In my continuing quest to think outside the spirit box, I have developed not only an appreciation for gin, but also one for rum. Well not just any rum, Jamaica's finest Appleton Estate rum. Earlier this week I was invited to an tasting at Spruce restaurant in San Francisco, and I got to sample the rich caramel-colored liquor neat in four different cocktails.
Appleton is Jamaica's oldest producer of rum and they've got rum-making down to a science. The sugar cane is environmentally estate grown and distilled and blended in small batches by Joy Spence, the industry's first female master rum blender. Spence describes Appleton as a "playful, but serious rum" that "should never see the inside of a blender." Instead we were instructed to "sip it up!" Spence, who was on hand at the tasting, guided us through the four steps to properly enjoy fine rum. To find out what they are, keep reading.
- Examine the color of the rum. Hold the glass up to the light and look through it to see the molasses shade.
- Look at the clarity. The liquid should be clear, but richly colored.
- Tilt the glass to the side to check out the olive green ring along the rim of the rum in the glass. This demonstrates the age of the rum.
- Note the legs. They should be thick.
- Finally, take a sip!
Have you ever tried Appleton? What is your favorite rum?
American Retro
Inspirations
Firetrap
I have bottles of Appleton in my house! The Reserve is my favorite for sipping on the rocks. My dad used to work for them when he was a teen in Jamaica.
1okay i dont know about anyone else but all my friends will agree that this rum can be dangerous. It takes a while to sink in and hit you so you can be drinking and not feel drunk for a while and then all of a sudden BOOM inebriation.
2legs? Can someone explain?
3Legs how the liquid will drip down the glass once it is tipped or swirled.
4I believe its usually in drinks with a higher alcohol content with thicker consistency. It has something to do with the alcohol/water content with the surface tension.
You have probably seen them before while drinking wine, once you swirl your glass the wine will tear down and resemble legs.
Appleton Reserve is a blend of at least 20 rums, giving it a complex character with rich tropical flavors. It's made from some rums that were distilled in a pot still (heavier) and some rums made in a column still (lighter). Each type develops different qualities while resting in used bourbon barrels made of oak. The master blender takes all these various rums and blends them together to achieve a balance of flavors, ages, tones and viscosity. The results are wonderful. Reserve is a very flavorful rum that can be enjoyed on the rocks, with a bit of ginger beer or mixed with a lemon-lime soda.
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