Aroma visualization from community tastings
Appleton Reserve
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Banana, caramel and a clear smoky-oak backbone, with vanilla and honey filling in around the edges. This 43% Appleton lands between the fruitier Signature and the woodier 12 — spicy on the palate, a little dry, and only lightly funky. Most tasters call it a rounded everyday Jamaican; a few find it a touch bland or wish for more ester punch.
The community says- Ripe banana nose
- Good value
- Keep in mind: Low funk
Offers & prices
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The look inside the bottle
How does Appleton Reserve taste?
From community reviews · summarized with AI
Fruity, smoky everyday Jamaican, light funk Widely liked as a well-priced daily Jamaican — fruity nose, spicy-smoky palate. The common gripe: not much funk, and some find it a bit straightforward next to the 12.
Aroma profilePeople wanting an easy first Jamaican, neat or in a Mai Tai
Funk chasers wanting big Hampden-style esters
Style & occasion: Mature & oakySipping neatCocktails & mixing
Full aroma profile Aroma families · nose & palate · top aromas
Relative to this rum's strongest aroma family
80 of 244 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Which glass for which rum? The community guide ›
Buying advice
Is it right for you?
Yes, if you're after characterful, mature, oaky rums for sipping neat.
Similar in style and available now.
More intense
Worthy Park 109 Jamaica Rum7.5/10 (236)32.32 €
74 rated both: 35 scored it higher, 29 scored Appleton Estate higher, 10 gave both the same score.Woodier
Appleton Rare Casks 12 Years7.6/10 (337)44.56 €
89 rated both: 63 scored it higher, 15 scored Appleton Reserve higher, 11 gave both the same score.Similar rating, cheaper
Plantation Gran Añejo (Guatemala & Belize)7.3/10 (325)27.47 €
Drier
Appleton Rare Blend 12 Years7.5/10 (393)62.25 €
76 rated both: 45 scored it higher, 20 scored Appleton Reserve higher, 11 gave both the same score.Rated better
Appleton 15 Years Black River Casks7.9/10 (185)67.00 €
What does the community say?
244 community reviews
Rating scale & review checks
On RumX, 7 means “Good” and 8 means “Very good”.
See the full rating guideHow ratings are made and how we check them ›The website shows a selection of written reviews. The distribution also includes ratings without text. All published reviews are available in the RumX app.
48 selected written reviews
The distribution above includes all 244 ratings, including those without text.
Review by Steve the Barman
Most helpful positive review
All my Tastings and Scores are purely based on “Rums under £50”. I rarely look at Rums over £50 for my YouTube.
Review by Krogulczyk
Most helpful critical review
Its good for it’s price. Too bourbon-forward for my preferences. Would not buy a bottle. Spices and wood are dominant, very little amount of solvents shining through the barrel notes. It does not have as many estery notes as Appleton signature, at the same time it is not as balanced and complex as Appleton 12. Get an Appleton Signature or Appleton 12
Review by abaker-rum
I love the nose on this rum. It is a good marrying of caramel, vanilla, and oak with banana and pineapple. The taste carries the banana, caramel, and honey, the fades with a medium finish of barrel notes and molasses. I think the 8 year keeps up with the 12.
Review by Stefan Persson
Bought a bottle and tasted this rum in Nerja, Spain. It’s a blend of many distillates, both from column and pot still, aged for a minimum of 8 years. Overall a rum that surprised me in all aspects in a good way. The nose is delicious, fruity, spicy and woody with scents of orange, baking spices and oak. At the palate it’s balanced, smooth, full bodied, sweet, fruity and spicy with flavors of honey, orange, pineapple, apricot, pepper and vanilla. The finish is very smooth and longer than expected.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
A retaste for me and I still stick to my initial score and statement 😊 I have to say that this one is best used in a mixer.
