Aroma visualization from community tastings
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003
Dried fruit, banana bread, licorice and warm oak, with tobacco and dark chocolate underneath. This 18-year tropical-aged Appleton pot still runs low on the ester funk many expect from Jamaica — several tasters mistook it blind for a Guyana or Trinidad rum. The 63% sits so well integrated most wouldn't guess the strength. It needs air; give it time and the fruit blooms.
The community says- Beautifully integrated 63%
- Complex, layered
- But: Can turn bitter
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The look inside the bottle
How does Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003 taste?
Aggregated from 192 community reviews.
Balanced, oaky Jamaican with tamed funk Loved across the board for its balance and buried strength — banana, spice and gentle oak. A few find it too woody, bitter or, for some, a touch too polished and tame.
Fans of aged, wood-driven Jamaican pot still with tamed funk
Anyone chasing loud high-ester Hampden funk
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
76 of 192 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Recommendation
Your next rum
One difference each to this rum.
Rated better
Albion El Dorado Rare Collection AN 2004
9.0/10330 €
More intense
Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 1999
8.6/10298 €
Similar rating, cheaper
Hampden Great House (Distillery Edition 2021)
8.6/10107 €First choice: 80 of 99 tasters who tried both prefer it.
How is Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003 rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 8.7 sits in the “Very good” band. 98% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
95% rate it 8 or higher. 47 selected write-ups from 192 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Oliver
Most helpful positive review
Very coherent low-ester Jamaican. Spicy, earthy and just the right amount of fruitiness.Very nice Abfüllubg! In the top 3 of the Hearts Collection series.
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Most helpful mixed review
Very herbal, earthy-spicy nose with lots of glue and some banana. The taste is then extremely woody, bitter licorice, strongly burnt tones, nutmeg, iodine, menthol and glue, alcohol could be much better integrated and the fruit nodes are simply hard to find here even after almost an hour of breathing... Too woody, bitter and herbal for me personally and not quite what I look for & like in a Jamaica rum. I can't understand the hype & the price for this bottling with the best will in the world...🤷🏼♂️ but in direct comparison to the new 2002, it is much more harmonious and complex and also more drinkable! Update: almost passed for an old TDL in the blind test, awesome! Unfortunately I still don't warm to it, too bitter, too burnt, too alcoholic...
Review by Joachim Guger
A very nice balanced nose. Dried fruit dominates, restrained barrel maturity given the age. Unlike the other Hearts, no solvents. Alcohol perfectly integrated. In the mouth very powerful, full warm. Now very spicy and black olives. Complex. A great Appleton. High craftsmanship. Perhaps a bit too well-behaved at the end. Closest in flavor profile to the Rare Blend. Appleton Hearts 2003 - 2002 - 1993 Nose: All three very, very similar. Same marque? Banana bread, dried apples, licorice, caramel, fine spice, glue and glue. Powerful and warm. Compared to the 2003, the 2002 is a bit drier, dustier, a bit more licorice and less fruit . The 1993 is a bit woodier and more complex. All three great. Mouth: 2003 and 2002 again very similar. The 2002 a bit woodier and spicier. The 1993 then again... perhaps a touch too much. Conclusion: all three shine with a beautiful flavor profile. All three highest craftsmanship in terms of quality, integration of alcohol and wood maturity. The latter also applies to the 1993, 29 years of tropical storage and - matter of taste - just fine. Which one do I like best? Difficult decision, probably the 2002. What do I miss? The variety. How many marques can Appleton muster? Is that all after 7 bottlings? Edit: Now the bottle is empty. A great bottle, a pleasure every time.
Review by Jakob
Good rum, similar DNA, but somewhat fresher and with more fruit than the representatives from the 90s. Harmonious extension of the Hearts series, wonderfully demonstrates the potential of the "younger" tropically aged Appletons.
