From ‘cane to cocktail’ Appleton Estates has an innate ability to control their production processes from beginning to end which is perhaps why the brand has carved out a distinctive house style that has withstood the test of time. Appleton 8 Year Reserve, one of their flagship expressions offers excellent value for price point & provides new rum drinkers a soft entry way into the world of Jamaican funk.
Review: Reece Sims
Photo: Reece Sims
Flavor Camps
Overall Rating
Total Score: 39.5/50
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 6.5/9
Taste: 6.5/9
Finish: 4/5
Distinctiveness: 5/5
Overall Drinkability/Balance: 6.5/9
Value for Price: 7/8
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: "Honeyed bronze" - Aesthetic wise the bottles and branding stand out on a shelf.
- Aroma: Molasses, raisins, nutmeg, tropical fruits (young pineapple and citrus), white pepper, slightly leathery, and a touch of funk.
- Taste & Mouthfeel: Dry mouthfeel, undoubtedly because Jamaican rums, by law, can't add additives. Toffee explodes on the palate followed by prunes/mejool dates, kola nut, cola spices (lemon, nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon), medium roast coffee, bitter almond.
- Finish: Long, pleasant and dry.
- Distinctiveness: Appleton has such a distinctive style, you can typically place their rums.
- Overall Drinkability & Balance: A great entryway into Jamaican rums at a great price point. Fairly balanced.
Product Details
- Distiller: Appleton Estates
- Type: Jamaican Rum
- Age: 8 years minimum (by law, Jamaican rums must state the youngest age on the bottle)
- Still Type: Combination of (Forsyth) copper pot and column
- Cask Type(s): American oak barrels
- Origin: Nassau Valley, Jamaica
- Composition: Molasses
- ABV: 43%
- # of Distillations: Not Disclosed
- Price: $39.99 CAD in BC (+ taxes)
Additional Rum Specifics
- Fermentation Duration: 36-48 hours (which is "short"); yields 7% ABV
- Dosage: No sugar added
- Ester Only Levels: Not disclosed
- Volatile Compound Levels: Not disclosed
Comments / Conclusions:
A few things to note: First off, this is a single estate rum. The sugarcane is grown on their estate to produce the rum.
Second, while Jamaican rums are known for their funky, high ester profiles that are due to dunder/muck pits, Appleton Estates does not use dunder for their namesake’s rum production.
Jamaica has created a Geographical Indicator (GI) that dictates how rum must be made in Jamaica in order to be labelled as such. There is a great breakdown of the rules and requirements on Cocktail Wonk here.
- Crushable / Daily Drinker
- Cocktail Worthy
- Special Occasion Sipper Only
- Weird & Wonderful
- Skip It
Food Pairing Recommendations: Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Cocktail Recommendation: Jungle Bird, Mai Tai or Rum Negroni