Review by LukaŽiga
7,9:On the nose, roasted oak with caramel, spicy with vanilla, banana, pineapple, citrus fruits, medicinal, metallic touch, light esters, bump into our nosetrils. On aeration, the molasses is fresh, flowery, herbaceous, hints of rubber come out, crème brûlée. 7,6:On the palate, the attack is slightly sweet with smoky wood and caramel, spicy vanilla, cinammon, fruity with banana, orange peel, dried apricots and orange, as the molasses is grassy, herbaceous. 7,5:The finish is quite short, dry and tannic, with grassy molasses, banana, citrus fruits and roasted, smoky, spicy oak..
Review by Rumpalumpa
The nose is really nice and fruity, especially right after pouring, when the esters are strongest. Pineapple and banana. The palate is quite different, very spicy and lots of molasses. Pretty good but not quite outstanding
Review by rum_sk
Taking few points down but still great rum. ,,A,, as Appleton. I thought that there would be a huge difference or leap between 8 & 12 year version. But no. The only difference is price and a slightly more prominent smell as well as taste in this 8 year version which is more rougher, but in a good way. 12 is more subtle and smoother while keeping the same taste and smell. Other than that, I cannot tell the difference. However, I will compare them against each other directly and revisit the rating but boy I love Appleton Estate.
Review by Rumantisch
This Appleton has a somewhat spicy character. On the nose, there is still some fruit and orange very clearly noticeable. But on the palate, it definitely gets a spicy side paired with a sweet fruity banana note. In the finish, it becomes spicier again. I have to honestly say I generally prefer the Signature.
Review by Marcus Ekornes
Very good rum, but not nearly as funky as other jamaican rums
Review by Hansi
Actually quite fruity, I'm positively almost surprised again by the fruity notes of banana and well, it's hard for me to describe it more precisely but just "fruity." Honey and vanilla with a hint of wood are also present.
Review by Lutz Lungershausen
Beautiful, aromatic neat sipper. Smell and taste on a ridge between young / fruity and aged / spicy, which gives an exciting complexity.Have him again as 200ml Flask in a supermarket in Negril / Jamaica bought.
Review by Michael Ihmels 🇩🇪
The next Appleton Estate. In my opinion, again very solid and suitable for beginners. The fruity taste and smell dominate here again, but not too artificial. Therefore quite tasty
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Very solid Appleton. Round and top PLV.
Review by Pandemonia
Slightly lower fruitiness than the Signature Blend but not by much. A little hotter, a little spicier and the barest touch of wood influence. However to my inexperienced palate it seems the biggest difference from the Signature is that the fruitiness here, although a bit lessened, has turned a tiny bit funky. Just the barest influence of overripe, pungent heavy and arousing fruityness. It's minimal but just enough to make you notice it. Just what the Signature Blend was missing in my opinion! This one does not have that element of sterility like the first one had. While both are great, this one pulls out ahead.
Review by Portman
Pretty nice sipper, but the alcohol could be integrated more smoothly. You get a good value for the price though.
Review by HenryL
Top rum, especially for the price! Nice and fruity on the nose, with more spicy notes on the palate. I like the finish, first strong and dry, later pleasantly sweet. It's good on its own and also works well in cocktails. Those who like wood are better off with the 12, those who like it a little sweeter and fruitier should go for the 8. For me, it depends on my mood which one I prefer.
Review by Michael Schillheim
Can be drunk neat, but as a mixer, whether Mai Tai or Rum Cola, a very good choice with a very good price-performance ratio.
Review by MarMOTTE
Once the alcohol vapors are over, the nose is way too sweet for me: thick, syrupy, very strong in banana and honey.The taste surprises me: a first raw wave, with a strong smoky perfume that still hints at candied fruit, banana aromas (the only connection with the nose in my opinion).The finish seems long, peppery, almost spicy.in my opinion, a rum that can be drunk without any difficulty but that I will not choose in first instance!
Review by Philipp F.