Review by zabo
Edit Edit: Day 7 in the 2024 calendar and completely wrong again. I hate blind tastings 🤣 Edit: A dream to be able to try the whole Appleton Hearts series. My conclusion would be that this is a really high-quality range. All in all, they are all great bottlings. I personally find it difficult to choose a true winner here. Only the 84 falls a little short. Both it and the 02 can't quite keep up, although that's complaining at a high level. However, if I had to choose one, it would probably be the 03, because it was the first one I tasted from the series. Day 3 RumX Calendar I've had a sample of this one sitting around for ages, I wish I'd opened it. A very tasty piece once again. Many thanks for that. Unfortunately it tasted so good that I had to buy another bottle.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#4025 A nice complex nose with fruit, wood and some spice. A very fresh nose with earthiness to it. The palate is only lightly bitter with wood, light fruit, caramel and nuts in the foreground. The finish is medium to long with wood and dried fruit. Price to quality is pretty good when remeased.
Review by RumTaTa
This is my first Appleton Rum and I must say shame on me for not having tried a rum from this distillery before.The nose is already very inviting and wonderfully balanced. The alcohol is only subtly noticeable.On the palate, the alcohol is very much there and introduces an extraordinary explosion of flavors. This is abruptly over with the gentle impressions of the nose and the force of barrel, spices and rusty notes takes over. The medium-long finish has the emphasis on that and spice, a slight not disturbing bitterness comes to it.A very good rum, which causes me to try more bottlings of Appleton.
Review by Maxence
Nose is quite nice with some spicy and earthy notes, some fruits and pastries. Mouth is quite similar. Everything is fine but not my kind of favorite profile 🤷
Review by Tschusikowsky
RumX Advent 3.12.23 Der Rum schmeckt nach tropischer Lagerung, leicht salzig, Trockenfrüchte, anklang von Litschis, Kirsche, eventuell etwas Menthol/Minziges im Abgang. Auch eine gute Portion Holz. Irgendwie zieht es mich hier in Richtung St. Lucia. Der Alkohol finde ich für das aber sehr gut eingebunden. Mein Guess war: die Chairmans Abfüllung von RumX und GotA. Finde den Rum sehr lecker. Retasting: St. Lucia Eindruck bleibt. Der Alkohol ist sehr kräftig aber passend eingebunden. Die Ester machen sich im Mund ebenfalls bemerkbar. Sirupartiger Tabak mit viel tropischen Früchten.
Review by Alex1981
RumX Calendar 2024 Day 7: first impression on the nose Funk & cookie dough, slightly alcoholic. Reminiscent of St. Lucia. Becomes better integrated with a little time in the glass, more sweetness appears in the background, sugar cane. Roasted notes and dark fruit are added. Delicious! Strong, edgy, alcoholic in the mouth. Seems to be quite high abv. Long finish, but the alcohol drowns out everything else. Nose top, mouth rather flop. Stick with St. Lucia, but could be anything.
Review by cigares
RumX Advent Calendar, Day 7. An expressive, complex nose with lots of fruit, pineapple and banana, but also yellow fruit, apple and quince, a sweet, herbaceous side. The wood is discreet. Expressive on the palate, the alcohol perfectly supports the fruit aromas, with more wood than on the nose. A smoky woodiness follows. The finish is moderately long, not so complex but incredibly well-balanced and tasty. An expressive and delicious rum!
Review by WiltChamberlain
A dream for single malt enthusiasts like me.
Review by Timo Groeger
RumX Advent calendar day 7 - for me the best so far. Has a really great nose, vanilla and caramel, but wood is also recognizable here. Continues on the palate, with chocolate and some liquorice. Many thanks to the RumX team.
Review by Christoph
Kiba (juice with cherry and banana). Pineapple and orange in the mouth. Out the back it becomes woodier and more bitter, but very pleasant. Alcohol extremely well integrated.
Review by Gunnar Böhme "Bauerngaumen" 🤓
Subsequent tasting of the rum from 03.12.2023 of the RumX Christmas calendar: Now that's a tasty treat! To my shame, I have to confess that I've never had an Appleton in my glass before. That's about to change, because this Appleton was really convincing. I particularly liked this warm, Jamaican oiliness.
Review by Manuel
RumX Adventskalender 2024: Nr. 7 Sehr intensiver Rum bei dem der Alkohol gut eingebunden sind. Würde auf etwas längere tropische Lagerung tippen. Tolle Aromen von Vanille, Rosine und Gewürzen. Gefällt mir sehr gut.
