A tipple or two of Appleton Estate 12 Year.
Appleton Estate starts off their rums by using sugar cane that’s picked from Jamaica’s Nassau Valley. This is then combined with a yeast that utilizes that same freshly picked sugar cane in the distillation process.
Taking precise steps to create the highest quality rums during each step in the creation of each bottling, Appleton Rum uses a series of small copper pot stills during the distillation process. Once distillation has completed, Appleton ages their rums in American oak barrels until the time that they are tested and chosen by the Master Distiller.
The end result of this precise process is Appleton Estates 12 Year. With a nose that’s brimming with notes of sweet sugar cane, caramel and a hint of cocoa, it grabs you before you’ve even had a chance to taste it. Once you actually manage to get past the near perfect aromas, your palate is hit with tones of sweet sugar cane, and bananas. Following up this first act of flavors, your taste buds are then hit with nuances of orange zest along with minor inklings of cocoa and a finish that includes mild spice.
All these flavors work together in unison to create an elegant,
and remarkable example of a brown spirit.
Final Score: 9.5/10
Playing off the various flavor nuances that I came across in the Appleton Estate 12 year, I decided to come up with a new cocktail.
A Pirate’s Life for Me
Appleton Estate 12- 1 ½ oz
Aperol-3/4 oz
Cynar-1/4oz
Banana Syrup-3/4 oz
Lime Juice-1/2 oz
BIttermens Mole Bitters-2 Dashes
Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Bitters-1 Dash
Oh, nice looking cocktail. I was just contemplating rum and aperol this weekend. Unfortunately my current condition doesn’t allow me any real playtime with cocktails.
I’m a massive fan of the Appleton Extra. If you haven’t already, make yourself a Trader Vic’s Mai Tai with it as soon as possible.