Nashauna Drummond, Acting Lifestyle Coordinator
At left: Master Blender Joy Spencer points out the thousands and thousands of barrels of rum in the ageing house at Appleton Estate in St. Elizabeth - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
It was a bright and sunny day made more beautiful with songs like Lively Up Yourself, and the paradox Turn Your Lights Down Low that flooded the airwaves. It was the birthday of reggae icon Bob Marley and a nice day to feel the vibes and the spirits that awaited us at Appleton Estate in St. Elizabeth. After traversing the turns and curves of Mile Gully and Balaclava, the Lifestyle team finally descended into the valley.
Makers of the world-famous Appleton brand of rums, the distillery is nestled in the Nassau valley between the karst of the cockpit country. You are dwarfed by giant grass as you enter the compound; their secrets were to be revealed. The complimentary rum punch that you're greeted with prior to the start of the tour, definitely has a kick that is not for the faint of heart. But this is the land of the spirits, so you should tread with care.
The smell of dunder permeates the air as, led by Master Blender herself, Joy Spencer, we approached what looks more like a haunted house, to uncover the secrets of the Appleton blend. The 150-year-old oak building stared at us ominously, daring us to enter, which we did. Spirits were everywhere on the table that sat in the middle of the room. From stark white to dark golden brown, samples of the variety produced at Appleton Estate were well represented. Hung on the walls are ancient tools of the trade that from our angle, resembled torture devices. As the door closed, everything vanished into the dark. The projector flipped on and the Master Blender took us through the joys of rum.
Personality of spirits
For all his hard work, Royland Allen rewards Paz the donkey with a bit of sugar cane. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Rum has a personality of its own, but its unique quality actually has to do with where it is grown. The unique characteristics of the cockpit country makes its topography one-of-a-kind worldwide. The rich nutrients washed from the limestone settles in the valley and Nassau valley is the only one of three which exists in the world, where sugar cane is grown. This, plus our temperate, makes Appleton rum unique.
To meet the Appleton's standard, blends are judged on appearance, smell, taste and the finishing touch, the after-taste. To really appreciate the Appleton V/X blend, we nosed the different age brews that it comprises. By the time we approached the finished product, my nose was intoxicated. The bouquet of vanilla, brown sugar/molasses and spices were as intoxicating as if I had taken a swag or two.
It's amazing how laying in an oak barrel for a year or two can boost the personality. Later, we had a mini competition to see who could create a blend that came closest to the flagship brand, Appleton V/X. The competition was won by Sacha Walters; who knew she had it in her? We then went over to the distillery to see how the pros do it.
Rum Process
The distillery in which molasses is boiled to become alcohol resembles giant test tubes. Using both the column and pot-still method, the entire process is akin to a giant chemistry set.
After all the evaporation and condensation that takes place in the distillery, the rum is then stored in American Oak barrels and placed in the ageing house. It's a spectacular sight to see thousands and thousands of barrels stocked to the ceiling. Here, the evaporated fumes that escape from the barrels was another blow to my recovering nostrils.
The property is beautifully landscaped with ancient tools of the trade. Points of interest include the ancient ways of juicing the sugar cane by hand, as well as with the aid of Paz the donkey. Whether you like rum or not, a trip to Appleton distillery in St. Elizabeth is a great way to spend a day.
