Aroma visualization from community tastings
J. Wray & Nephew LTD. Appleton Blackwell Black Gold
Don't come to this expecting Jamaican funk — that's the first thing regulars flag. It's a soft, lightly sweet dark rum with caramel, cocoa and a spicy, woody edge, and the 40% still shows through. Several call it their favorite bargain Jamaican for mixing; others find it thin and flat on the tongue. Pleasant nose, gentle flavor, low on esters.
The community says- Caramel-cocoa nose
- Easy, low burn
- Lacks Jamaican funk
View price history
Secure payment Sold by Urban Drinks Returns & cancellation
- Secure payment. You pay via RumX with PayPal, Klarna or card. Your payment data is encrypted and we never store your full card details.
- Clear seller. Sold and shipped directly by the partner shop. And you're never on your own: RumX handles support and communication with the shop, so you always get excellent service, whichever shop you order from.
- Honest shop ratings. The stars show your service experience with the shop, not the rum score. They come from RumX users, and critical ones stay visible.
- Returns & cancellation. Your purchase contract is with the shop, so returns and cancellations run through them under their own policy and your statutory rights. If anything goes wrong, RumX helps you sort it out.
Buy J. Wray & Nephew LTD. Appleton Blackwell Black Gold:
Compare all 7 shop offers from 23.74 €
Prices & availability last updated on
The look inside the bottle
How does J. Wray & Nephew LTD. Appleton Blackwell Black Gold taste?
Aggregated from 63 community reviews.
Soft, sweet Jamaican with little funk Opinions land between "nice daily mixer" and "too soft and flat to sip." Most agree it's easy, caramel-sweet and missing the Jamaican punch — better in a glass with cola than neat.
People wanting an easy, sweet Jamaican mixer
Fans of high-ester Jamaican funk
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
15 of 63 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
How is J. Wray & Nephew LTD. Appleton Blackwell Black Gold rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.1 sits in the “Good” band. 55% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 0% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Community voices
What does the community say?
87% rate it between 6 and 8. 10 selected write-ups from 63 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Sam 🥃
First Jamaican rum that I could taste. I find it good and very accessible considering its price. In spite of its 40%, I find the alcohol a bit too pronounced and I also regret the semi-opaque bottle. But it's a good start to discover Jamaican rums, with flavors, like coffee, chocolate, tobacco...I find the nose better than the mouth. The history of a rum is just as interesting as its aromatic palette, sometimes more. In the history of Blackwell, there is Bob Marley, James Bond, and Joy Spence the Master Blender of the Appleton Estate brand. It is interesting to note that by buying Blackwell rum a portion is donated to the Golden Eye Foundation in Oracabessa which acts in favor of the population and biodiversity of the bay. Nice anyway
Review by Stefan Persson
Overall a too sweet rum without the Jamaican funk that I can’t recommend for sipping, but that probably would work a quite well in a Dark’N’Stormy Tasted it that at the Sweden (Stockholm) Rumfest 2024. The distillate in Blackwell Rum comes from Wray and Nephew. It’s said that they’re using an old family recipe created by the Blackwell’s family that once owned J Wray and Nephew. The rum is said to be aged between 18-24 months which seems relevant. In nose it’s sweet and woody with aromas of chocolate and molasses. At the palate it’s even sweeter but there are also flavors of vanilla, chocolate, caramel, spice and fruits.
Review by Timo Groeger
Honestly expected worse from this rum. It's relatively woody, but also very spicy, with a rather pleasant sweetness on the palate, consisting mainly of caramel and chocolate. Solid.
Review by Lutz Lungershausen
Tasted again after a long time. 40% clearly perceptible, otherwise an aromatic, solid sipper. 3rd tasting (the bottles have to be emptied somehow) Eye: beautiful intense mahogany in the glass. Nose: cocoa, raisin, a little wood, all very subtle and not very impressive. Palate: a little fruit, smoke, otherwise rather thin, almost watery. Finish: short, roasty. Conclusion: Not worth drinking - something for Jamaica tourists who want to bring back a nice souvenir but know nothing about rum. I brought the small 200ml flask back from the island anyway.
Review by Godspeed
This is perhaps my favorite bargain Jamaican. I like it more than Appleton signature, more than Myers's. Those have their place but this lacks the slight sharpness of the signature and the comically voluptuous registers of caramel coloring and flavor additions of Myers. It's my go-to Jamaican cocktail rum when I need something just a little sluttier than an Appleton 12.
Review by Rum N Bass
Very average, don't buy again
Review by Richard Krupa
Parade Rum for 500,-
Review by Montana
A slightly sweet and alcoholic smell, a little spicy, later slightly cinnamon.The taste is slightly sweet at first, then becomes a little alcoholic and fruity.The finish is medium long and slightly burning.
Review by Lana Hamilton
Good for cocktails
Review by MoMcGurk
A caramel nose and pleasant flavor. A bit sweeter than I would have thought with a twist top, and less burn too. Mixed did not get much from it.
No reviews match this filter.
Expert reviews
2 critics scored it, averaging 6.6/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Rhummer
Read full review →
Expert review by Rum Runner Labs
Read full review →
Details about J. Wray & Nephew LTD. Appleton Blackwell Black Gold
A rum from Jamaica, bottled by J. Wray & Nephew LTD., at 40%.
Community purchases
124 bottles logged by 109 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
51% opened, 37 emptied and repurchased.
What does J. Wray & Nephew LTD. Appleton Blackwell Black Gold cost?
Community paid 17–26 €.
Current best price: 23.74 € – 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+ →
124 purchased · 66 tasted · 38 wishlist · as of
About the Appleton Estate distillery
The Appleton Estate distillery is located in Jamaica. Rums from Appleton Estate have been reviewed 4,294 times with an average of 7.8/10.
To Appleton Estate →You may also enjoy
Rum enthusiasts who like this rum have also given the following rums high ratings:
Hampden Rum Fire
Hampden Rum FireFunky banana ester bomb, best in cocktails
Appleton 15 Years Black River Casks
Appleton 15 Years Black River CasksSmooth, oaky, gentle Jamaican evening sipper
Appleton Reserve
Appleton ReserveFruity, smoky everyday Jamaican, light funk
Appleton Rare Blend 12 Years
Appleton Rare Blend 12 YearsWoody, contained-funk daily Jamaican
Appleton Rare Casks 12 Years
Appleton Rare Casks 12 YearsRounded, oaky Jamaican with gentle funk
Appleton Signature Single Estate Jamaica Rum
Appleton Signature Single Estate Jamaica RumLight, fruity entry Jamaican, best mixed
Never miss a price drop.
Set a target price in the app, and we'll let you know as soon as the rum becomes available at that price from one of our partner stores. This works for any rum on your wish list.
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.
Oliver, Stuttgart
About RumX →
