Let’s do some Appleton Cocktails

Today I decided to work on bring the rest of my Appleton Estate cocktails onto my cocktail menu.  Appleton Estate rums have that sharp oak and orange peel flavour that brings such a nice character to the cocktail experience. (For each recipe just click on the title and it will bring you to the recipe page for that cocktail.)

I think I will start with a recipe more so than a cocktail,  an Old-Fashioned Rum Punch.  This punch uses a combination of Appleton Overproof Rum and Appleton VX Rum, worked into an old-fashioned  style of punch constructed from a recipe from I found which was printed in the 1908 New York Times:

Old-Fashioned Jamaican Punch

Next I will move to another old style cocktail called the Celebration.  I found this cocktail in an old cocktail recipe book from 1937, Cafe Royal Cocktail Book, Coronation Edition, compiled by W.J. Tarling,  printed in Great Britain by The Sidney Press, London and Bedford.   I used the recipe when I wrote my review of Appleton Estate Reserve. Then I tweaked it and made a more modern version.  Here are the two cocktails:

Rum Cocktail: The Celebration

Now I noted in the beginning that Appleton has a nice oak and orange peel in its flavour profile.  When I reviewed the Appleton Estate Extra 12 Yr I used that particular characteristic to bring an extra depth and character to the rum swizzle. You can view the write-up here:

The Premium Swizzle

And I guess perhaps I should finish this posting with a nice recipe I use when that oak and orange peel becomes too much.  Sometimes, when I believe a rum perhaps has aged a little too long and the oak begins to dominate and turn the sweetness of a rum to a profile that for my palate is too bitter, then I will use Frangelico to massage the flavour profile.  This was the case with the Appleton Estate 21 YR. I call this gem of a recipe:

The Monk’s Uncle

And there you have it. My Appleton Estate rum cocktails and recipes.  I hope you enjoyed them.

And always remember the aim is not to drink more it is to drink better!

Rum Cocktail: Sloe Rum Cocktail

Here is a cocktail which I built several months ago when I reviewed the Juan Santos 21 Antigua Reserva rum. This past weekend I wanted something nice to sip so I went back through my blog and found the recipe. This time I made the cocktail with Appleton Estates 12 year old Rum.

The construction of the cocktail is uses a 4 : 1 ratio of aged rum and sloe gin shaken with bitters and ice and then poured into a cocktail glass rinsed with Vermouth. A Maraschino cherry garnish and a squeeze of lime add the finishing details.

I poured over many cocktail books and quite a few web sites to see if the cocktail had any history that I could find.  Other than a few vague resemblances I came up empty. So my belief is that the cocktail is an original.

It is also Yummy!

Here is a link to the Full Recipe Page:

Rum Review: Appleton Estate 21 Yr Old Rum

This is the final review in my series of Appleton Estate Rum Reviews, which I began to publish about two months ago.  The impetus for the review series was an invite offered to me to attend a free tasting of Appleton rums in my hometown.  I received a small sample bottle of Appleton VX, and since I owned just about every other Appleton Estate Rum up to the 21 year old I thought it would be fun to review them all.  The 30 year old just about to be released in my locale will be missing from this review series unless I can acquire a sample at a later date.

Although the reviews have been published separately spaced out over two months, I did a lot of comparative tasting between the various ages and styles of Appleton.  My final reviews scores are accurate reflections of how I judge these rums relative to each other.  You can find all of my Appleton Reviews on the side of the blog in the Page menu which for your convenience lists all of the rums I have reviewed alphabetically.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The rum is a rich dark brown colour which leaves a thick film on my glass when it is swirled. This film slowly releases thick fat legs back into the rum.  As I watch the legs slowly crawl down the sides of the glass, the rum brings forth mild brown sugar and orange citrus notes.  But.. as you wait the nose begins to change…”

You may read more here:

Review: Appleton Estate 21 Yr Old Rum

As well my friend forrest and I have collaborated on a new cocktail we call THE MONK’S UNCLE.

Enjoy the review and cocktail.

Review Revisitation: Appleton Master Blender’s Legacy Rum

My journey up the ladder of Appleton Estate Rums is almost complete.  This week’s review is another re-visitation to an older review.  I opened a new bottle of Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy,  and started fresh as if I had never tasted the rum before.

The Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy was produced to recognize three generations of Appleton Estate Master Blenders, Joy Spence, the current Master Blender, Owen Tulloch, the  previous Master Blender, and, David Morrison the current protégé of Joy Spence.   All three blenders have set their mark on this luxurious rum.

