Appleton White Rum (0,7L 40%)

Appleton Jamaican White Rum has recently arrived in Alberta (distributed by Campari). The spirit is a molasses based rum produced from field to glass in Jamaica at the Appleton Estate from a combination of pot-distilled and column-distilled rums which are blended and aged for up to 2 years in oak casks. The finished rum is further mellowed by carbon filtration which removes both colour and impurities. The spirit is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume and (in Canada at least) is primarily aimed at the bar trade as a cocktail spirit.

The white rum from Appleton arrives in a medium tall clear bottle sealed with a blue metallic screw cap. At this time the clear rum is only available (in my locale) in large 1140 ml bottles which makes the spirit cumbersome upon my bar shelf. The labeling is nice but the presentation is clearly intended to serve an economical purpose rather than an aesthetic one.

When poured into my glencairn glass the Appleton White is crystal clear with no hint of colour. When I tilt and twirl my glass, I see a lightly thickened sheen of rum on the inside.  The crest at the top of that liquid sheen holds back for a few seconds and then releases some long slender legs back into the rum.

The initial nose is quite nice with light citrus zest and orange peel combining with background impressions of mushy banana. There is also a bit of Jamaican funk in the breezes carrying a mild but firm impression of Jamaican pot distilled character into the air with herbal undertones and a hint of mustiness. Some sweetness is apparent as well with indications of cotton candy, some very soft butterscotch and a gentle undercurrent of vanilla.

As I sipped the white rum, I noticed a bit of oiliness which gave the spirit some added weight in the mouth. A funky combination of orange zest, mushy banana, and butternut squash gives the rum a unique flavour which has translated well from the nose to the mouth. As I continued to sip, the rum began to heat my mouth with alcohol and spice. However, a cooling menthol and some lightly sweet cotton candy flavours have joined in providing some balance and offsetting the heat. That faint mustiness I noted on the nose has manifested itself again with and underlying earthy quality and my feeling is that this underlying earthiness is probably responsible for that butternut squash flavour descriptor I used earlier.

The light oily consistency of the spirit allows a light candy-like sweetness to linger. This is accompanied by some spicy citrus heat which lingers even longer. This spicy heat is balanced by a mild menthol-like sensation which keeps the heat from overpowering the finish.