Aroma visualization from community tastings
Appleton 21 Years Nassau Valley Cask
Oak, vanilla, nutmeg and orange peel lead this 21-year Appleton, with dried fruit and a roasted, coffee-and-chocolate edge underneath. The nose wins most people over — spicy, balanced, elegant. The palate is where opinions split: at 43% several tasters call it thin and watery, more woody than the aromas promise. Not the loud Jamaican funk you might expect; this one plays quieter and drier.
The community says- Expressive, spicy nose
- Elegant, balanced
- But: Thin, watery palate
View price history
10 more payment methodsSecure payment Sold by Rum Piraten Returns & cancellation
- Secure payment. You pay via RumX with PayPal, Klarna or card. Your payment data is encrypted and we never store your full card details.
- Clear seller. Sold and shipped directly by the partner shop. And you're never on your own: RumX handles support and communication with the shop, so you always get excellent service, whichever shop you order from.
- Honest shop ratings. The stars show your service experience with the shop, not the rum score. They come from RumX users, and critical ones stay visible.
- Returns & cancellation. Your purchase contract is with the shop, so returns and cancellations run through them under their own policy and your statutory rights. If anything goes wrong, RumX helps you sort it out.
Buy Appleton 21 Years Nassau Valley Cask:
Compare all 8 shop offers
Prices & availability last updated on
The look inside the bottle
How does Appleton 21 Years Nassau Valley Cask taste?
Aggregated from 65 community reviews.
Elegant aged Jamaican, gorgeous nose, thin palate Loved for its expressive, spice-and-oak nose and elegance, but many find the 43% palate too light and watery to match it. A refined sipper more than a wow.
Fans of soft, oak-forward aged sippers who don't need heavy funk
Anyone wanting bold Jamaican funk or full-bodied intensity
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
21 of 65 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Recommendation
Your next rum
One difference each to this rum.
Rated better
Elixir Distillers of London Black Tot Rum Master Blender's Reserve 2022
8.3/10109 €
More intense
Appleton Rare Casks 12 Years
7.7/1038 €
Similar rating, cheaper
Appleton 15 Years Black River Casks
7.9/1058 €First choice: 18 of 28 tasters who tried both prefer it.
How is Appleton 21 Years Nassau Valley Cask rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.0 sits in the “Very good” band. 87% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
57% rate it 8 or higher. 20 selected write-ups from 65 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
With a medium to long finish, Appleton Estate has managed to up the ante through the versions of the 21 year one. I have tried the previous ones and still have the last one released which I had to compare in a side by side comparison, and this one is better. The fruity side with spices is there with the woody tones which is then finished off by chocolate and coffee and a hint of tobacco. Lightly, very lightly dry and overall rounded and well balanced. The natural sweetness is also amazing. Price to quality is very good and I've already ordered backup bottles :-) 30.01.2022 Enjoying it again and still stand by my score. Wonderful release especially when looking at the price tag.
Review by Werni
Einige hier hatten blind an Foursquare gedacht, was die Nase angeht, ich hab da eher Assoziationen mit nem Agricole aus Martinique. Eine schöne Kombination aus Früchten,Würze und Holz. Gefällt mir sehr gut, leider kann der Gaumen in keinster Weise da mithalten. Verwässert und holzig, viel mehr ist da nicht mehr. Schade. Ich wollt ihn schon immer mal probieren, zum Glück noch zum 'alten Preis' bekommen. Ist ja Wahnsinn was da heutzutage abgerufen wird, 140€ keine Seltenheit. Hab ich doch glatt die Gesamtbewertung vergessen.🙈 Also jetzt.😉
Review by cigares
Cedar wood, lime, unripe pineapple and vegetal on the nose. The attack on the palate is a little acqueous, reflecting dilution. Aromas struggle to emerge, then fill the mouth. The finish is longer than the 15-year-old, drier and woodier. A rather dry, woody rum, though the fruit is very present. Strangely less interesting than the more lively 15 ans d'âge.
