Appleton Estate Reserve Blend

Nose: Blueberry and blackberry marmalade, roasted orange peel fermented in alcohol, sweet apple and cherry lozenges, herbal notes (rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano), some cured pepper spice and oakiness, some sweet nuttiness, peppermint, baking spice, brown sugar, gingerbread, a hint of Jamaican rum funk, sweet candied lime, dark plum jam, a slight touch of butterscotch, hint of molasses and caramel Palate: Cinnamon and green paprika spice, some oak bitterness, oak sweetness and caramel, some orange peel, hint of candied apple, some ripe green apple and ripe lemon overtones, oak spice with nuances of black pepper Finish: Treacle and molasses, a hint of green apple, a hint of cherry, rum funkiness and definite smoky barrel char, some powdered sugar, hint of candy apple, some remnants of oak in the background with an ever-so-slight sweet coating of pepper seeds and cinnamon

This smells intriguing. There's an ethanol twinge initially, but then there's abundant overripe banana, molasses, and what I assume is the "Jamaica Funk." It's somewhat like the sweet and tangy aroma of barbeque. Upon tasting, molasses, burnt sugar, banana, nutmeg, and allspice. Grapefruit peel, including the pith. The finish is quick, leaving a pleasant gingerbread flavor. Further tastes reveal pronounced gingerbread and banana. Burnt molasses, and possibly licorice? This is something I enjoy quite a bit.

The nose has heavy banana, light wood, and funk. A slight off note (petrol, some other alcohol?). The taste is a little flat, again wood funk. The finish is short to medium. It has a little sourness and a little off flavor occurring but is still good enough to sip if not being overly critical. Likely excellent in mixed drinks

Abundant banana on the aroma and taste, followed by a pencil lead finish that persists even in a daiquiri. It shines when paired with other bold flavors, like in a rum Negroni or coquito, where its more intense notes are toned down, but the softer elements remain.

Along with the obvious banana's foster funk of Jamaican rum comes caramel and a touch of cider at first scent. The flavor contradicts the scent with caraway and dark richness following an oiliness that coats your tongue. Sweetly grassy, too.

It carries that distinctive Jamaican character, vanilla, oak, and perhaps candied nuts on the nose. The sip lives up to expectations with those same notes, finishing with a lingering hint of vanilla and herbs. Excellent either in a cocktail or served neat.