This month, our Rum of the Month is Appleton Estate. This historic distillery is nestled in the heart of Jamaica and truly brings our guests at Revolucion de Cuba a taste of the tropics. Read more to explore this rum…
The History
The country of Jamaica is renowned for its culture, flavours and atmosphere, and its rum is no different. Jamaican rum is known for being full-bodied, high quality and of course, having a uniquely vibrant flavour.
If you’ve ever been to the Caribbean island, you’ll know that the tropical climate, incredibly fertile terrain and refreshing mountain sprints make it the perfect environment to grow sugarcane. Sugarcane is the key ingredient in making rum, click here to discover more about the production of rum. Did you know the country has been producing rum for over 400 years?!
From the turquoise limestone-rich water that flows naturally through the ancient riverbeds, to Nassau’s lush, green surrounding, the region’s unique topography makes for a rum unlike any other. These geographic circumstances curate a unique flavour, which makes Appleton Estate one of the few rums in the world able to claim terroir. Essentially, this means that the Appleton flavour is synonymous with Jamaica as a whole.
This iconic flavour identity is renowned amongst rum enthusiasts around the world. It is also a credit to Jamaica’s commitment to the highest quality production standards. Tropical ageing, minimum ageing, no added colours/flavours and non-GMO ingredients, are all quality measures the Jamaican rum has chosen to uphold. This strive for excellence has recently been formalised as a Geographical Indicator (GI). This, in turn, allows Appleton Estate to safeguard the quality of production that the country of Jamaica is so proud of.
Appleton Estate began distilling rum over 265 years ago. Back then, they produced a Single Estate rum which was made deep in the middle of Jamaica’s Nassau Valley. Their current process allows them to monitor all elements of the process, from cane right through to cocktail. It means when you drink Appleton Estate, you know you’re drinking quality.
The World’s First Female Master Blender
Appleton Estate’s range is led by trailblazer and Master Blender Joy Spence; the world’s first female Master Blender in the spirits industry. Joy started her journey back in the 1980s when she set out to modernise the lab at the Appleton Estate Distillery. She combined her knowledge of chemistry with her love for Appleton rum to create the iconic rum they produce today.
“Creating rum is the perfect balance between art and science. In rum-making, they are so intricately intertwined that it’s difficult to pinpoint where the science stops, and art begins.”
– Joy Spence.
Using American oak barrels, Joy and her team develop the complex Appleton Estate flavours by utilising the perfect ageing conditions that exist on the island. She blends the rum consistently every three years as the Jamaican sun tempers their delicate and delicious flavour. Joy and her team will only bottle the liquid when it is ready, and not a moment before.
To learn more about Joy, click here!
Appleton Rum is a Revolucion de Cuba favourite, so allow us to introduce you to the three iconic varieties available in bar today:
Appleton Signature
Flavour Profile: On the palate, there are rich flavours of orange, apricot, oak, vanilla & molasses. It has a warming finish with notes of cinnamon, caramel & vanilla.
Aromas: Orange Peel, Banana, Tobacco, Molasses, Apricot
The Signature Blend is an iconic blend of 15 aged rums that are all distilled at the Appleton Estate in Jamaica. On average the rums used are around 4 years old. Whilst some people opt to enjoy this as a sipping rum, it’s also delicious mixed with Ginger Beer.
Don’t take our word for it, for the rest of August you can enjoy our Jamaican Mule: Perfect Serve. It is a refreshing blend of Appleton Estate Signature, Old Jamaican Ginger Beer, Angostura Bitters and a squeeze of lime.
Appleton Estate 8 year
Flavour Profile: This rum offers notes of toffee apples, cinnamon, crystallised ginger and soft oak spice.
Aromas: Orange Peel, Spicy Fruit, Oak, Honey, Vanilla, Orange Peel
This distinctive rum is crafted by Joy Spence to commemorate Appleton Estate’s 250th Anniversary. It is a blend of rum that has been aged for a minimum of 8 years. It is a honey bronze colour that has an exceptionally smooth finish mixed with hints of molasses and warm oak. Again, this rum is delicious when sipped or adds an extra level of flavour to the iconic cocktail, the Mai Tai!
Better yet, try it in our limited-edition Pineapple Honey Mai Tai in your local Revolucion de Cuba. We’ve combined Appleton Estate 8-Year-Old Reserve with Cointreau Liqueur, pineapple, lime, almond syrup, honey water and Angostura Bitters to create a tropical taste of Jamaica we know you’ll love.
Appleton Estate 12 years
Flavour Profile: With a touch of creme caramel, this offers a spicy yet creamy palate with hints of Almonds and Hazelnuts
Aromas: Toasted Oak, Dried Fruit, Hazelnut, Dark Cocoa, Molasses, Orange Peel, Vanilla, Coffee
This rum is a true expression of Joy Spence’s passion for rum. It is a blend of rare, and hand-selected pot and column-still rums that have all been aged for a minimum of 12 years in Jamaica’s tropical climate. As with all Appleton Estate rums, this is perfect for sipping neat.
To help you experience this rum we’ve created the perfect sipping drink. Just ask for sipping: Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old rare casks. You can enjoy this rum on the rocks with a slice of orange dipped in cocoa powder. Try a sip of rum and then bite the orange slice. You can thank us later!
Ready to try Appleton Rum at Revolucion de Cuba?
Visit your favourite Revolucion de Cuba throughout August to explore our Rum of The Month cocktail specials and enjoy a taste of the Caribbean.
