Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum has launched a 15 Year Old Black River Casks rum, and also updated its existing ultra-premium 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks, both crafted by Master Blender Joy Spence.
The 15 Year Old Black River Casks is Appleton Estate’s latest expression of aged rum and comes just one year after the brand’s relaunch in 2020, which boasted newly designed packaging. The new offering pays homage to the Black River in Jamaica’s Nassau Valley, the source of the limestone-filtered water used to create all Appleton Estate rum.
Crafted by Joy Spence, Appleton Estate 15 Year Old Black River Casks offers aromas of toasted almond and delicate hazelnut followed by notes of intense orange peel, rich vanilla, and subtle hints of medium roasted coffee and molasses. Bottled at ABV of 43%, the rum presents a coppery hue with a honey gold ring of age, and ends with a creamy lingering finish.
“The rum that we hand-selected for the 15 Year Old is used to create a rare blend of pot and column-still rums resulting in rich and full-bodied finish,” says Joy. “There is a delicate spice with a fruity subtle oak ending that reflects the lush and fertile land that the Black River runs through here in the Nassau Valley.”
In keeping with the minimum age requirement of all Appleton Estate bottles, the 15 Year Old rum has been aged for at least 15 years, creating a smoother and robust taste.
“We cultivate the ingredients that go into every barrel of our rum,” Spence continues. “From the sugarcane we grow ourselves, to the limestone spring water we source straight from the Black River, every step is carefully looked after, resulting in a beautiful rum.”
Following the brand’s relaunch, Appleton Estate is reintroducing the 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks expression with a reimagined bottle and label. First launched in 1996 and named after the heart of Jamaica, the Nassau Valley, the reimagined 21 Year Old expression reveals floral aromas that develop into a unique mature nutty bouquet, with notes of vanilla, orange peel, nutmeg, almond, coffee and cocoa for a long, dry and luscious finish.
At Appleton Estate, it all starts with the land. It is one of the few rums in the world to claim a terroir and is the only rum from the Nassau Valley. A tribute to the Estate’s lush and fertile home since 1749, this blend of rare and hand-selected pot and column still rums have all been aged for a minimum of 21 years. The Valley sits 400 ft above sea level in one of only three cockpit karsts in the world, with the surrounding limestone hills ranging up to 2,000 ft, providing beautifully filtered waters to the Estate-harvested cane.
“Jamaica is a place unlike anywhere else in the world,” notes Spence. “With Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks, we wanted to celebrate our home in an elevated, modern way with a new sleek, sophisticated version of our iconic bottle.”
The Appleton Estate 15 Year Old Black River Casks is best sipped neat or on the rocks and is available nationwide and online beginning June 2021 for $64.99. Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks is best enjoyed sipped neat in a snifter with a single drop of water and paired with dark chocolate. It is currently available nationwide for the price of $149.99.
For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
In November, Appleton Estate launched its Hearts Collection. The limited edition series from the Jamaican distillery features three pot-still rums aged between 21 and 26 years.
