If you enjoyed our rum of the year then this 21-year-old expression offers a logical progression in terms of style and maturity. Here we find the hallmark orange and spice notes from the 15-year-old greatly intensified and accompanied by stewed fruits, raisins, prunes and sweet, oaky notes of toffee and vanilla. The rum is aged by marque in Number One American Oak Bourbon barrels, with each marque left to mature for different amounts of time in Jamaica's tropical climate. The barrels impart a complexity and depth of flavour. You can read more about this process overleaf. 7. Blending

Joy Spence trained as a chemist before she became the world's first female master blender when she took the reins at Appleton Estate in 1997 – so it's safe to say she knows a thing or two about seriously good rum. All in all, though, the biggest takeaway for me in this tasting is my new appreciation for the mid-tier 8 Year Old Reserve—if what Appleton wanted to do in this revamp was get attention on the newest blend, then they’ve done a good job of it. Here’s hoping I can find it for close to MSRP going forward. What's more, this year saw Appleton Estate release its new minimum age variants. Unlike many other rum brands, if an Appleton Estate rum has an age statement on the bottle, then every drop of rum in the bottle has been aged for a minimum of the number of years indicated on the bottle. No additives can be added, preserving the rum's purity of taste. The result is rum that's known around the world for its flavour. To celebrate the occasion, we’re taking a closer look at this award-winning Appleton rum, starting with the most important question of all: What does it taste like?Jamaica takes its rum very seriously, with strict rules about minimum aging to ensure all the rum in your bottle is at least as old as the age stated on the label – an initiative that was supported by Appleton Estate's very own master blender Joy Spence. The consumer palate has become much more sophisticated. Appleton Estate’s range boasts some complex and elegant expressions, which inspire us to both educate and entertain on a higher level. This relaunch gives us the opportunity to illustrate Jamaica’s rich history and geography, as we reinvent our most iconic international brand to connect deeper with our existing consumers and appeal to new markets across the globe.”

This is exactly what the company has done, condensing the “core” lineup into the following three bottles: Appleton Estate Signature Blend, Appleton Estate 8 Year Old Reserve, and Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Casks. These brands re-debuted in the spring with a new bottle shape as well—taller and slimmer than the previously squat Appleton bottles, but with some of the same shapely curves. It’s a thoroughly modern approach, as indicated by this quote from Marsha Lumley, marketing director of J Wray and Nephew Limited, Appleton’s parent company (itself owned by Campari): Nose: Rich molasses hits you right away followed by clove studded oranges, cinnamon, almonds, apricots and plums. In addition to the fruit and spice there’s also a pleasantly phenolic side with engine oil, a dab of shoe polish and a drop of tar. We’re definitely in Jamaica. In the world of rum, there are few names as well-respected as Joy Spence. Raised in Kingston and studied in chemistry, Joy joined J Wray & Nephew – the owner of Appleton Estate – in 1981. In 1997, her work and talents were recognised when she was promotion to the rank of master blender, making her the first woman across the global sprits industry to ever earn the title. She has created blends for royals and heads of state, she was instrumental in gaining GI status for Jamaican Rum, and she is involved in numerous philanthropic ventures that aid women around the world. Appleton is a great distillery and this is a great rum,’ says our buying director Dawn Davies MW. ‘It shows the perfect balance between elegance and power and would be equally enjoyable for someone just dipping their toe into rum as those already in love with the category.’ What’s in the bottle?One sip of the bold, smooth, and aromatic flavors that make up the warm, comforting tones of liquid gold known as Appleton Estate Rums will ignite strong sensations within you. Appleton Estate is the oldest rum distillery in continuous operation in Jamaica and has been perfecting this fine craft since 1749. A winner of prizes and awards since 1862, Appleton Estate Rum is one of the best rums in the world. Jamaican Rum This was clearly a good time to revisit the core range as a whole, so we commenced a tasting to do exactly that.