The smell is typical Jamaican, pineapple, banana, lots of fruit, light caramel notes, for me a very round bouquet overall. The taste continues the whole thing, lots of banana and pineapple, cramamell and vanilla, light ester notes, very round and mild taste, fun. The finish is in the medium range with light wood notes, fruity and mild. For me, a very good mixer, e.g. in Mai Tai, but can be enjoyed very well on its own.
Review by Gil Firth
Very nice. good entry level to non funky Jamaican rum. Sweet. Orange. טעימה אפלטונים אחלה בקבוק. לא משהו מורכב מידיי מדובר בבקבוק עם רשמים פחות גמייקנים אבל זה לגמרי עובד. תפוזים. שוקולד. דבש. נעים ומעניין מאוד בשביל מה שהוא. שווה לנסות
Review by Decky Hicks Doughty
On the nose there's lots of banana and honey. And a roasted note that gives a subtle spiciness that isn't unpleasant. The palate is slightly sweet with a good amount of fruit. Banana with a subtle hint of orange. Molasses and earty notes keep it well balanced. Smoke is the main presence in the finish with some oak and a touch of spice. It's a step up from the Appleton's Signature Rum and a solid Jamacian rum for the price.
Review by TheJackDrop
Tasting with friends by the fire in winter, a little game of flechettes... and rum! To sum up, my tasting notes: Nose: Vanilla In the mouth: Banana Finish: Smoky".
Review by thomas fraboulet
Fruity, woody, slightly spicy. Pleasant on the palate, a slight taste of coconut. Spicy woody finish. I use it in my Mai Tai blend, it adds woodiness and complexity. It's my favorite in the Appleton range.
Review by Mark Wilkinson
Value for money a great all rounder neat and mixed
Review by Léo Delek
We find the ripe fruits and the molasses typical of the Jamaicans with the banana as a conductor. We have a syrupy side which I like less and an average length.
Review by adn butrulle
A strong taste of smoke, glue... The good news is the bubble of banana flavor that appears in the middle. A mixture of spices with a hint of chilli as a seasoning. It is good but it is not the party of the slip either.
Review by RumisRum
Similar to the 12 but less sweet, fruitier and shorter finish
Review by bur2000
Smells very fruity at first, apple (or is that because of the name?). Then rum raisins and sweetness. Damp wood. Addendum: on second tasting, first glue and later rubber stand out. The fruity notes come after longer breathing in the glass. The taste then becomes barrel, woody. Also fruity, banana comes through. A little vanilla, dry overall. The finish is long lasting, clearly fruity. A slightly flowery, musty smell remains in the empty glass, not unpleasant. Good to drink if you're looking for a somewhat drier rum without prominent spicy notes.
Review by Tyler Griffith
Smooth, fruity, a bit funky. More sugar on the nose, more fruit on the taste. Not hardly any burn. Easy to sip, very pleasant.
Review by Jakob Deiner
A bit fresher and fruitier than the Appleton 12, but not quite as spicy, less woody, and also not quite as round. Otherwise the typical Appleton profile, somewhere between the even fruitier Signature and the very good 12. - Neat: 3.5/5 - Rum Fashioned: 4/5 - Rum Cola: 4/5 - Rum Mule: 4/5 - Rum Punch: 4.5/5
Review by Feligini. Davide
An interesting rum with a good character with toasted and spicy notes and excellent for those starting to experiment with Jamaican rums, personally I prefer it in mixing. There it expresses itself more completely.
Review by akkisz
Nice, restrained fruity Jamaica rum. Little funk, somewhat smooth but a nice all-rounder. Okay neat but nothing special. Better in cocktails. For beginners in Jamaica rum. Boring for advanced drinkers.
Review by FassZinator
Typical Appleton means straightforward to me. All in all a rounded sipper. However, it has no big funk and in my opinion is a bit too boring. For entry into neat enjoyment though really good. But don't expect much Jamaica character. P/G ratio great.