Review by Righrum
RumX Advent Calendar I had high expectations about this one, but the blind tasting returned me a rum with little body and maybe even less interesting to drink then younger releases. Update - April 24 Drinking again this rum, it seems slightly better, but still no room for improve in mark. Too light both in terms of perceived strength and, more importantly, in terms of taste. Light nose, wood and tea but really little funkyness, in the mouth it is led by the wood, vanilla and spices overall. Very Bajan in terms of style, maybe at 50abv it would tell us another story
Review by X-Savior
On The Rocks: On the nose there is a very smooth aroma of Brown Sugar, Spice and Oak with mild fruit undertones. Taste reveals a smooth alcohol with a mild burn leading into a pleasant brown sugar, fruit and spice. Finish is medium length with a very smooth fade on the sweetness and spice with a consistent oak undertone. This is a very smooth an enjoyable sipper.
Review by Rare Akuma
#24DaysOfRum2023 - Day 16 An after dinner treat on the nose, quite similar to what you would expect from FS or ADL. Firstly coconut flakes, nougat and lots of vanilla and nutmeg. Then the breakfast table gets set with mixed berries, foremost gooseberries, orange zest and grains. And finally light aromas of furniture polish and clay. Exciting nose. On the palate not enjoyable to my taste. It has been watered down so much and so inefficiently; it’s almost criminal. Nearly none of the exciting aromas from the nose manifest on the tongue. Ever accidentally ran water through the coffee filter twice? I have. And that’s what this tastes likes. The water has not been integrated well, and you can taste it intersecting with the spirit, reducing its quality to that of any store-bought solera column still. Only 8x more expensive. As a result of the thin, weak palate the finish is incredibly short and simply tastes like a dissolved sugarcube. It took me a long time to put a score on this, because the nose is very nice. However I simply could not classify this as “good”. Not a memorable, nor repeatable experience.
Review by MAARTEN
Finally found this new appleton 21 in a store in Holland. Is very hard to find! Really like the new look of the bottle and the box! Still have a bottle of the old 21 year old and compared them.The new version is bit smoother and has a slightly browner color. Think is a great new 21 appleton and will order a back up bottle :)
Review by Vincent D
Complex despite the low degrees. Interesting nose. On the palate, it's less fruity and darker. I wouldn't have thought of a Jamaican initially, but it's an interesting profile, though wiser than its compatriots.
Review by Lot-NAS
Calendar #16 / blind Sehr viel Karamell in der Nase, Crème brûlée, Zimt und mal wieder das Backgewürzt. Ein wenig Sternanis, Süßholz (als was gebt ihr das eigentlich in der App ein?), alte Eiche und Vanille. Die Nase ist schon mal sehr vielversprechend, schön würzig und ausgewogen. Alkohol ist kaum präsent. Oh geschmacklich deutlich dünner, schon fast etwas lasch im Antritt. Mehr als 45% würde ich dem nicht geben. Vanille, Karamell, Pfirsich (den Eistee finde auch passend), das Holz ist vorhanden und bringt leicht bittere Noten ins Spiel. Der Gaumen ist jedenfalls deutlich weniger komplex als die Nase. Im Abgang ebenso Vanille, Karamell und Backgewürzt. Bei der Nase dachte ich an Guyana, der Gaumen ist aber eher Foursquare. Gefällt mir insgesamt gut, geschmacklich wird der Tropfen aber der tollen Nase nicht wirklich gerecht. Ein schöner easysipper, über den man nicht allzu viel nachdenken muss. Ich würde auf einen mittelalten verdünnten Foursquare tippen. Vielleicht sowas wie RX8515 oder RX6813. Den RX313 habe ich irgendwie mit mehr Punch in Erinnerung, aber wer weiß… Könnt jedenfalls ein guter Kandidat für einen Royal Bermuda Yacht Club sein.
