Admiral Rodney Officer's Releases No.1 - Port Cask Finish

Admiral Rodney Officer’s Releases No.1 – Port Cask Finish

Bythefatrumpirate November 23, 2020

Admiral Rodney Officer’s Releases No.1 – Port Cask Finish. Admiral Rodney is a rum brand, which is produced by Saint Lucia Distillers. It started off as a single name for one of their rums. Since then the rum has expanded into a range of 3 core rums, and a (dosed) Denmark only release. Now they are beginning a series entitled the Officer’s Releases.

Admiral Rodney or George Brydges Rodney was British Naval Officer who prevented a French invasion of Saint Lucia in 1782 “The Battle of the Saintes”. He has a bay “Rodney Bay” named after him on the island. Which is now recognised as the islands best entertainment and recreation centre.

The Admiral Rodney brand is a bit of an outlier. In terms of the stills available to Saint Lucia Distillers, it often comes as a surprise when people find the brand is a 100% column distillate. Unfortunately, too much macho posturing in Facebook groups and misguided, uninformed rhetoric has led many people to believe Pot Still rum to to be the be all and end all. Let’s make one thing very clear – the type of rum produced on the two column Coffey Still in place at Saint Lucia is far, far different from anything produced at a multi column alcohol plant………

Admiral Rodney Officer’s Releases No.1 – Port Cask Finish is a blend of rums using the 45 plate Coffey Column still which was installed at Saint Lucia Distillers in 1984. All the Admiral Rodney rums are extracted from the bottom plates of the still.

Admiral Rodney Officer’s Releases No.1 – Port Cask Finish was released earlier this year. It is currently available at a number of retailers. I picked up my bottle at The Whisky Exchange for £66.95. The rum has been bottled at 45% ABV. Presentation wise it is in keeping with the revamp of the brand which took place around 3 years ago. The oversized cork stopper continues to be a key presentation point and the decanter style bottle is very “premium” looking. a sturdy cardboard sleeve also ensures you can keep your rum out of direct sunlight and other nasties. The oversize cork stopper also notes the phrase “Break the Line” which was a tactic used by Admiral Rodney to defeat the French back in 1782.

In terms of the actual rum in the bottle. As mentioned it is from the Coffey Column and the rums were distilled in March 2006. The rums were originally aged in ex-bourbon barrels for 13 years. The rum was then placed in 13 year old Port Casks made from European oak and aged for a further 9 months. This rum was bottled in early 2020. The rum has been entirely tropically aged.

So I think that pretty much covers everything I know about this rum so we’ll move on to the nosing and tasting.

In the glass Admiral Rodney Officer’s Releases No.1 – Port Cask Finish is a very vibrant mahogany colour, with a reddish hue.

On the nose you immediately get the Port Cask. Lots of sweet raisins, sultanas and rich dark plum. It is sweet with a real note of honey, vanilla and a good balance of spicy oak.

It’s not a difficult rum to nose – it’s not challenging or intense. It just has a nice balance to it and a clear direction of what it is trying to achieve.

On the sip it is quite reminiscent of the English Harbour Port Cask Finish, which is in no way a problem. I really enjoyed that rum. The Port Cask does have quite an influence on this rum. So if you don’t like a sweeter unsweetened rum (?) – then you might want to look to something else. On the initial sip you get a lot of soft vibrant fruits. Peach, raisin, sultana a touch of overripe juicy pear.

The mid palate is drier with notes of tobacco and with more oak and bourbon esque notes. There is a touch of liquorice there as well which leads you nicely into the finish.

Finish wise the fruitiness returns with an extra layer of sweetness and a nice hit of sweet red liquorice. The 45% ABV gives the rum a decent length of finish and I think it works quite well to give the rum an overall balance. I’m not sure if a higher ABV would necessarily improve this rum.

The finish lingers with notes of toffee, tobacco and some pipe smoke.

Overall the rum shows the quality that can still be obtained from column distilled rum. This is also a good example of a “finished” or “secondary maturation” style of rum. The Port Cask influence is definitely there but there are other facets to this rum other than just sweetness.

