Appleton Estate Extra 12-Year

While I had a hard time discerning a difference between the normal reserve and the 8yr this to my recollection was definitely a cut above. Seemed very well-balanced and personally would not waste it in coke. Looking forward to trying others for sure in the same price range.

A very good rum for sipping on the rocks. It has just the right amount of burn and has a sort of "woody" taste. Very good overall, but not my favorite.

Se observa desde su color ámbar obscuro que tiene añejamiento, pierde el sabor etílico de los Appleton jóvenes. Ideal para mezclar con cola.

I have tried this rum on numerous occasions when my other choices were not available. I will drink this although it is not really smooth. It is a good rum but not in top tier.

I have little to add to Svante Jorgenson's pointedly accurate notes. The oak is prominent and might offput a newer rum drinker if that drinking experience is mostly sweet rums; not here. Reminds me of the Abuelo 12 without that spirit's burnt sweetness. Really nice leather and tobacco notes. It's dry. A splash of spring/filtered water opens it up and lessens the wood; at 43% you've a bit of room to experiment with water. Nice texture but toward the lighter side of medium body. I never run out of it.

This Rum is special, for 12 years is not too sweet and have lot of complexity, is easy to taste the molasses and time spend into this wood barrel Not overly sweet.

Ill state up front I like to mix my drinks. This one is loses some flavour in the coke and flattens out but is still a superior drop. Bit of molasses happening & not overly sweet .Much more rounded iteration and does not have the sharpness of the younger cousin

Every so often I grab another $50 top-shelfer and give it a shot. Appleton 12 was the biggest disappointment yet. It was barely tolerable as a mixer for me... just too harsh, tasted like a cheap version of Bacardi.

The rum was poor as a mixer rum and on the rocks... Tasteless and even unpalatable... Not a fan as you can see.

I'm used to drink Appleton V/X, which is one of the most widely available decent rhum offering. But this is far better than decent. In fact, the boost in quality is exponential.
In a age of no age statement spirits dominated by a few global mega holdings, it is reassuring to have Wray and Nephew (Appleton), own by Campari, still producing this level of quality. Okay last year they went through a labelling and branding revamp, and the 12 yo is now called the Rare Blend. But in the end, to have the same level of quality for a Scotch or a Cognac, or even a rum, you usually have to pay twice the price.
It does help that they have 750K barrels in their inventory (compared to let's say Plantation with 5K).
The result is very woody and spicy, a full bodied long fermentation molasses old school copper pot distilled rum. It's got that rum funk esters that makes it the essential ingredient for a perfect Mai Tai (coupled with the also impressive premium El Dorado 12).
A must in any Bar.
The photo I've taken this Holiday season during a family party. I have no idea how old is that bottle, but it was still delicious and let's all agree that without being nostalgic, the old presentation was a lot sexier ;)