Review by LukaŽiga
8,8:On the nose, typical markers with esters, glue, tropical fruits like a banana, spicy and roasted wood with nuts, caramel, earthy molasses with tobacco. On aeration(really needed), an orange and a pineapple pop up, the molasses is herbaceous, dark with a licorice, the would helps burnt sugar and vanilla. 8,5:On the palate, the attack is mostly spicy, woody with a little help of banana, esters, solvents.It needs time to settle down, becomes balanced, indeed it is a complex rum.Roasted wood begets caramel, dark chocolate, nuts, burnt sugar is caramelized, the molasses is herbaceous and earthy with tobacco, dark with licorice.Some pineapple and orange help with rounding, unfortunately menthol doesn't,... well honey helps. 😃 8,6:The finish is dry and tannic, balanced, the molasses is mineral and minty, a tasty crunchy bread note shows up, even rubber, a combination of wood notes and tropical, dried fruits, honey keep the roundedness is in check. Edit:30.4.25
Review by mto75
Nose and palate are very consistent, a good balance of tropical and dried fruits, caramel, spices, cappuccino and subtle funk. The toasty notes come through a bit more on the palate, finishing with cocoa and a slight - not at all unpleasant - bitter note. On par with the 94!
Review by Giorgio Garotti
A bomb this Appleton!Intense, toasty with a very pronounced bitter note in the tasting but not annoying.With some aeration in the bottle it will definitely become rounder.Unquestionably a great rum!
Review by DomM
Very nice one. From memory at a level with the 94 - ahead of 95 and 99 Hearts.
Review by Thunderbird
A wonderful rum... very elegant, pleasant and complex! Simply beguiling!
Review by Boletus
Erneute Verkostung im Rahmen des RumX-Adventskalender (Tag 7): Bei der Blindverkostung habe ich den Rum für einen TDL gehalten mit seinem wunderbaren Wechselspiel aus Früchten und fein-würziger Holzigkeit. In der alten Verkostungsnotiz finde ich mich aber immer noch wieder, nur dass die Früchte diesmal mehr in Richtung Steinobst (Pfirsich, Sauerkirsche, Aprikose) gingen. An der Bewertung ändert sich trotzdem nichts; für mich ist das immer noch ein Rum der Spitzenklasse. Großartiges Aromenspiel mit Gewürzen und Früchten sowie tiefgründiger Eichenaromatik ohne Bitterkeit. Es braucht nicht immer einen hohen Esteranteil für einen beeindruckenden Jamaikarum. Für mich ein absoluter Genusstraum!
Review by Basti
Edit: Nochmal neben den 2002 und 1994 verkostet. Der 2003er erinnert an der Nase durch Tabak, Lakritz und Leder entfernt etwas an einen PM. Am Gaumen leicht florale Untertöne. Für mich auf Augenhöhe mit dem 2002er, aber hinter dem 1994! Alkohol sehr gut integriert. Konnte mich allerdings nicht vollends überzeugen, da insgesamt etwas zu sehr auf der bitteren/lakritzigen Seite.
Review by Agricoler
Tag 7 RumX Adventskalender Sehr schöner Rum mit sehr schöner Mischung wie ich finde. Dezent südliche Komponenten durch Karamell und Trockenfrüchten. Sowie eine kleine Menge Ester+ tropische Frucht und ordentlich Holzeinfluss. Schöner Tropfen Auf Appleton wäre ich tatsächlich nicht zwingend gekommen Braucht ein wenig im Glas aber dann extrem lecker..
Review by Righrum
I expect this to be a Jamaican rum. Main traits on the nose are varnish, underripe bananas and an herbal side, almost tea-like, followed by overripe bananas, orange and, some leather and wood. A nice nose that reminds me mainly of Appleton. Good alcool integration, the palate is again dominated by banana and tea, some orange in the background.
Review by Beach-and-Rum 🏖️🌴
It needs a little time in the glass. But then it's Jamaica to my taste. Very accessible with a good balance between wood and fruit. The price is a little too high in my opinion, however.
Review by Serge
Lecker würzig und angenehme Bitterkeit vom Holz mit tollen Lakritze Noten, Tabak vom feuchten Zigarrendeckblatt beim Rollen und halbreife Banane. Geht an der Nase fast als Demerara durch.