All in all an impressive effort and definitely one for the Port Cask lovers to try.

Raising Glasses Pelée's Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum
Bythefatrumpirate May 3, 2025December 9, 2025

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum. A bit of a rarity for me. In that I am reviewing something from an Independent Bottler from the US.

It is fair to say that the “Europeans” have quite a monopoly when it comes to Independent bottlings and access to the casks to produce them. The largest rum broker E.A Scheer/The Main Rum Company have their two main warehouses in Amsterdam and Liverpool.

So US Independent bottlers are less common place than European bottlers. My own access to US Independent bottlings involves the same difficulties had by US citizens trying to get European releases.

Fortunately i have been sent some samples of Raising Glasses portfolio to review, by a contact I have in the Rum World who is currently working with the brand.

If you wish to read about the brand then you can see more here on their own website.

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum is also a bit of a rarity for me in terms of the juice. Once I have looked into the rum I have realised that it is a rum from Le Galion on Martinique. My initial very quick perusal of the sample had me assuming it has from Savanna Distillery on Reunion Island. They have used the Grand Arôme term with their own releases quite frequently.

However, releases from Le Galion are less commonplace than from Savanna. It’s commercial operation is really dependent on the production of Sugar. A lot of the rum they do produce is sold in bulk and used in perfume and other “industrial” products rather than for drinking. They aren’t really a very commercially minded rum producer at all.

You may also note that I have referred to this as rum rather than rhum. The rum is produced on a traditional column style used commonly in the French Islands.

However, they do not produce Rhum Agricole. The rum is made from the molasses from the sugar production. Again this is likely because rum isn’t their main focus……..

There aren’t a great deal of reviews of any other Le Galion rums kicking around. I did however find a review from Lance over at The Lone Caner. It was quite interesting to read that he also had similar initial thoughts and confusion when he discovered a Le Galion Grand Arôme Rum. Good to see I’m not the only one that needed to do some research! His review was 7 years ago so I’m well behind in that respect!

This rum is available direct from Raising Glasses it retails at $40 for a 375ml. So its half the size of a usual 750ml US bottling. A standard UK/Europe bottling is 700ml (or 70cl). Which I think is good value and quite a good idea. I’ve been a fan of “smaller” bottle sizes for quite a while. However having spoken with producers I understand why they are loath to commit smaller bottles.

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum comes in at hefty 62.5% ABV. It is an unaged molasses based rum. The long vinasse-powered fermentation creates prodigious amounts of ester flavor compounds which is why it is labelled as Grand Arôme.

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum is part of Raising Glasses’ “Folklore” series. The name comes from Mount Pelée. An active volcano on Martinique. In 1902 it erupted violently killing almost 30,000 inhabitants. Almost 15% of the island’s population. Destroying the port of Saint-Pierre.

Anyway enough of mass destruction my Mother Nature and human tragedy lets take a look at this rum………..

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum is unaged so unsurprisingly the liquid is crystal clear. There has been no cask interaction to alter the colour of this rum.

Like a Jamaican Overproof you can smell this at twenty paces….from way across the room. Highly pungent and highly aromatic. There is a huge hit of fermenting pineapple and sweet green apples. A touch of mango and some banana. It’s rich and fruity with a huge hit of sweet smelling varnish and a touch of petrol.

It is also quite “molasses” heavy. I am getting a lot of toffee/caramel on the nose and the familiar rich “Navy Style” you get with those blended Dary Navy Rums.

There is also a slightly sour cream like note to this rum as well.

SIpping this at full strength is advised in a gradual manner. The is a lot to take in. The sweetness on the nose is still apparent with a lot of the tropical notes coming through. However, I am getting a saltier more briny rum especially on the intial sip.

It has a slightly dry acidic mouthfeel which has quite a drying effect on the palate at full strength.

This however does lead to a lot of “shift” in the flavour profile. As I sip further and move into the mid palate of each sip I’m noticing a lot of black and green olives. Some pencil shavings and something almost nutty creeping into the profile.

