Appleton Estate Hearts Collection 25 Year Old Jamaican Rum 1998
Appleton Estate Hearts Collection 25 Year Old Jamaican Rum 1998 is the eighth release of Appleton Estate's Hearts Collection: a single proprietary marque, 100% pot still Jamaican rum, distilled in 1998 and aged 25 tropical years in Jamaica's Nassau Valley, bottled at 63% ABV (126 proof) in a 750mL bottle. Drawn from just 19 casks out of the nearly 200,000 barrels sleeping at the estate, it was hand-selected by Master Blender Dr. Joy Spence with rum expert Luca Gargano. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 63% (126 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Vintage: Distilled 1998; bottled 2023; 25 tropical years
- Marque: Single proprietary marque, 100% pot still (copper pot still; Forsyth per Gargano)
- Casks: 19 casks selected from ~200,000 at the estate
- Release: 2,706 bottles worldwide (trade-reported); MSRP ~$650
- Origin: Appleton Estate, Nassau Valley, Jamaica
The 1998 Vintage of the Hearts Collection
The Hearts Collection began in 2020 as a partnership between Dr. Joy Spence — Appleton Estate's master blender — and connoisseur Luca Gargano, and its releases were the first 100% pot still single-marque rums Appleton Estate ever put to market. The 1998 is the eighth: a single copper-pot-still marque distilled that year, aged a quarter-century in the Nassau Valley's tropical heat, then married from only 19 casks into 2,706 bottles. It carries a deliberate homage — Spence says the 1998 closely replicates one of the rare marques used in the Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend, the 2017 bottling that marked her 20th anniversary as master blender with 25- to 35-year-old rums. Twenty-five years of tropical aging concentrate everything: this is the heart of Jamaica in a glass. Explore the Appleton Estate collection, more rum, and other Jamaican rums at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
The official press-release notes: elegant warm vanilla alongside herbs and fruit, delicate molasses, ginger and smoked coffee, butterscotch and subtle oak. Spence highlights striking vanilla notes and a silky finish — remarkable depth at a blistering 63% ABV.
How to Enjoy
At 126 proof this is a contemplative neat pour — give it air and time, with water optional for opening the vanilla and ginger. A splash in the glass reveals the silky finish Spence built the blend around.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Hearts Collection? An annual limited series from Appleton Estate — hand-selected by Dr. Joy Spence with Luca Gargano, each release a single-vintage, single-marque 100% pot still rum. The 1998 is the eighth.
How many casks? Just 19, selected from the nearly 200,000 barrels aging at the estate — the 1999 re-release's 10 casks are a different vintage.
What is the proof? 63% ABV (126 proof), per importer and trade data; 750mL for the US release.
How many bottles? 2,706 bottles worldwide, per trade reports.
A 25-year-old single-marque Jamaican icon — buy Appleton Estate Hearts Collection 25 Year Old Jamaican Rum 1998 online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.