
Appleton Estate 12 Year Old Rare Blend
Appleton Estate · Appleton Estate Distillery
Appleton 12 Year Old Rare Blend is a masterclass in Jamaican rum at its most approachable. The pot-still funk is present but integrated, the oak influence is supportive rather than dominant, and the tropical fruit character speaks clearly to its Nassau Valley origins. Outstanding value for a rum of this age and complexity.
Nose
Ripe tropical fruits — banana, mango — arrive first, layered over a foundation of molasses and toasted oak. A thread of orange zest and warm baking spices adds dimension.
Palate
Medium-bodied with a silky texture. The pot-still character shows up as a funky, almost coffee-like richness beneath the sweeter caramel and vanilla notes. Dried fruit and a touch of leather develop mid-palate, giving it gravitas.
Finish
Long and warming, with oak tannins, a final flicker of orange, and a lingering molasses sweetness.
- Base Ingredient
- Molasses
- Distillation
- Blend of pot and column still rums
- Country
- Nassau Valley, Jamaica
Cocktail Suggestion
Nassau Sour — 2 oz Appleton 12 Year Old · 0.75 oz fresh lime juice · 0.5 oz demerara syrup · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass over a large cube, garnish with a lime wheel.
Food Pairing
Jerk chicken with grilled pineapple
Blended under the direction of Master Blender Joy Spence at the Appleton Estate in Jamaica's Nassau Valley — the oldest continuously operating sugar estate and distillery on the island, where pot and column still rums have been married for over 270 years.
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