Sweetness is still there with lots of funky pineapple and mango but it is a bit more savoury now. You can certainly tell why this is used more of a flavouring agent it certainly has quite a few similarities with our good friend Mr DOK from Jamaica. Perhaps not quite as pungent overall but certainly in the same ball park.

As we move into the finish I’m getting a fair bit of the molasses flavour again with a hit of toffee. I am also getting a mineral(y) note which reminds me of the seaside and getting sand stuck between my toes for some reason.

This is very intense, very pungent rum. The havoc it will likely wreak (in a very good way) I can only imagine. A rum and coke was certainly a very nice experience.

As it is unaged the finish isn’t particularly long or comforting it terms of development. The flavour and intensity of this rum certainly stays with you. It doesn’t fade out nicely though or develop much beyond the mid palate.

As this is completely unaged rum that is to be expected.

This is a very intense and strangely addictive rum. I will certainly be keeping Le Galion on my radar.

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Single Cane Estate Rums - Worthy Park

Single Cane Estate Rums – Worthy Park
Bythefatrumpirate July 1, 2017

Single Cane Estate Rums – Worthy Park is actually a Bacardi International Brand. Acting almost like an independent bottler Bacardi, released a couple of rums (this and a Dominican Republic rum) into the Travel Retail market in 2015.

Worthy Park for those who aren’t familiar is a re-born rum distillery from Jamaica. Forced to close in the nineteen sixties due by the Jamaican government the distillery began operating again in 2005. A number of Worthy Park rums from 2005 and 2006 have been released onto the Independent market over the past couple of years.

The distillery has also benefited from favourable (and much deserved) reviews of its own “Rum Bar” brand and the general move by many rum enthusiasts towards purer rums. Free of additives and sugar.

When I mentioned that Bacardi were acting “almost” like an independent bottler this is where the difference comes in. They have “dosed” this rum with some sugar as my hydrometer confirms. Bacardi had noted how “innovative” these releases were in the original press releases. Maybe not as much as they think.

This rum retails at around 30 euros which is not bad as the bottle size is 1 litre. Presentation wise its pretty slick. As you might expect from such a big brand. Nice broad shouldered medium/stubby bottle with a good solid cardboard sleeve to house it in.

The rum contained in the bottle is aged between 2 and 5 years and like all Worthy Park rum is 100% Pot Distilled.

In the glass the rum presents itself as a slightly dull yet dark brown. It isn’t particularly vibrant nor does it “glimmer” in anyway. No red flashes with this one.

On the nose I immediately recognise the spirit as being from the Worthy Park Estate in Jamaica. Despite having some “dosage” (no doubt added by Bacardi) it doesn’t smell overly sweet. On the nose alone I wouldn’t suspect any additives.

As mentioned already its a very familiar nose if you have experience of Worthy Park’s distillates. Its quite savoury smelling. There is a little toffee and a saltiness which dominates over the fainter toffee and chocolate aromas.

It’s not a bad nose. Overall “power” wise it is unsurprisingly, much less potent than some of the Cask Strength Independent releases, which I have been enjoying lately.

There is a decent amount of oak and spice on the nose. All in all its nicely balanced and quite inviting.

The first sip is actually a lot more fiery than I was expecting. It’s quite an oaky rum despite the added sugar. Pretty spicy – ginger and a little white pepper.

As you sip more you begin to notice the sweeter notes of the rum coming out. The saltiness on the nose has been replaced with more of a sugary note. The sugar means the rum isn’t as dry and perhaps as defined as it might have been without the addition. In my opinion though there is perhaps no way of proving this point. Aside from trying the same distillate prior to the sugar addition.

What it might have gained in terms of a little extra sweetness it has perhaps lost in terms of complexity. It’s all a little one dimensional. When compared with Independent releases or even the companies own Rum Bar Gold it just isn’t quite as good. The toffee and caramel notes in Rum Bar Gold have been muted. We’ve kind of went from intense dark chocolate to standard milk chocolate. Which just isn’t to my personal tastes. Gourmet Belgian chocolate to Cadbury’s Dairy Milk.

The finish is reasonably long and quite spicy and enjoyable. It’s one of the rums better points.