Review by TheRhumhoe
An intense, very flavorful Appleton, which needs a little time to open. The nose is very varied, with earthy notes of tobacco, tropical fruit, glue and ester, vanilla wood, coffee and caramel. The palate continues with spicy, roasted notes, with dark chocolate and licorice providing a hint of bitterness on the palate. The finish, long and true to the taste profile, brings a mineral, mentholated touch. A complex, intense, full-bodied but very tasty rum.
Review by Christian Rudt
Exciting continuation of the Hearts collection. There is first relatively much wood, a complex also earthy nose with Appleton typical round tropical fruit notes.If the nose is still restrained so turns the drop on the palate. Great intense orange-cola note in which a licorice stick was dipped. Then come impressions of dark chocolate and also a touch of tobacco. In the finish then predominantly woody and slightly mineral-bitter.For me, it ranks just behind 94(brilliantly round) and 95 (nice dirty) but clearly ahead of 99.
Review by SaibotZtar
RumX Adventskalender Tag 7 Tief fruchtige Würzige Nase mit Tropischen Anklängen... erinnert fast ein wenig an einen Long Pond. Banane, Mango und leichte Zitrusnoten. Alkohol sehr gut eingebunden. Am Gaumen auch schöne Tropische Früchte, leichte Ester und Würze . Etwas Holz mit wenig Bitterkeit. Gefällt mir ganz gut .
Review by Leo Krüper
Great rum. Wide pot still. I like from memory better than the 95. If only there was not the price :(
Review by Alessandro
Buono, potente e pieno. Frutta, legno, spezie. Uno dei più giovani della serie che dimostra le qualità dei rum Appleton a grado pieno. Dovrò per forza affiancarlo ai fratelli in una prossima degustazione così da paragonarli
Review by Godspeed
Unmistakably Jamaican on the nose. Promises depth. Wood varnish, lacquered oak, tropical fruit, more wood, yellow fruits, some banana, It’s heady and “enivrant” when nosed deeply. On the attack in the palate it is powerful yet controlled, delivering on the fruit and rounding out the wood. Delicious. Tremendous development of fruit on the mid-palate, clearly overpowering the wood, which has turned mahogany. More tropical fruit, and more detail of the fruit than on the palate. The true profile goes from ripe banana on the nose to pineapple-orange on the palate. Easy to hold a long time in the mouth (and requires this patience for the true fruits to come out) yet explosive in flavor. Very, very high quality. Medium to longish finish on the same notes turning slightly creamy. A Jamaican of tremendous quality. Worth every penny of its ~225€ asking price.
Review by Stylo
After trying the 94, 95 and 99 expression during the RumX Advent Calendar, it is time to taste this 2003! As its predecessors, I wouldn’t tell it’s a Jamaican: the nose is really more Guyanese, I initially get wood, licorice, red fruits (plums mainly), some tobacco and even a touch of mint. The funkiness is really in tamed. There’s also a pronounced sweetness (like burnt caramel) and a kick of spiciness (vanilla and possibly ginger). The palate is more Jamaican, with more tropical fruits (grilled pineapples). Is is mildly astringent. The finish is long, dry, with more wood, licorice and spicy. Another great rum from this series! Wish I could also try the 84…
Review by Filip Šikula
Rumy-X adventní kalendář Oliver Gerhart 2024 Day 7 Řada hearts od appletonu je skvělá ve všech vydaných ročnících. Tento není vyjímkou a kombinace dřeva, tropického ovoce, a esterových funky srand z jamajky funguju perfektně!
Review by Rowald Sweet Empire
Super fruity full powered Jamaican powerhouse. Baked pineapple. Superb balanced funk and esthers. Light anise spice. Flower perfume. Complex. This is very very delicious. Wish I had more than a sample.
Review by Tafia Guildive
Schöner Rum, als kleinerer Part im Mai Tai mit einem Long Pond sehr lecker.
Review by Martin Švojgr
Skvělý vyvážený rum, z Hearts edice asi nejvyváženější.
Review by Volkmar Weber
Warmer, erdiger Jamaikaner, der ein wenig Richtung Guyana schielt. Subtile Ester Fruchtigkeit, dazu Schoki und süßer, starker Cappuccino. Kein brennen, keine Schärfe - Alkohol sehr gut integriert - je länger man ihm Zeit vor dem Trinken gibt, umso besser. Auch die Oxidation in der Flasche nach ein paar Monaten wirkt sich positiv aus. Die robusten Kaffeenoten treten noch mehr in den Vordergrund. Allenfalls kritisieren kann man, dass er etwas zu rund, gefällig und brav ist.