Review by Christian Rudt
Beim blind verkosten blieb an der Nase erstmal Pfirsich Eistee haften. In der Nase kommt der Alkohol trotz der nur 43% zu stark durch, am Gaumen dafür rund und gefällig. Damit könnte man sich sicher einen schönen Abend machen.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
RumX-Adventskalender 16.12.2023 Blind tasting: Nose: caramel, sherry, pleasing Palate: oh, thin and watery, that typical musty sherry note again, citrus on the finish too Thought the rum was one of the earlier Wagemut bottlings, perhaps also a Cuban - and was wrong. But that's perfectly okay, of course. Unfortunately, this rum is not a highlight at all.
Review by DomM
Little more spices (vs. Dried fruits) on the nose vs. the regular 21y. On the palate more freshness and citrus notes vs. the standard bottling. A little more interesting overall.
Review by Buddudharma
RumX Adventskalender 16.12.2023: Die Franconian Tasting Gang ist auch eher bei Foursquare. Einzelne Stimmen tendieren auch zu Guyana Column Still. Genauere Zuordnung schwierig, ist aber wohl tropisch gereift und <50% ABV. Holt mich nicht komplett ab, auch weil hinten raus ein paar Bitternoten kommen, die mir nicht komplett abholen.
Review by Rado Vito
There is a huge difference between 15y Appleton and this one. This is a real rum for gentlemen's. I know nobody who doesn´t like this masterpiece. Must have.
Review by mto75
Oak barrel, vanilla, caramel, orange peel on the nose. Nutty, nougat on the palate...nice balance, but a few more percentages would not have been bad.
Review by zabo
RumX Calendar Day 16 But for me blind, it would have been a Foursquare. I would never have thought of it. All in all, more of an easy sipper. But it's amazing how broad the range of a distillery can be. A bit thin, unfortunately...
Review by Andzin
Long, fruity, fresh, alcohol very nice integrated. After Hearts collection, second best from Appleton to me.
Review by Manuel
RumX Adventskalender Nr. 16: Nach dem ersten Testen hätte ich auf einen Foursquare mit Sherry Finish getippt. Jamaica hätte ich nie gedacht. Sehr süß in der Nase und im Geschmack. Allerdings etwas dünn im Geschmack. Niedriger ABV.
Review by FabiDram
RumX Adventskalender 2023 Tag 16
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Similarly good as the old 21 Appleton but I have the impression it's a bit woodier. Almost a bit "rotten". Delicious and elegant but still! However, I like the classic 21 better overall...
No reviews match this filter.
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
What this bottle last achieved at auction. A research indicator, not a forecast.
Auction results 84 € – 86 €
from 2 sales, latest 05/2025
Prices incl. buyer's premium — what a buyer pays, not what a sale nets you.
Avg. community purchase price 107 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about Appleton 21 Years Nassau Valley Cask
A Pot & Column Still Rum from Jamaica, distilled by Appleton Estate, at 43%.
Community purchases
99 bottles logged by 90 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
21% opened, 5 emptied and repurchased.
What does Appleton 21 Years Nassau Valley Cask cost?
Community paid 89–135 €.
Current best price: 107.90 € – within the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
+7 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months — dark bars are the last 3.
99 purchased · 66 tasted · 29 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
You may also enjoy
Rum enthusiasts who like this rum have also given the following rums high ratings:
Appleton 21 Years
Appleton 21 YearsElegant aged Appleton, gentle but a bit light
Foursquare ECS XIX Sovereignty 2007
Foursquare ECS XIX Sovereignty 2007Sherried Foursquare, hot but rewards resting
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2002
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2002Fruity, oaky Jamaican with light funk
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003Balanced, oaky Jamaican with tamed funk
Never miss a price drop.
Set a target price in the app, and we'll let you know as soon as the rum becomes available at that price from one of our partner stores. This works for any rum on your wish list.
Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
What began as my digital tasting diary is now the world's most comprehensive platform for rum fans, today carried by a small team with Jakob, Lukas and Katharina, with Robert supporting us as a freelancer. We combine the collective intelligence of our community with an integrated marketplace, so you can choose with confidence, without paperwork, detours, or expert jargon.
Oliver, Stuttgart
About RumX →YouTube channel (in German)
