Appleton Estate Reserve Blend

This rum is especially smooth when you consider it's price point and age. Not to mention it tends to be readily available. This high rating is mostly to balance out what I believe is an unfairly low rating here.

This is the rum of all inclusive resorts, reminds me of Jamaica !

This is my go to rum love everything about it flavours and all

ORIGINAL REVIEW (6+): It's not at all offensive, but there's just not much there of what makes a confident Jamaican mixing rum. Not enough funk (too blended), and just a little too much bite. So, there's little draw. It seems as though Appleton is really aiming for mass-market appeal with their lower-end (but not inconsiderably priced) offerings, which is a shame.

Personally I prefer to purchase bottles I enjoy more on their own (as well as mix with), which are easy enough to find around this price-point. I think the Reserve Blend really a fine choice for Tiki drinks, but I expected a little more. Perhaps the 12-year is for me (which I'd really like to try soon), but I hesitate to mix with anything that costs north of $30.

It's very possible I passed judgment too quickly on this bottle, without giving it time breathe [edit: that's exactly what happened]. Or that my expectations for this as a sipper are unreasonable. I'll come back to it when I can and see if my perceptions have changed :).

Despite my disappoint, I'd still happily recommend this venerable brand's offering for use as a go-to Jamaican mixer, especially if you're tempted to opt for the Signature Blend, which I am not looking forward to trying anytime soon. I give the Reserve Blend a 6-plus.

UPDATE (7+): After revisiting this rum, my opinion of it changed completely. I was served the last of a bottle, so it was plenty oxidized. There were no offensive high notes, and the rum was very smooth compared to my first tasting. The pot-still characteristics seemed more present, and I would be more than happy to mix or sip this again!

UPDATE (8-): This is good, reliable rum. Is it perfect? No. Could it use more funk? Yes. More strength? Absolutely. But it does strike a nice balance between the Signature and Rare, and (arguably) is better than both because of that. It's equally good (for me, anyway) as a mixer as well as a sipper, and I enjoy revisiting it when I can.

A note on pricing: Sometimes I see this bottle for sale only a dollar or two below the Rare Blend/ 12yo. This strikes me as very strange. Most people are happy to pay the small difference for a more rounded sipper, so maybe those pricing it this way are just trying to move more Rares. Occasionally I've seen it offered at around $10 less than the RB, which makes much more sense. The Signature is a value rum you shouldn't pay more than like $18 for. The RB is like $35. The Reserve SHOULD be in the $26 range. (2018 USD)

nothing to say more, great price, great taste, no sugar added....I like it even for sipping. I think this is the best price/value rum at all.

This is a nice smooth Rum with a little bite at the end.

Very sippable rum. Even a little bit of water is diluting it's flavor

Not the greatest, but it'll do in a pinch. Better for mixes than sipping.

try this - if you want to taste jamaica rum.
it isnt sweet, ok. it isnt sharp, ok. it is very smooth, maybe the smoothest appleton ive tried.
it has a nice fruitiness. the spice ntes arent very dense, unlike the other rums of appleton.

I guess I just don't get Appleton's. They have a pretty good reputation and seem to command a bit of a premium. I've only tried two but they did not live up to expectations. A friend had this when we visited and he knew I liked rum. This one was definitely OK for my taste but just OK. The taste was not may favorite and it felt a little harsh.There are a number of better rums for less money. I don't see me buying any Appleton rums, but I certainly will drink it when offered. I drink rum on the rocks, never mixed.