Appleton Reserve

All my Tastings and Scores are purely based on “Rums under £50”. I rarely look at Rums over £50 for my YouTube.

Its good for it’s price. Too bourbon-forward for my preferences. Would not buy a bottle. Spices and wood are dominant, very little amount of solvents shining through the barrel notes. It does not have as many estery notes as Appleton signature, at the same time it is not as balanced and complex as Appleton 12. Get an Appleton Signature or Appleton 12

Very good rum, but not nearly as funky as other jamaican rums

Bought a bottle and tasted this rum in Nerja, Spain. It’s a blend of many distillates, both from column and pot still, aged for a minimum of 8 years. Overall a rum that surprised me in all aspects in a good way. The nose is delicious, fruity, spicy and woody with scents of orange, baking spices and oak. At the palate it’s balanced, smooth, full bodied, sweet, fruity and spicy with flavors of honey, orange, pineapple, apricot, pepper and vanilla. The finish is very smooth and longer than expected.

The smell is typical Jamaican, pineapple, banana, lots of fruit, light caramel notes, for me a very round bouquet overall. The taste continues the whole thing, lots of banana and pineapple, cramamell and vanilla, light ester notes, very round and mild taste, fun. The finish is in the medium range with light wood notes, fruity and mild. For me, a very good mixer, e.g. in Mai Tai, but can be enjoyed very well on its own.

A retaste for me and I still stick to my initial score and statement 😊 I have to say that this one is best used in a mixer.

Value for money a great all rounder neat and mixed

The nose is really nice and fruity, especially right after pouring, when the esters are strongest. Pineapple and banana. The palate is quite different, very spicy and lots of molasses. Pretty good but not quite outstanding

Smooth, fruity, a bit funky. More sugar on the nose, more fruit on the taste. Not hardly any burn. Easy to sip, very pleasant.

Taking few points down but still great rum. ,,A,, as Appleton. I thought that there would be a huge difference or leap between 8 & 12 year version. But no. The only difference is price and a slightly more prominent smell as well as taste in this 8 year version which is more rougher, but in a good way. 12 is more subtle and smoother while keeping the same taste and smell. Other than that, I cannot tell the difference. However, I will compare them against each other directly and revisit the rating but boy I love Appleton Estate.

Very different from what I've had so far. I really like the roastedness I'm getting. I can see this might add something different to a cocktail. Definitely more of the alcohol burn than the 40% I've tried so far, and less sweet.

I love the nose on this rum. It is a good marrying of caramel, vanilla, and oak with banana and pineapple. The taste carries the banana, caramel, and honey, the fades with a medium finish of barrel notes and molasses. I think the 8 year keeps up with the 12.

Better in a drink, slightly worse on its own

The next Appleton Estate. In my opinion, again very solid and suitable for beginners. The fruity taste and smell dominate here again, but not too artificial. Therefore quite tasty