For me this could have been better. It should have been better. The mad thing is when Worthy Park gave Bacardi the casks it probably WAS better! I don’t dislike it but I wouldn’t rush to buy another bottle. There are so many better Worthy Park bottlings around at the moment.

As a mixer it works well but then again at the price it should. It doesn’t make as good a rum and coke as Rum Bar Gold though. Once again I’d discount it over other Worthy Park rums.

Overall its still good but its the worst Worthy Park product I’ve had. Which doesn’t make it a bad rum but they set the bar very high. Stick with the distilleries own releases or the “proper” indies would be my advice.

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Don Q Gran Anejo

Don Q Gran Anejo
Bythefatrumpirate April 14, 2016

Don Q Gran Anejo is a top of the range sipping rum from Puerto Rican domestic powerhouse Serralles.

The Gran Anejo is a blend of rums aged up to 12 years from Serralles aged stocks. It is noted (unsurprisingly) that these are amongst their “finest” aged stocks.

Puerto Rico is perhaps best known for being one of Bacardi Internationals rum producing nations. Their flagship rum Bacardi Superior is produced there. However the Serralles family have been producing rum on the island since 1865.

Unlike many producers the Don Q website is more like a history lesson than a fairy story. You feel you are getting a truthful recollection of actual events rather than some marketing fable. The brand has recently undergone a makeover to modernise the range and they have expanded from distribution in mainland Europe, Spain in particular to the UK as well. We currently have four expressions available here in the UK.

As well as producing a white mixing rum Cristal Don Q have three “dark” rums available which gradually increase in age. Don Q Gold, Don Q Anejo and Don Q Gran Anejo. Like the website it’s all very clear and honest. Each rum states the age of the rums in the blend and its also noted on the bottle that Caramel colouring is added. There are no additives such as sugar, glycerin or any suspect “finishing” techniques. As a company they are very clear on their rum being “pure”. Which is in my book always a good thing and makes a rum so much easier to review!

Presentation wise the Gran Anejo is totally different to the other three rums in the current UK line up. It is a very nice decanter style bottle with a very substantial glass topped synthetic cork stopper. The bottle gives information on the age of the rum and a little piece on the Serralles family. The stopper is sealed initially with a paper ribbon which leads down to a rather strange “medal” on the neck of the decanter.

The medal is a Five Star Diamond Award from The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (wtf?). I’m not entirely sure what to make of it to be honest.

Don Q rums are produced using column distillation. All the rum is distilled 5 times and all of Don Q’s rums are aged in American Oak for at least 12 months. A 70cl bottle should set you back around £60 in the UK.

It is often felt that pot still rum is more flavourful and arguably better than column distilled rum. Whilst pot or pot/column rum can very often produce more flavour than most column only distilled rums, I could give examples such as Admiral Rodney from St Lucia Distillers or Panama single cask rum from UK Independent bottler Mezan, as two examples of when column only rum is every bit the match for pot or pot/column distilled rum.

So there is as much background as I have been able to establish (please read the Serralles site as well – its very interesting) so lets get down to tasting the juice inside the fancy bottle!

In the glass the rum is a golden brown. The nose is quite a familiar rum nose. A sweet almost perfumed like aroma is followed by some oak, a little spice and a lovely waft of light vanilla. A little leather, tobacco and even some dark chocolate. Each nosing reveals more – the sweet alcohol heavy initial notes subside giving way to a much more balanced nose.

Sipping Don Q Gran Anejo is a real joy. It is every bit as well balanced as the Gold and the Anejo yet it displays much more flavour and complexity. It mixes all the best aspects of a light Bajan rum with a more robust leathery Cuban style rum.

The initial sip gives a sweet yet slightly peppery entry. This gives way to some very nicely put together slightly spicy aged oak and bourbon like sweet/sour flavours. Running alongside these flavours is a subtly creamy vanilla note which runs right through the rum. The finish is long and peppery but you never get any burn from this rum. Despite not being overly sweet, the rum is very moresish and very satisfying. The complexity they have achieved is to be applauded.

