Recently I was afforded a chance to revisit Appleton Estate Reserve Rum when the media company representing the brand in Canada asked me if I would like to receive a bottle. Although I have already reviewed this rum, I was not about to turn down a rum bottle which would fit very nicely on the Appleton shelf of my liquor cabinet.
I have found that the Appleton Estate VX and the Appleton Estate Reserve are two of my favourite cocktail rums. The Appleton Estate Reserve has the same signature Appleton flavour and aroma which I noted in my review of the Appleton Estate VX a few weeks ago. However, things seem to be brought up a notch with a higher level of smoothness, and more complexity in the Reserve Rum. The high level of complexity in the Reserve arises because this Appleton Rum uses a large number of rums in its blend, 20 in all, and because the rums which are used in the Reserve blend are aged for a longer period of time than for the Appleton VX Rum.
Of course, receiving a bottle of Appleton Estate Reserve deserves a Celebration:
The Appleton Celebration
2 oz Appleton Reserve Rum
2 oz Fresh Squeezed and strained Pink Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz London Dry Gin
1/4 oz Sloe Gin
1 teaspoon Simple Sugar (or grenadine)
Combine ingredients into a metal shaker with ice.
Shake until the metal shaker chills.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with lemon slice
And sometimes I just cannot resist putting the ice from the shaker into the cocktail glass as well. Sitting on the back deck in the shade with a Celebration Cocktail is one of the best ways I can think of to spend a Saturday afternoon.
For those who are interested, here is my review of Appleton Reserve Rum:
Review: Appleton Estate Reserve Rum
Cheers my friends!
The Ron Sherbrooke, “Drink Like a Pirate” Rum Festival is was held on September 19 at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta. Nineteen liquor agencies put up tables, and all told over sixty rums were poured. The event went off without a hitch, and everyone I saw left the evening happy, (and full of rum). And it wasn’t just the wide selection of rums which was impressive, it was also the quality of the selection that was special. Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva, Flor de Caña 18 Year Centenario Gold, and the Ron Zacapa 23 Solero were just a few of the Premium Rums available to be tasted. Ron Abuelo, Bacardi, and Mount Gay were all there. Of course, I cannot name everyone but you get the idea. The first ever full fledged rum festival in Edmonton, Alberta was a big success!
I was invited visit the local office of the 
1 Barrel Rum is a product of Belize, the northernmost mainland country of Central America. A former British Colony, Belize lies just south of Mexico with the Caribbean Sea to the east and Guatemala to the west and south. 
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