Appleton Estate 15 Year Old Rum. Don’t get too excited about this. I have some bad news. Currently unless you are in Canada – you will struggle to find a bottle of this. As it is an exclusive release for Canada. Which on the face of it seems a bit of an odd decision but odd things do often happen in the world of rum.

Apparently Canada is actually Appleton’s largest market (so I have now been informed). This rum has been priced between the 12 and 21-year-old age statement Appleton Estate rums. So I’d expect it to be around £75 if it came to the UK..

Appleton Estate 15 Year Old Rum is a blend of Pot and Column rums. Rather than simply being the same rum as the 12 Year Old aged an additional 3 years, this rum has more column distillate in its blend. The aim of this is to give a lighter rum overall. It has been bottled at a respectable 43% ABV.

In the general scheme of things Appleton are one of the bigger hitters in the Jamaican rum scene. Their Signature Blend is now a staple in UK supermarkets. They have produced rum under the estate’s “brand name” for a number of years now. Something the likes of Hampden and Long Pond/Monymusk are only just beginning to explore.

With young whippersnappers such as Worthy Park making a few waves in the rum world – Appleton may have to introduce some more new offerings to keep the brand exciting. Unlike most other Jamaican rum producers you will not see any unofficial Independent bottling hailing from Appleton Estate.

In the glass Appleton Estate 15 Year old rum is a golden brown with an orange tinge to it.

The nose is more in keeping with the 12 Year Old than the 21 Year Old. It has more of the funk and less of the wood than the 21 Year Old. It’s vibrant and quite “grassy” and vegetal initially.

Time in the glass reveals a lovely balance. A good weight of sweet vanilla and milk chocolate are backed up by some really nice zesty notes of oak – big juicy Florida oranges spring to mind. It ends with wafts of toffee and caramel.

The funk is evident in a note of varnish, a touch of tobacco and some petrol. Despite all these very different notes, it all holds together beautifully giving a really nice complex nosing experience.

As a sipper Appleton Estate 15 Year Old has a really nice balance of Pot Still funk and more refined “sipping” rum. The initial sip is quite woody with a lot of spicy oak and some real zesty notes of marmalade.

Further sips reveal much more. Once your palate has acclimatised to the spiciness of this rum you start to appreciate the wonderful complexity of it. There is a subtle sweetness to the rum – just enough toffee and vanilla to balance the oak and zest. The mid palate has a slightly herbal feel to it. It is similar to the 12 Year Old but you can definitely taste the extra years of ageing.

The rums in the blend for me, have been taken at just the right time before they run the danger of becoming to oaked. It is a testament of how to blend a number of aged rums to produce something remarkable.

The finish is also really nicely balanced. Its quite long and satisfying with a good weight of oak and more than enough nuances to keep things interesting.

I like the dry finish and the zesty oak – a touch of tobacco and some grassy sugar cane also put in an appearance as the rum fades out. Just in time for the next sip…..

This rum is currently only available in parts of Canada. I do hope it can get a more worldwide release, it is simply too good not to be afforded that.

Exceptional stuff. Good old Jamaican funk mixed with subtle almost Bajan style balance. A real winner for me. Many thanks to our Rum Runner from Canada Ivar for arranging the samples/bottles. The UK very much appreciated it!