I sometimes wonder if I am getting too generous with my scoring. When I do feel that way I sometimes consider adopting a more complex scoring system. When I do this I soon give my head a quick wobble, realise I cannot differentiate between a 92 point scoring rum and a 93.

And neither will any of you and more importantly, I hope none of you worry too much about the difference between a 5 star rating and 4.5. Often the reasoning is not entirely logical.

This is a fantastic rum either way. A lesson in proper rum creation

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The Rum Swedes - Barbados 2000

The Rum Swedes – Barbados 2000
Bythefatrumpirate March 8, 2016March 10, 2016

The Rum Swedes Barbados 2000 hails from the West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD) who are responsible for the Cockspur brand.

The Rum Swedes brand is part of Svenksa Eldvatten (Swedish Firewater). They are independent bottlers of Whisky, Rum and Gin. Ran by Tommy Andersen and Peter Sjögren,who both have a long history with Scotch Whisky.

Which may go some way to explain why they sought out and bottled this particular rum. The Rum Swedes seek out single barrels of rum and issue them at Cask Strength.

The rum was distilled at WIRD in 2000 and was bottled in 2013 at a cask strength of 58.8%. Only 215 bottles of this rum were available. As is common with rum it was aged in ex-bourbon barrels. In the UK this was available in very limited quantites and retailed at around £90 per bottle. It is noted as being Cask Number 36.

Bottlings of independent rum from WIRD and Foursquare distillery on Barbados are not particularly uncommon, so without further information it would be easy to find this rum to be pretty unremarkable, aside perhaps from the Cask Strength issue.

The packaging is minimalistic but I like the stubby bottle and the cork stopper is always a bonus. The presentation is clear and uncluttered a little like Mezan. The name Rum Swedes would make it, for me jump off the shelf as its different and quirky.

At some stage (not sure when or by whom) this rum was identified as a “Rockley Still” rum which is what makes it more interesting to the Rum Aficionado. It was Steven James of Rum Diaries Blog who sent me my sample – he has a great interest and love of the “Rockley Still” rums. He also published an essay by Nikos Arvanitis regarding the mythical Rockley Still. It’s well worth a read. I would urge you to take the time to read over it.

Rockley Still rums offer an altogether different experience to most, if not all Bajan rums. They are best described as a mixture of Heavy Caroni and St Lucian Pot Still rums. There are tarry, petrol like notes but also elements of slightly salty/sour bourbon nuances. It nods in a couple of directions but comes down as very much its own style. It has a kind of Marmite type appeal much like Caroni. It’s as far from Plantation Barbados 5 Year Old as you can get!

So lets see how this one goes down.

First up the colour of this spirit its very light a straw like colour suggesting no added caramel, it also has a few small particles and perhaps a little cloudiness suggesting no chill filtering.

The nose is big and immediately I am put in mind of St Lucia distillers 1931 series – turned up a notch or two. Its intense. A few drops of water allow less of the heavy Pot Still and the raw petrol like “fumes” to dominate giving way to some more gentle notes – vanilla and some more floral notes.

In the mouth the feel is very hot, with an almost pepper like heat. It takes quite a lot of taming with water to bring out the full falvour of this rum. When you do hit the sweet spot though the rum becomes very intriguing, the entry is sweet apricot, vanilla a lot of Anise, which gives way to a spicy, oaked, oily and slightly peppered mouthfeel. The finish is very long slightly salty and dry.

In many ways this rum defies logic – nose needs turning down to get all the notes but is best taken at full strength to appreciate all its flavours. The anise notes are quickly lost.

It’s a beast all right and not for the faint hearted but if you like dry, unsweetened and intense rum this might well be for you. This rum hasn’t enjoyed a Sherry Finish that the more recognisable Bristol Rockley Still 1986 bottlings have. As a result it offers a more intense slightly less refined and drier profile.

A very interesting rum to try and one with a lot going on. Not everything might be perfect – it’s still a little to tarry and petrol like for me personally, but its is without doubt a very good rum.

