Appleton Estate Rare Casks 12-Year

Thought I would try the new Appleton Estate Reserve 8 Yr & Appleton Rare Casks 12 yr Rums recently released from Jamaica. I was really surprised with the younger rum which I find even better than the Older version of the Appleton Rare Blend 12 yr version and Its quality is definitely worthy of being drank neat. The new version of the 12 year (Rare Casks) is also much better than the older version and in my opinion both dessrve a “9” rating.

I’m loving the new tastes of this 12 year now that the new master distiller is in charge.

'What do Jamaicans know about aged and blended rums?' (I thought to myself jokingly)....A whole freaking lot it turns out. Wow! This is very nice. Appleton 12 year Rare Casks is everything I had wanted MGXO to be. The thing that is so remarkable about this rum is just how damn sippable it is. I can't quite bring myself to give it a 9, but it is easily a high 8 at minimum. The aftertaste is simply delightful. So lets dive in...

The nose is overripe bananas, apples, caramel, a pungent floral bouquet, and sour apple hard
candies. Its got a nice pungency to it like sticking your nose in a flower bouquet. Once you take a sip you get immediate oak that quickly dissipates into caramelized apples and light but present fermentation packaged in a chocolatey smoothness akin to french liqueur chocolates. Think that is interesting? Well it gets better. The velvety chocolate rum taste fades into a chest warmth with grilled pineapple and nutmeg that lingers for a long time and entices you to start the cycle all over again. At every part there is a very pleasant funkiness lingering in the background, kind of like fruit in a pitcher of sangria. I will definitely be keeping this one around. This is very nice for a change of pace.

*Update* I am bumping this up. On the second go around after every sip I kept muttering "damn!" to myself out of sheer relaxed enjoyment. This rum has a marvelous aftertaste and a great smoothness to it despite no added sugar and only being aged for 12 years.

Nose: 8
Palate: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Smoothness: 9
Versatility: 9
Price: 9

Total: 8.8

As others have said, this is not the same as the previous expression labeled 12 year from Appleton's, this is a new iteration and really one of the best sipping rums out there. My other favorite sipper being Doorly's XO, just so you know where I am coming from. This rum has great complexity and doesn't overwhelm with any of the notes, but offers a really nice balance.
The nose is great, and if you love Jamaican rum, as I do, you can spend a bit of extra time here enjoying the nice combination of warm Jamaican funk, oak, molasses, orange and spice. The taste is perfect for sipping, with a good hit of alcohol up front, strong but not confrontational, then nice sweet notes of toffee and caramel with vanilla, orange, light banana and stone fruit, followed by the distinct hogo that I lovo. the finish is long with a mild touch of charred oak and raisins.

This is a really great rum and the price point around $45 US right now is decent too for such quality I would give this a solid 8.5, leaving a littel room to run since, frankly, I haven't tasted much at higher price points yet, in my rum tasting journey. Enjoy neat, or with an ice cube or two to open it up or in a nice rum Old Fashioned, with a twist of orange and a Luxardo cherry.

Second Appleton in a row that I have enjoyed. Initially the afterburn was a bit strong, but the more I drank it, the smoother and deep richness I experienced. Hard to describe. Somewhat oaky, but best word is still rich. 6.5 on my scale.

Avast! There be nothin' rare about a funked-up Jamaican rum. She smells a bit sweet, and a lot funky, with hints of fruits, vanilla, and oak... but once you taste her tho, you don't funkin' smell anythin' but the vanilla and oak. Witchcraft! As for taste, spices come aboard first - aggressively - followed by a wee bit of vanilla and banana, and then molasses - HARD - followed by a hint of tobacco when that fades. Might this be a sippin' rum? Aye, if a funked up rum be to your fancy, by all means, take no prisoners. If you're not into funkin' around, there be better, less funked-up, rums to be had... arrrgh

The usual Appleton Estate shaped bottle holding a dark golden coloured rum. Smells of banana and pineapple finished with vanilla. Taste the fire in the mouth and as it slides down the throat.

A light colour compared to the 8 or 12 year with some burnt caramel smell. The taste is the same with that Appleton Jamacian funk, that is not really my thing. A spicey finish, with some burn. Not my idea of a sipping rum, best in a mixed drink.

This definitely has the funk that is a part of the Appleton line. I enjoyed it as a supper and as a mixer for the “tropical” style of drinks. Good fun and tasty.