Review by Anonymous
Nice and full-bodied. My first Jamaican rum, I like it very much.
Review by bylika
extremely smooth but not thin or boring, poppy seeds, banana, vanilla, long sweet finish, slighty orangy very friendly, relaxed sipper
Review by Jack M
Fantastic value for money. Certainly deserves to be a staple on the home bar. Good nose and better palate.
Review by François Delmotte
Commençant à m'intéresser un peu plus au rhums jamaïcain, je trouve que ce Appleton estate 8ans est ce que l'on appelle un bon rapport qualité-prix. Au nez je ressens banane, fruits tropicaux et ester. En bouche les mêmes saveurs assez fruitées mais également légèrement poivrées et miel. Finale : manque un peu de longueur mais pas mal dans l'ensemble. Bonne dégustation.
Review by TheTobias
This 8 year old Appleton is not very complex. Wood and spices are in the foreground and there is not much fruit to be found behind it. It’s solid retry level rum and good for mixing but nothing special.
Review by ReformedPiper
Very different from what I've had so far. I really like the roastedness I'm getting. I can see this might add something different to a cocktail. Definitely more of the alcohol burn than the 40% I've tried so far, and less sweet.
Review by Jasper van den Bovenkamp
Beginning rum drinker here. I found the strong alcohol taste overwhelming, a bit too much for me. Spicy, sharp. Not my favorite, maybe more for the advanced drinker.
Review by RumCzar
This is a high quality Jamaican rum that always disappointes me. I wish it had a bit more Jamaican funk. I drink this neat. I only buy this for parties because it's so easy to get.
Review by matikka
Nose is fruity immediately after pour, but gets sweeter and rounder with some breathing. Taste is quite sharp but with lots of caramel and a bit of saltiness beneath.
Review by Kieron Wood
This is good solid pot blend rum that combined with the funk gives it that Jamaican classiness ... You can taste lovely orange peel and smooth coffee ... Good solid 8 year rum
Review by cetto
Great Jamaican rum to start with, you can feel the oak wood where it is aged.
Review by Schnapsschuesse
There is already considerably more going on here than in the Signature. Jamaica is noticeable, some ester. Banana, pineapple, honey and molasses, especially the latter comes to the fore and covers everything. In addition, there's also a good load of fruit from overripe to dried. Also very noticeable is a strong roasted note. Nice entry-level Jamaican.
Review by Mark Leggett
Banana, caramel, and oak come through in the smell and flavor. Finish is banana and smoke.
Review by K.STRIFE
Hints of vanilla, honey, and orange peel. 43% abv leaves a little burn on the tongue
This selection contains no written reviews in this rating range.
Expert reviews
4 critics scored it, averaging 7.5/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum.
Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review ›If you want funk from Appelton Estate than Wray and Nephew White Overproof is what you want. If you want an afforadable and very nice every day sipper and a premium mixer - get this in your shopping trolley next time Tarquin takes you to Waitrose. The old Aged 8...
Expert review by The Dunder Hut
Better in a drink, slightly worse on its own
Expert review by Single Cask Rum
Read full review ›
Expert review by Rum Runner Labs
Read full review ›
Appleton Reserve at live auctions
A bid is not a final price: the house sets the buyer's premium, shipping and any customs duty.
All live auctions ›Community shelf
570 bottles logged by 510 collectors.
Both drunk and collected.
33% opened, 79 emptied.
What does Appleton Reserve cost?
Community paid 24–38 €.
Current best price: 29.90 € – within the typical community range.
Purchase prices reported by members, not a shop price. Avg. 31 €. Full price & collection history in RX+ ›
+63 additions in the last 3 months.
Additions per month over the last 12 months; dark bars: the last 3.
570 purchased · 265 tasted · 212 wishlist · as of
Details about Appleton Reserve
A Pot & Column Still Rum from Jamaica, distilled by Appleton Estate, at 43%.
Read on in the RumX Guide
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DDL El Dorado 12
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