Appleton Legend 2005
For curious explorers leaning into funky Jamaica, Legend brings an ester-forward, tropical-fruit Appleton with 17 years of tropical aging. RumX drinkers love it neat and in Mai Tais, despite the collector-level price.
- Intense tropical fruit
- Elevated esters
- Complex yet approachable
Details about Appleton Legend 2005
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
How does Appleton Legend 2005 taste?
Aggregated from 49 community reviews.
Funky, fruity Appleton for Mai Tai lovers For curious explorers leaning into funky Jamaica, Legend brings an ester-forward, tropical-fruit Appleton with 17 years of tropical aging. RumX drinkers love it neat and in Mai Tais, despite the collector-level price.
Fans of high-ester Jamaican funk who want a more intense, fruity Appleton for sipping or dialing up classic Mai Tais, and collectors chasing the Wray & Nephew 17 story.
Budget-conscious buyers or beginners sensitive to funk and 49% ABV who might prefer sweeter, softer Appleton releases.
How is Appleton Legend 2005 rated?
RumX's 0–10 scale is strict — 8.5 lands squarely in the "Very good" band. 100% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Rum reviews
A selection of the most popular reviews from our community. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Olimpia1936
A spectacular blend from Joy Spence...top!
Review by Rex Stone
Best as a Mai Tai
Review by mto75
On the nose dried fruit, polish, fermented fruit and a little menthol and iodine. Very spicy on the palate, allspice, nutmeg, espresso. Really exciting part, but probably even more exciting for the Mai Tai faction, who do not want to put 50k on the table for the Wray & Nephew 17 😅
Review by Steffmaus🇩🇰
Tasted this one in "Tiki Week" at my favorite cocktail-bar in the city centre. Had a talk with the manager and ambassadors from Appleton Estate. Amazing nose of ripe fruits and caramel, and an explosion of taste! I got notes of fruits, funk and some citrus. Updated with location
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#4145 This little sample arrived straight from the US this morning and a friend brought it to the door 😊 He just wanted to get a bottle before most and had to lay down close to 800 USD to get a bottle. I'm certain this will turn into a collectors item and many not being opened and used as intended by their master blender Joy. This rum is more Jamaican than the regular Appleton releases for sipping. More funk and a bit more esters and on top of that a lot of fruit. Draws beautiful curtains in the glass and the empty glass has some caramel and dried fruit. Heavily overpriced but who cares if you're a collector 😊
Review by Joachim Guger
Very oily! Extremely complex nose. Ester, dried fruit, after longer breathing gasoline or workshop. Each time smelling in and a new image emerges. Rancid sweat.😅 Very complex, alcohol top integrated, good drinking strength. Then a bit thin in the mouth. Plastic and medicine. Herbs!!! The finish could be a little longer. An Appleton off the beaten path, there one has clearly helped oneself to New Yarmouth stocks. Certainly not an uninteresting product, which then in rudiments reminds of old Jamaicans (1941, 1945). By Limitation and the story told in addition, this becomes a collector's item.
Review by Johannes
I honestly did not expect much, but I like it surprisingly well! For an Appleton a lot of esters, little wood, some marzipan, yellow fruits, very ring and balanced. Probably too round for a Mai Tai....
Review by Henry Davies
Wow. What a nose, and not what I was expecting, much more by the way of esters and tropical fruit than the standard Appleton releases and even the Hearts collaboration. Nose brings cinnamon and nutmeg, with some glue like esters and tropical fruit. The mouth compliments with pear and banana, some nutty oak and herbal notes. Complex and incredibly inviting on the mouth. A really impressive rum, the finish is smooth and fades into one of the most tropical fruit finishes I have tried in a while, all banana, guava, and mango but keeps you interested for a long time after tasting. The ABV at 49% just works and let’s you explore the flavours. Overall a top notch rum, not sure it is worth the price tag but hype notwithstanding it is an impressive Appleton!
Review by Filip Lojín
I didn't recognize Appleton in the blind, something else entirely. Beautiful rum, but shorter finish
Review by rgrgr
Made to recreate Trader Vic's original Mai Tai. Characteristic sipper
Review by SaibotZtar
It is already a polarizing rum. Personally, I like it very much because it is simply quite different from all other Appleton's. Lots of fruit, esters, honey but very little wood. A few bitter notes. Pure is good to drink even if not overdimensionally complex but just different. In the Mai Tai he delivers a good final product if he is also here (maybe it's because of the expectations or also because you already had incredibly good stuff in the MT) not really the bringer. The price I leave out (that would correct the rating strongly down) because I want to evaluate the pleasure not the price!!!
Review by Adrian Wahl
Really exciting Appleton. A profile that you really don't know. I'm extremely excited to see what he brings in May Tai.
Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Zucker und Zeste
"However, the 17 years in the barrels have given the rum beautiful oak notes, which provide a roasted, nutty undertone and pronounced vanilla flavors in the mouth. Nothing is overdone here, the alcohol (bottled at 49% by volume) is fantastically integrated. The rum is complex without being overpowering. You can really enjoy sniffing and tasting it for a long time."Read full review →
Expert review by The Dunder Hut
"How do you want to rate it. Unfortunately, I really liked it better on its own than in May Tai. Lost style meets it. But in the mai tai unfortunately no more than a reminder of days gone by."
Community purchases
75 bottles logged by 52,000+ RumX members. The ratio of closed / opened / emptied, indicates whether this rum is meant to be drunk or is a collector's item.
Also on the wishlist of 34 members.
About the Appleton Estate distillery
The Appleton Estate distillery is located in Jamaica. Rums from Appleton Estate have been reviewed 3,449 times with an average of 8.0/10.
To Appleton Estate →You may also enjoy
Rum enthusiasts who like this rum have also given the following rums high ratings:
Elixir Distillers of London Black Tot Rum Last Consignment
Elixir Distillers of London Black Tot Rum Last ConsignmentLiquid history, dark and insanely complex
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003Serious Appleton for seasoned palates
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2002
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2002Serious, dry Appleton for grown‑up palates
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 1993
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 1993Dry, woody, mentholic Hearts powerhouse
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 1998
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 1998Serious Appleton Hearts highlight
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 1995
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 1995Dry, woody, chocolate‑tobacco Appleton powerhouse
Don't miss out on any more deals on Appleton Legend 2005.
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 — together with Jakob, Robert and Lukas, we started RumX in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
What began as a digital tasting diary is now the world's most comprehensive platform for rum fans. 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 →