Review by Jarek
Franconian Rum Tasting Gang & Jakob, 2023-07-27 Teil 1: Diesmal alle Appleton Hearts am Start (1984, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002 und 2003). Für mich bleibt der 1994er immer noch der Beste der Reihe, dicht gefolgt vom 1993 und 1998. Überraschend lecker war auch der 2002. An der Nase spielt der 1984 ganz vorne mit, fällt aber am Gaumen wegen des zu starken Holzeinflusses ab.
Review by w00tAN
Adventskalender 2024 Nr 7. In der Nase feine Esternoten, fruchtig, würzig und röstig. Im Mund schön kräftig, würzig mit Tabak und Holz. Esternoten sind im Mund wesentlich feiner als in der Nase. Abgang lang, holzig, bitter und würzig. Sehr lecker!
Review by Steffmaus🇩🇰
Tasted at the Whisky & Rum festival, the 27th of october, 2023. Tropical fruits and sweetness in the nose. Initially funky and spicy in the notes, then a taste of chocolate, vanilla, ginger and a slightly oaky taste
Review by Johannes Eisner
Good Appleton, but that was it. Had expected more after the first series (94/95/99). The 2nd price of ~300€ not worth it in any case.
Review by Banana Joe
Adventskalender #7 Würde hier auf jeden Fall auf einen Rum aus Trinidad tippen. Schöne Trockenobstaromen, viel Holz, Tannine. Mir fehlt nur die Minze. Für den Jahrgang fehlt es mir an Erfahrung. Auf jeden Fall sehr lecker. Edit: Ernsthaft? Da wäre ich nie drauf gekommen, hab aber noch ein Sample da, werde ich dann nochmal in Ruhe verkosten.
Review by Piotr Ignasiak
RX calendar 23, day 3 Really nice and quite complex. It may not be high ester but they are really noticable, especially on the nose. The taste besides the tropical basket has a clear wood undertone as well as sweetness and noticable dirtiness.
Review by Fuwi
Sehr toller Jamaikaner, kein High Ester Vertreter. Das Fass dominiert nicht zu stark und ist gut in die angenehme Fruchtigkeit integriert. Zusammen mit dem sehr gut harmonierendem Alkohol bildet sich ein sehr angenehmer, komplexer Rum
Review by Benoit Mahe
Un profil lourd, plus jamaïcain que les trois premiers de la série Heart Collection. Pour moi le meilleur de la série, plus équilibré, plus de gourmandise
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Expert reviews
3 critics scored it, averaging 9.1/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Le Blog À Roger
Read full review →
Expert review by Rum Runner Labs
Read full review →A really compelling installment in the Appleton Hearts collection. Fruity and earthy on the nose, its juicy without leaning much in the ethyl acetate direction. On the palate the cask shows up, plenty of spice and oak notes, balanced nicely with dried banana and pineapple. Satisfying finish.
Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review →It is dangerously drinkable even at 63% ABV. I'll answer the question though which do I prefer the 1984 or 2003? I'd probably go for a bottle of this, given the choice - but I think both rums over something completely different. Both have been rums I have been really...
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
What this bottle last achieved at auction. A research indicator, not a forecast.
Auction results 86 € – 235 €
from 43 sales, latest 09/2026
Prices incl. buyer's premium — what a buyer pays, not what a sale nets you.
Avg. community purchase price 196 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003
A Pot Still Rum from Jamaica, bottled by Velier, at 63%.
Community purchases
290 bottles logged by 214 collectors.
A collector's bottle.
8% opened, 17 emptied and repurchased.
What does Velier Appleton Hearts Collection - 2003 cost?
Community paid 188–280 €.
Current best price: 193.14 € – within the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
290 purchased · 196 tasted · 77 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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Oliver · FounderBy rum lovers, for rum lovers
I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
What began as my digital tasting diary is now the world's most comprehensive platform for rum fans, today carried by a small team with Jakob, Lukas and Katharina, with Robert supporting us as a freelancer. We combine the collective intelligence of our community with an integrated marketplace, so you can choose with confidence, without paperwork, detours, or expert jargon.
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