The rum itself is a blend of rums which range in age from 18 years to 30 years.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The rum continues to surprise me in this second review.  The texture is cleaner than I remember, almost like a good whisky.  Tart spices of orange peel, lemon are laid behind a backdrop of clean pure oak. Sweeter flavours of baked fruit (apples and pears), brown sugar and honey lie under these spices….”

Of course the entire review may be read here:

Review: Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy

I have left the original review at the bottom of the page in case it interests you in seeing how my perceptions have changed!

Rum Review: Appleton 151 Dark Jamaican Rum

I am going off on a side rung today as I continue to review the ladder of Appleton Estate Rums.  I call this a side rung because the Appleton 151 Dark Jamaican Rum is not part of the progressive ladder I have been following from the Entry Level Appleton VX up to the rare old Appleton 21 Year Old Rum.   As well this rum is no longer advertised on the Appleton Estate Website.   I am unsure whether the rum is in production anymore, although a friend of mine who visited Jamaica told me it was still available and was a local favourite amongst Jamaicans.

I cannot verify the claim, but I am confident enough of its veracity that I am going ahead with my review.

Here is an excerpt:

“…Sweet burly molasses and spice is about all I can say at this point as the strength of the alcohol numbs the palate before much else can be deciphered.   I let everything sit in my mouth for a little while and decide that the flavour is quite complicated, but as I mentioned, the heavy alcohol strength has numbed my ability to distinguish anything individual….”

For the complete review please click on the following Link:

Review: Appleton 151 Dark Jamaican Rum

I did a little mixology research  for this review and found two nice punch constructions which I used with the Appleton Dark Jamaican Rum to great effect.The Punch recipes are “forrest Approved”, and I think you will enjoy them!

I must also thank the Edmonton chapter of The RUM CHUMS for providing this sample for me to review.  Thanks guys I appreciate all the help you provide!

Rum Review: Appleton Extra 12 Year Old

I continue to climb the Appleton Estate ladder of rums and have reached the Appleton Extra 12 Year Old Rum.  This is a rum which I have previously reviewed as so this time around will be a review revisitation.  My belief is that I am growing as a reviewer and that re visiting my older reviews is probably a good thing as I can now impart better information and tasting notes.  After this review I will take a two week hiatus from the Appleton rums to allow me to catch up on a few other spirits which have become backlogged in my review system.

But without further ado please enjoy my latest Appleton Rum Review:

Review: Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old Jamaica Rum

I have kept the older review and you can find it at the bottom of the review page if you want to compare the two reviews.

Rum Review: Appleton Estate Reserve

This is the second review in the series  I am completing of the Rums in the Appleton Estate family of Rums. The Appleton Reserve rum is constructed from a blend of 20 aged rums which have each been aged for approximately 8 years.   The rum is intended to be perfect for those who wish to be introduced to a complex rum style meant for sipping neat and for using in sophisticated cocktails.

One thing that I noticed which was missing from the newer bottles of Reserve, is the 8 year age statement.  I am not sure when the age statement was dropped but his seems to be a trend among major distillers of spirits worldwide.  These large distillers are increasingly more concerned with a signature taste profile than they are with adhering to a specified minimum age requirement for their spirits.  In the end, taste is what matters and my review will be concerned with the taste and character of the rum and not the age.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

This has a spicy zip on the tongue that is full of citrus peel, oak spice, candy apples, cloves, and cinnamon.    There is, (in spite of the softness of the rum on my tongue), a sharpness and intensity in these spicy flavours.  Underneath this spiciness are additional flavours of butterscotch, caramel and vanilla.  At the bottom of the  palate I find an earthiness which seems almost brooding to me.

You may read the full review here:

Review: Appleton Estate Reserve

Of course I could not resist adding a few cocktail suggestions to the review.  Enjoy!

Rum Review: Appleton Estate VX

In 1749, in the Nassau Valley of Jamaica, the Appleton Estate Sugar factory was founded.  The Nassau Valley is a fertile, interior valley with a special mild microclimate which is ideally suited to the growth of Sugarcane.  A water source which wells from a limestone rock formation provides an exceptionally soft pure water which used for the production of Appleton Rums.

The Rum itself is crafted from pot stills in small batches.  After blending and aging the rums are ready for bottling.  Unlike most rums produced in the Caribbean, Jamaican law forbids the use of an age statement unless the entire contents of a bottle are aged at least as long as the stated age.

