Appleton Rum

In Portland area OLCC stores, there are Jamaican Rums made by J. Wray Nephew sold under the Appleton brand. Is their top end stuff the Jamaican rum Trader Vic originally used in Mai Tai's? I haven't seen a reference to Appleton Rum in his account of the history of the Mai Tai.

The Appleton Estate Extra is the closest you're gonna get to the original recipe which calls for 2 oz. of 17-year old (or 15-year old in some versions). It's a blend with the youngest rum in it being 12-years old. Some "original" Mai Tai recipes call for half Jamaican and half Martinique Rum. Rhum St. James is an excellent rum from Martinique.

Here's the orginal recipe and tons more:
http://www.kevdo.com/maitai/recipes.html

I keep the Appleton Special around for most drinks that call for Jamacian gold rum.

Do they have the Appleton Silver (clear stuff)? I have been looking for a good "white" Jamaican rum for recipes. The only stuff I have found is Wray and Nephew overproof rum. It's fine stuff but I would like to find some regular proof Jamaican white. I went to a restaurant in Berkeley the other day amd they were using Myers's Platinum (a white) so I asked them where I could get some in the Bay area. The manager actually said I could get a bottle from him as it's not in any stores he knew of! I haven't gome back yet but I will.

I have not seen Appleton White around here. I always pick up several bottles in Mexico. Plus it's pretty cheap there. I think we paid 40 pesos (about $4) for a bottle in the grocery stores. I don't recall looking at the Reserve. I also have not done any extreme searching, but the liquor stores I have tried have never seen it or said they didn't sell enoug of it. That's hard to believe.

I have been using the Cruzan. It's cheap in comparison, and tastes good. I really like their dark rum.

Wray & Nephew have got the Jamaican rum scene sewn up.

Their overproof rum is hugely popular in Jamaica, and a 'Steel Bottom' (W&N Overproof topped up with Red Stripe beer) is the drink of choice of many a Jamaican drunk.

Their Appleton brand is somewhat more refined, with their Appleton White being a good normal strength white rum. Their Estate rums (V/X, Extra, and 21 year old) are all very good quality, from what I hear at least.

I've a decent Mai Tai recipe that calls for the Appleton Estate V/X which does the trick quite nicely.

Trader Woody