Before becoming the first female master blender in the world in 1997, Joy Spence spent 16 years as a research chemist. There she was recognised for her sensory skills – her ability to sniff and distinguish between different aromas like apricot, peach, vanilla and pear – and was groomed to take over as the master blender at Appleton Estate by her mentor Owen Tulloch. After Tulloch's retirement, Spence took over as master blender and she's been creating some of the best rums in the market since. This year, in celebration of Spence's 20 years as master blender, the Jamaican premium-aged rum producers will be releasing a rare 25-year-old limited edition rum, the Joy Anniversary Blend.
'For my anniversary blend, I set out to create a rum that I’d like to sip while watching the colours of my garden change in the warm glow of the Jamaican sunset,' explains Spence. 'It includes two rum marques that are of particular sentimental significance to me: the first was laid down to age in 1981, which is the year I joined the Appleton Estate team, and the second is my favourite marque of pot still rum. The final blend is a wonderful rum that I hope will become a cornerstone of my legacy.'
Poised to become the next whisky, premium rums are starting to grow in popularity and have become more sophisticated. The Joy Anniversary Blend is an example of what the future of the spirit holds. Blended with rums that are matured for a minimum of 25 years, including a rum that's been aged for 35 years, the Joy Anniversary blend opens with a delicate orange peel top note – a hallmark of Appleton Estate rums – and tastes of warm spices like ginger and vanilla. Its smooth finish makes for easy drinking and the rum can even be enjoyed in a cocktail with coconut water or ginger ale, garnished with a sliver of orange.
The Joy Anniversary Blend is available for purchase at selected retailers. Interested parties can also email Alicia at aliciac@metadesign-group.com to make an order.