Booklet Courtesy of Appleton Estate Rums

This is the first review in a series I am doing on Appleton Rums. I am starting with the Appleton Estate VX and I will work my way up the ladder of Appleton Rums to the Appleton 21 Year Old.  This will include the Appleton Reserve, The Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year,  The Master Blenders Legacy, and the Appleton Dark 151 Proof.  An astute person will realize that I have already reviewed Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old and the Master Blenders Legacy. I will take this opportunity as I go up the Appleton Ladder to revisit these reviews and these rums.

Here is an excerpt from my Appleton Estate VX Review:

” The rum displays an amber colour with orange flashes.  Surprisingly (to me) the rum when swirled left nice long skinny legs in my glass indicating a buttery oil present.  The aroma is very spicy, and full of oak tannin.  I smell a firm and distinct orange peel, and light brown sugar and molasses rising in the tangy oak spice….”

I have also included an original cocktail based upon the popular Cosmopolitan. As usual my cocktail recipe has been reviewed and approved by forrest.

You may read the entire review here:

Review: Appleton Estate VX Rum

Howling Highlight: Tasting Appleton and Diplomatico Rums

I have said it before, having a blog where I review rum and whisky is great.

It was my pleasure  to be invited to a private tasting yesterday hosted by representatives of two wonderful rum companies.  Appleton Estate and Diplomatico rums.  The line up was impressive, with 7 rums in all and a bonus, a new rum liqueur from Diplomatico, the Hacienda Saruro.

Let me step you through the line up and give you my observations as well as the feedback I was hearing around the tasting table.

The first set of rums, we were given was a direct comparative tasting of Diplomatico Anejo, and Appleton VX.   These are  the entry level rums for each company, although I cringe at the phrase ‘entry level’.  The Diplomatico Anejo is a full four years old, and the Appleton VX  is a blend of 15 aged rums.

The Diplomatico Anejo showed nice legs in the glass, with a sweet almost floral bouquet of caramel and light cinamon spice.  It had a nutty, buttery sweetness and finished long and relatively smooth

The Appleton VX was lighter in the glass, but had a more complex oak aroma.  The spices were hotter and sharper with far less sweetness.  Orange peel and dried fruit were on the palate with a light brown sugar.

The second set was Diplomatico Reserva and Appleton Reserve.

Diplomatico Reserva, was less floral. It had an oaky taint to it that surprised me.  More complex with less butter in the mouth and more of a rough edge to it.

The Appleton Reserve was on the other hand a slightly more mellow version of the VX.  The vanilla accent was a little firmer and there was a little polish and craftsmanship showing.

Then we stepped up to the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva and the Appleton Extra 12 year.

The transformation in the Diplomatico from the Reserva to the Reserva Exclusiva was startling.  Fat legs in the glass, and a beautiful honeyed aroma with accents of  mild spices entwined into the rummy caramel.  This was sweet and smooth with a full caramel and toasted nut flavour profile.

The Appleton Extra  was also markedly different from its predecessor,  a hint of chocolate on the nose with a darker richer caramelized aroma.  Heavier legs added body to the drink and the palate showed distinctive tones of charred coconut and burnt caramel and brown sugar.  The oak was very evident in the mouth and finish.

Finally to top the evening off we were treated to the Appleton Legacy, and the Hacienda Saruro.

The Appleton Legacy was stupendous, with a complexity unmatched by the other spirits.  Having gone through the stages from VX to Reserve to the 12 year old Extra, I could taste the signature Appleton flavour profile throughout.  As we progressed up the ladder, the complexity of flavour increased to a wonderful climax with the Legacy.

The Hacienda Saruro was an elegant desert and perfect ending drink.   Suave and silky with fantastic sweet rum flavour, I found myself secretly pouring a second glass when no one was looking.  It is absolutely yummy.

What an evening,  what wonderful rum I was allowed to indulge in.  I did not make any judgments as when eight rums are consumed in such a short session, it is virtually impossible to assign meaningful scores.  I will say that there is a real difference in philosophy between the two rums.   Appleton Rums are tangy, complex and oaky with the emphasis on that particular flavour profile, whereas Diplomatico’s emphasis is rums that are buttery, nutty and sweet.   My sense was that the entire room of guests was very satisfied with both styles.

To help you further I have provided links to several reviews I had completed prior to being invited to this tasting.   More reviews will follow as I have been promised samples to review most of the other rums tasted last night.

Review Appleton Estate Extra 12 year

Review Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy

Review: Diplomático Añejo

Review: Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva

I would like to thank the wonderful people from Appleton Estate and Diplomatico Rums for inviting me.  You treated myself and the other gueats to a wonderful evening!