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Neptune Golden Rum Aged 3 Years

Neptune Golden Rum Aged 3 Years
Bythefatrumpirate November 30, 2017November 30, 2017

Neptune is a new rum brand from the UK. Unsurprisingly whilst the brand is from the UK the actual rum is not. Neptune Golden Rum is a 3 year old rum from Barbados. The rum is actually from Foursquare distillery. Effectively what we are getting here is a “gold” version of Doorly’s iconic three year old white rum. Kind of.

Which cannot be a bad thing. Released earlier this year Neptune rum currently retails at around the £35 mark, which is fairly pricy for a three year old rum. A number of people I have spoken to have fixated on this and (in my view) made their opinion on the actual rum, before even tasting it.

Neptune Golden Rum is bottled at 40% ABV and is a blend of Pot and Column Distilled bajan rum. Currently you can buy the standard edition and the “Limited Edition” bottle which will set you back £49. Presentation wise Neptune have ensured that their brand will impress at Rum Festivals etc. They have a clear brand image and they are clearly no fools when it comes to marketing etc.

Presentation is slick and consistent, the tall bottle is very impressive and the design is modern. Unlike some other “indie” bottlers or brands Neptune are very forthcoming about where the rum comes from and how old it is.

I have met, brand owner Richard Davies on a couple of occasions now. Both at Rum Festivals and at both events Neptune was creating a bit of a buzz.

Not being one to shy away from difficult questions I addressed the elephant in the rum regarding Neptune Rum – the price. Currently you can get many Foursquare products at cheaper price points than Neptune (you can get Rum Sixty Six 12 Year Old for £35) so it has entered a crowded market.

Richard was very honest and stated that he will be looking to lower the price once he can secure enough sales to make the economies of scale work more in his favour. He will also look to develop other age statements if he can. Which was refreshing and good to hear. Richard did however urge me to try his rum and forget about the age statement.

So I did and I best tell you all about it now. In the glass the rum is….can anyone guess? Yes thats right its a golden brown appearance. The nose is quite alcohol forward. Which is to be expected from a relatively young rum.

Once you get past the alcohol notes you are in familiar territory. Nice notes of vanilla, banana and a hint of coconut.

I tried this alongside Doorly’s 3 and The Real McCoy 3 – both of which are white rums. As a result some of the “bite” has perhaps been lost in those two rums. This is an altogether more spicy and oak influenced rum. It’s much better than you might expect a 3 year old rum to be. There is a nice note of honey and caramel which hold this rum up nicely alongside the spicier, oakier elements.

Sipped Neptune is a nicely balanced blend of Pot and Column distilled spirit. I really like the vanilla, caramel and oak which are really inviting and warming. The initial sweetness on the palate of banana, coconut and vanilla lasts longer than in either Doorly’s 3 or The Real McCoy. When it does give way you get some very nice spicy oak notes. The finish doesn’t last all that long but its still a very tasty and well put together rum. It’s familiar Foursquare but is perhaps a little edgier than some slightly older Foursquare expressions. We are more in Old Brigand territory (review to follow soon).

The question many will ask is how this rum fares alongside older

Foursquare products such as Doorly’s 5 and Rum Sixty Six Aged 6 Years? The answer is very favourably. Especially when mixed. The younger rum gives this an extra bite which I personally really enjoy. It still delivers a very smooth, balanced rum and cola but it has just a bit more “rumminess” which I welcome. There is a fair amount of oak and spiciness to this rum even when mixed up in cocktails etc.

If you enjoy Foursquare then this is a definite purchase. It might seem a little overpriced but the rum is very good. Forget the age and just enjoy this. This is different enough to merit a purchase.

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Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection

Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection
Bythefatrumpirate December 17, 2021July 12, 2025

Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection. My only hope with this review is that I have enough to write about to flesh out another full review. I fear I may have covered quite a lot of ground with my previous review of the Appleton Estate 1984 Hearts Collection.

That said I’m sure I’ll find something to rattle on about. After all I’ve managed to review a whole host of Foursquare bottlings over the years and I (hope) I haven’t repeated myself too much.

From the amount of views already on the post above, I am going to make an assumption that most of you have already read the review. If not the link is there for you. Based on that assumption I’ll move on. I won’t bore you all again with the details of how I came about trying these two bottlings.

