Appleton Master Blenders Legacy Rum

Rum is one of those spirits that has everything going for it. It can be complex like a fine whisky, fiery like a cheap bourbon or smooth like a vintage cognac. Really, rum can be smooth, even though it has a reputation for being the devils drink and the lower quality rums can be down right sinister. But if you find a well aged rum from a reputable distiller, then you have found something truly special. In my personal quest to find great spirits, I'm constantly sifting through lots of information to discern what is good. After perusing the latest Vintages releases I came across a reference to Appleton Estates Master Blenders Legacy rum, which is suppose to be an exceptional rum, well at least according to the marketing material. Let us put it to the test.

Appleton is probably the world's best know Jamaican rum and has been around since 1749. This means they have a lot of experience and a lot of inventory. These two things help instill some trust when buying their products. When you look at the Master Blenders Legacy rum, it is a high quality rum added to the Appleton product catalogue and it uses both the experience of the master blender and the vintage stocks of rum. According to the literature, the heart of this new rum is some of the 30 year old rum stocks. Finding a rum with this age of rum in it is fairly rare, especially since rums from the tropics age much faster than something like a scotch or bourbon from cooler climates.

Anytime you spend $90 on a product, without tasting it, you are taking a risk. In my case I enjoy rum very much, so the risk is worth it. After taking a few pictures of the bottle, I cracked open the bottle and immediately took a sniff to catch the aroma. It was very pleasant and deeper and more complex than I expected. The first sips of this product were impressive also. Very smooth, but still a bit of that characteristic rum fire. To have a reference point, I also tasted Appleton V/X beside the Master Blender Legacy edition.

Appleton VX
40% ABV 750ml Bottle (Price: $24 CDN)

Colour: Straw coloured
Nose: Molasses and alcohol with hints of oak.
Palate: Thin with molasses and an light oaky finish.

Comments: VX has a molasses aroma but isn't very deep or complex. A good cocktail rum though.

Appleton Master Blenders Legacy
43% ABV 750ml Bottle (Price: $90 CDN)

Colour: Deep amber, similar to a well aged cognac. Very enjoyable.
Nose: Deep aromas of toasted oak, spice and sugar cane with hints of citrus
Palate: Very smooth with lots of oak. Sightly sweet and oily. Long finish with a slight spiciness and lots more oak.

Comments: This is a rum you can sip and enjoy like a fine cognac or scotch. It still has a little bit of that fire characteristic that makes rum, rum. Legacy is more characteristic of a fine cognac with deep oak notes.

The Appleton Master Blenders Legacy rum did not disappoint. It has a lot of flavour but is smooth enough to be enjoyed neat, and in reality this is the way it should be served. If you only drink fine cognacs, you might find this to have a lot of flavour comparatively. I wouldn't recommend using this rum for cocktails, but it would make one hell of a nice Mai Tai and I'm sure I'll eventually disobey my own advice and mix one up. For now I'll appreciate it for what it is, a very fine rum and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fine rum.

Notes:

The Appleton Estate is the oldest sugar estate and distillery in Jamaica. The estate is located in the Nassau Valley in the parish of St. Elizabeth. The first known documentation of rum production at the Appleton Estate is dated 1749.

Appleton Master Blenders Legacy rum is currently being rolled out and is only available in Canada and Jamaica, but other countries will follow.