelf, we take a look at Appleton Estate’s Reserve Blend.
Appleton Estate have been going strong in Cockpit County for 265 years now, benefiting from the area’s unique, lush, and fertile terrain, which has allowed them to produce some of the world’s most well-known dark Rum. Master Blend Joy Spence, who was the very first female appointed M.B in the world, has stuck to a carefully controlled set of high standards that ensures consistency and a certain level of quality, placing Appleton Estate Rum as a distinctive brand in the global market.
All Appleton Estate Rums are aged in 40-gallon Number One Select American Oak barrels, which impart more vanilla flavour and make them smoother and less woody.
It’s this controlled process that allows Appleton Estate to easily distinguish expressions, and the Reserve Blend is significantly different from the classic Signature Blend. For starters, the Reserve is much nuttier with beautiful, smooth oaky honey and spice on the front palate, preceded by a strong nose of molasses and dried fruits, and followed by a finish that brings in some dried orange peel and a subtle, creamy vanilla note. Conversely the Signature Blend has a more powerful finish that’s preceded by a rich, fruity body that’s more straight-forward without the Reserve’s notes of vanilla and honey oak.
Appleton Estate Reserve Jamaican Rum is available in 700mL bottles for an RRP of $56.99 per bottle from Dan Murphys.
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