Appleton Estate Rum has rebranded its classic 12-year-old premium rum for the Mexican market, but the liquor distilled from Nassau Valley sugar cane and aged in American oak barrels is still the same.
As part of a plan to bring Appleton’s Mexico branding in line with that of the rest of the world, the company changed the drink’s name to Appleton Estate Rare Blend, and the same premium beverage has a slick new bottle design.
Appleton’s rum is made from sugar cane grown on the Appleton Estate, a 11,000-acre property in the Nassau Valley, a fertile region of inland Jamaica. The mixture of the Nassau Valley’s distinct weather and soil conditions gives Appleton’s products their distinct terroir — the way that geography and place express themselves in the flavor of the beverage.
The 12-year-old rum is an expertly-crafted blend of rum distilled in traditional copper stills and aged for a minimum of 12 years in premium American oak barrels. The 12-year-old designation is a minimum; the age of the youngest drop of liquid in each bottle.
“Unlike other rums on the market, when we put an age on the bottle, we’re talking about the rum’s real age,” said Appleton Estate Mexico Brand Manager José Ramírez. “The number we put on the bottle refers to the youngest drop of rum in the blend, and not the oldest, like it does for rums from other companies.”
The Nassau Valley terroir combined with the aging process creates a dynamic drinking experience: a deep oak flavor with notes of chocolate, which gives way to a strong but elegant notes of molasses, orange peel and vanilla, followed by a bittersweet and satisfying finish.
“I’m not really a rum fan. But we first tried this one on the rocks and I have to admit it was quite tasty, aromatic and spicy. Longer-aged rums are supposedly more strongly-flavored than young ones, and that definitely shows. It was even better with some club soda and a dash of Coke, though.” said The News staff member Guillermo Verduzco.
The News’ Peter Appleby described the rum as having “a punchy character without a strong aftertaste. I could almost hear calypso music playing in the background!”.
The rum is best enjoyed alone or with certain elegant cocktails, such as the estate old fashioned.