Now, upon publishing my review it came to my attention that a couple of other reviewers had scored the 1984 quite a bit lower than myself. It’s always interesting when reviewers, who I have respect for (they are a small handful, I must admit) have differing opinions to myself.

The two reviewers in question are Serge Valentin over at Whisky Fun and Roger Caroni (not his real name) over at Le Blog a Roger. Both felt that the rum was too woody and dry. Whilst I can see where they are coming from, I just didn’t find that to be the case. Yes it was pretty dry and quite woody but I felt the intense fruity flavours and spicy notes still came through more than enough. It felt to me akin to the Velier Demeraras as opposed to the El Dorado range. It was just a much more concentrated/intense Appleton experience, than you would get from their standard range.

I really enjoyed it and they enjoyed it less than me. This is why when reading reviews you should take notice of the notes made by the reviewer. As well as any score they may or may not give. It is not a case that one person is right and one person is wrong. They just taste things differently and (as all humans do) enjoy different things.

Obviously in this instance I am right though……….

There is no point asking me why another reviewer has given a different score or asking why I gave a higher score than the other reviewer. The only answers I can offer will come across as a touch on the blunt side! Or just plain rude.

Anyway lets get back to the rum review………

Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection is a run of 5000 bottles. So like previous Hearts Collection releases it is not a Single Cask release. It is a bottling of various barrels of the same marque, maturation etc of rum.

It is a 100% Pot Still rum and Joy Spence once again will not reveal the marque of rum used in the release. The rum has been aged for 18 years in Jamaica in ex-bourbon barrels. The rum was bottled in 2021.

For the geeks Total Congeners 688g/100 LAA. For those with deep pockets a 70cl bottle of Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection coming in at 63% ABV will set you back around £218 from The Whisky Exchange. Using the 1984 as a guide the price of the 2003 seems reasonable enough.

Now as mentioned already this Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection rum does seem to have been more favourably reviewed/commented on when I have had a little look around the internet. By giving the 1984 a top score I haven’t given myself much wriggle room. That said if someone can tell me the difference between a rum scoring 96 and one scoring 95 I’d love to hear it……….(the answer isn’t 1 point smartarse)

So lets get some of this in my glass………

When poured the rum is a dark brown possibly slightly lighter than the 1984 but not hugely different.

The nose is instantly more familiar than the 1984’s. It’s very typical aged Appleton and has much in common with the “new” 8 Year, 12 Year and the 21 Year “standard” Appleton releases. So you get a nice waft of treacly molasses, orange peel, citrus, toffee and some chocolate-y oak (?). Beneath this is a nice warming mix of all spice and Christmas Cake.

It is undoubtedly more approachable and “easier” on the nose than the more intense 1984.

Sipped it is a bit spicier than I was expecting and the initial sip is nice and fiery. I’m getting fair bit of ginger and a heavy hit of oak on the entry.

However, as the palate adjust to the 63% ABV liquid the more the notes on the nose come through. The initial sip becomes much mellower. There is a nice intricate mix of honey, vanilla, toffee and chocolate going on.

The mid palate moves into a more spicy and citrus led direction. There is a slight smokiness in the background. Although the oak is less prominent than in the 1984 the fruityness is similar. This time I feel we are getting more of the “warming” notes, I find in Appleton 12 Year. So more of the chocolate, a touch of coffee, maybe. It’s a bit like a nice warm hug in a glass really. It’s nice and beefy but it has a gentleness to it as well?

As we move onto the finish we are treated to a long lingering spice and those wonderful chocolate, honey and vanilla notes. Which build nicely alongside a slightly herbal note and some orange no, hang on tangerine like notes.

The finish is long and elegant and wraps this wonderful rum up nicely.

I’m afraid I might look a bit like an Appleton Estate/Velier fan boy here but once again, I really don’t feel any reason not to give this a top score. It is dangerously drinkable even at 63% ABV.

I’ll answer the question though which do I prefer the 1984 or 2003?

I’d probably go for a bottle of this, given the choice – but I think both rums over something completely different. Both have been rums I have been really lucky to try and I am glad I was offered the chance.

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