We humans have shockingly malleable tastes. Studies have shown that we are more likely to prefer something if we think it's expensive (even if it isn't). It stands to reason, then, that a cocktail costing $1,210 should be roughly 80 times more delicious to me than any I've ever purchased for myself. So, when Trader Vic's asked if I wanted to try their extremely limited-edition tipple, of course I jumped at the chance. Verdict?
It was tasty! But the best drink I've ever had, it was not. Not even with my stupid human fallibility.
The cocktail in question is a special version of Trader Vic's
But let's back up and talk about the rum itself. Appleton is, technically speaking, good shit. Even the 12-year, which can be had for about 40 bucks a bottle, is good shit. Before this tasting, I decided to order myself a glass of the 21-year (about $150 a bottle), so I'd have a reference point. The 21-year is really, really good shit. It's well-balanced, has extremely strong vanilla notes, and it goes down very smoothly, with a bit of an oily mouthfeel. So, needless to say, I was extremely excited to try the
But here's the thing: Older doesn't always mean better when it comes to
In the case of Appleton, the aging is done in once-used bourbon barrels. This is what gives the rum a darker color and some of its characteristic bourbony flavor (which also makes it nicely suited for an old fashioned). The rum seeps in, pulling out those remaining caramelized sugars and the traces of bourbon. The thing is, those flavors are concentrated on the outermost portion of the wood (facing the inside of the barrel), and most of those sugars are absorbed by the
There are environmental factors to consider, too. The ambient temperature of the barrel house is a critical factor in how rapidly the barrel will age. Humidity will play a factor, too, because the more humid the air the better it is a transferring heat. In a colder place like Scotland that means that booze ages very slowly, which is why longer aging periods are common for the Scotch whisky there. Jamaica, where Appleton is made and aged, in contrast, is hot and humid pretty much all year round. The increased temperature makes the liquor more volatile, which in turn allows it to interact more with the wood and penetrate deeper. That also means that more of the spirit is lost, resulting in even more concentrated flavors. A spokesman for Appleton told me that due to the constant heat in Jamaica, a spirit in a barrel "ages about 3X faster than in the US and Europe." That sounds a bit extreme to me. I mean, that would mean I drank the equivalent of a 150 year old rum. Which would be awesome if true.
So, what does that mean for the Appleton 50? I was able to try it neat first, and it's pretty damn woody. It definitely wasn't in green banana territory, but it's significantly less sweet than the 21-year. It's also darker. Vanilla notes are still there, but they're much less prominent. It comes in at 90 proof (as opposed to 86 for the 21-year), but it tastes drier than that partially due to the increased tannins. It had lost a bit of the smoothness from the 21-year. It had gained a bit of complexity, like it had accrued a few more layers.
Then I tried it in the Rum Old Fashioned, which is very likely to be the most expensive thing I will ever drink in my life. It was... pretty good? I fully admit that I had high expectations (who wouldn't?), but I found myself a bit underwhelmed. The rum definitely benefitted from a little dilution, as it gave those layers a little separation and I could taste it better, but I don't love Vic's old fashioned recipe. For starters, it used a sugar cube instead of simple syrup, which I think is a mistake. Sugar sits at the bottom of the glass unless it's perfectly stirred in (which it never is), which makes the drink uneven: Not sweet enough at the beginning, and too sweet at the end. It used Peychaud's bitters instead of Angostura, which I think is a little iffy because Peychaud's imparts of bit more of an anise flavor/aroma. But the biggest sin: a splash of soda. C'mon! I mean, I appreciate that you're not muddling fruit in there like some kind of serial killer, but still, soda? Why would you add something acidic to a party that's all about minute subtleties?
Like I said, it was good, but should you happen to come to the Trader Vic's in Emeryville, CA starting December 10th, and should you want to sample this extremely rare 50-year-old rum, ask for it neat with a little water on the side. Add a few drops of the water to open it up, but honestly, I think adding any other flavors is a mistake. I'm you're down to pay the $1,210 asking price I'm sure the barkeep will accommodate you. At least I hope so. They only have enough to make 12 of these
Ultimately, was the 50-year better than the 21-year? Honestly, it's close. Maybe a little? Yeah, it was probably a bit better. But was it eight times better, as the price would indicate? No. Definitely not. That being said, it was still fun to drink something that's old enough to be my dad.
Brent Rose is a freelance writer, actor, and filmmaker, currently traveling the U.S. living in a high-tech van, looking for stories to tell. Follow his adventures on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and at ConnectedStates.com