Many world-famous brands of rum are made in Jamaica, so it is difficult to surprise the inhabitants of the island with any unusual property of this drink. But even for Jamaica, Appleton Estate terroir rum is unique. In the world, only a few brands can claim the title of terroir: they must be produced from strictly defined varieties of sugar cane grown in the same area, under special climatic conditions.
In addition, Appleton Estate is the oldest and most popular of the Jamaican rum brands. In 2012, 10,8 million bottles of the drink were produced, with sales increasing by 5-10% every year.
History of the Appleton Estate rum
Since the middle of the 1749th century, almost every Jamaican estate where sugar cane was grown had its own distillery: it was necessary to put molasses somewhere. In the Appleton Estate, located in the heart of the island – the Nassau Valley, a distillery for making rum was built in XNUMX.
At the end of the XNUMXth century, scientists determined that in a valley surrounded by mountains with fertile calcareous soils, a warm climate and frequent but not too heavy rains, ideal conditions were created for growing sugar cane. The rum produced from it has a special taste, easily recognizable by connoisseurs.
In the 1825th century, the purification technology of Caribbean rum was improved, thanks to which this type of alcohol from cheap sailor taverns gradually moved to the aristocratic living rooms of Europe and the New World. One of the best Jamaican rums was made by J. Wray and Nephew (J. Ray and Nephew). Its founder, John Ray, opened the Shakespeare Tavern in Kingston in 1860. In his spare time, he experimented with the distillation of rum, then built his own distillery, and from XNUMX, Mr. Ray began to be assisted by his nephew, Charles Ward.
Already in 1862, rum produced by “J. Wray and Nephew” won three gold medals at an exhibition in London (for 10-, 15- and 25-year-old rum). In the next 15 years, the company’s products were awarded at competitions in Paris, Amsterdam and New Orleans.
Charles Ward’s heirs sold the company to Lindo Brothers & Co. in 1916. By that time, it was believed that the best blenders in Jamaica work at J. Wray and Nephew. The new owners also purchased the Appleton Estate, along with cane plantations, a sugar mill, and a distillery. Thus, within the framework of one enterprise, highly qualified blenders have at their disposal selected raw materials.
Throughout the 2012th century, the company changed hands several times, but this did not affect the quality of the products: Appleton rum became more and more popular. In 414,8, J. Wray and Nephew was acquired by the largest Italian alcohol producer Gruppo Campari for $XNUMX million.
Features
Today, sugarcane plantations on the Appleton estate cover 4614 hectares. Rum Appleton Estate is an organic product: when growing raw materials for its production, no mineral fertilizers and pesticides are used. The soil is fertilized with organic matter, in particular, the must waste left after distillation. In the manufacture of rum, as in the old days, copper alambiks are used. Distillation technology has remained unchanged since the end of the XNUMXth century.
It takes many years, if not decades, to obtain premium rum. In the 70-90s of the XX century, the company’s senior blender was Owen Tulloch. He dreamed of creating a series of extra-aged rums. Under his leadership, spirits were poured into oak barrels, from which 21- and 50-year-old rum is produced today. Due to the tropical climate of Jamaica, rum matures 3 times faster than in Europe. In order for the drink to taste like a 50-year-old Appleton, it would have to be aged in Scotland for 150 years.
Mr. Tulloch stepped down to continue his life’s work with Joy Spence, who became the first woman in the world to hold the position of senior blender at a rum company. Mrs. Spence is able to distinguish 300 shades of rum aroma. In her interviews, she says that she dreams of bringing the production of the drink to 27 million bottles a year.
Joy Spence spoke about the signs by which it is easy to distinguish the rum of many years of aging:
- the drink should have a delicate and pleasant aroma;
- you should raise a glass of rum to the light and look through it. Aged rum is clear and has a rich amber color. On the surface of the liquid, a very thin green rim is necessarily noticeable, the so-called “aging ring”: tannin contained in oak wood dissolves in alcohol;
- real aged rum is a bit viscous. If you twist the glass with it, then the liquid flows through the glass much more slowly than water.
Awards
At numerous annual international competitions, Appleton Estate rum has been awarded gold medals:
- Appleton Estate Signature Blend – Monde Selection с 2011 по 2013 г., World Spirit Awards в 2012 г., San Francisco World Spirit Competition в 2014 г.;
- Appleton Estate Reserve Blend – Monde Selection с 2011 по 2013 г., World Spirit Awards в 2011 и 2012 г., San Francisco World Spirit Competition в 2014 г.;
- Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year Old – Monde Selection в 2011 и 2013 г., World Spirit Awards в 2011 и 2012 г., San Francisco World Spirit Competition в 2014 г.;
- Appleton Estate 21 Year Old – World Spirit Awards в 2011 г., San Francisco World Spirit Competition в 2014 г.;
- Appleton Estate 50 Year Old – Golden Barrel Awards in 2012 (the highest awards for rum quality and bottle design. In 2012, rum entered the top ten alcoholic beverages in the world according to The Spirits Business competition.
Mrs. Spence’s Favorite Cocktail Recipe:
- throw a slice of orange at the bottom of a cocktail glass;
- drip on it with Angostura bitters (1-2 drops are enough);
- add 60 ml of Appleton Estate Reserve rum;
- top with crushed ice ginger ale mixture.
Types of Rum Appleton Estate
A bottle of Appleton rum must be labeled “Jamaica rum”. Since 2015, the signature of the company’s chief blender, Joy Spence, has been printed on the cork.
You can still find Appleton Estate White and Special rums in stores. However, in July 2016, Gruppo Campari rebranded, and now these drinks are sold under different names:
- Appleton Estate White – Renamed J.Wray White. Colorless transparent rum with a strength of 37,5%. It has a fresh aroma of vanilla and brown sugar. Taste – dry, spicy, with creamy vanilla notes and oak bitterness;
- Appleton Estate Special – Renamed J.Wray Gold. Golden drink with a strength of 40%, is a mixture of rums aged in oak barrels from Jack Daniel’s whiskey. The aroma of rum is ginger-fruity. The taste is creamy, with a hint of vanilla. The aftertaste is warm and spicy.
- Appleton Estate 30 Year Old rum has been temporarily suspended.
The following varieties of Appleton Estate Rum are currently produced:
- Appleton Estate Signature Blend (until 2015 called Appleton Estate V / X) is a golden amber color rum with a strength of 40%. The drink is a mixture of 15 varieties of rum of different aging periods (on average – 4 years). The palate is dominated by notes of orange peel, dried apricots and peach, complemented by undertones of molasses and oak;
- Appleton Estate Reserve Blend is a topaz-colored rum, 43% abv. For manufacturing, 20 varieties of rum of different aging periods are mixed (on average – 6 years). The spicy-nutty taste of the drink gradually reveals hints of honey, vanilla, hazelnuts and orange peel;
- Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year Old (until 2015 it was called Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old) is a 12-year-old rum, red-bronze color, 40% alcohol. Chocolate-fruity taste with a light oak bitterness turns into a vanilla-coffee aftertaste with hints of molasses, almonds, burnt oak and fresh orange peel;
- Appleton Estate 21 Year Old – 21-year-old rum, copper-red color, 43% alcohol. The drink has a mild taste with notes of orange peel, vanilla, nutmeg and a long chocolate-coffee aftertaste;
- Appleton Estate 50 Years Old is a 45% ABV, 50-year-old, mahogany-colored rum with a distinct green aging ring. This is an expensive collectible drink, first released in a limited edition in 2002 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence. On the palate, the sweetness of vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup and orange peel is balanced by the astringent bitterness of old oak. The finish is long, silky, with a hint of honey.