Appleton Estate has brought a premium aged rum to DramFest and Austin Club, showcasing its versatile range.
Appleton Estate, known for its rich heritage and expertly blended aged rums, made its mark in Christchurch over the weekend with two standout events celebrating the versatility and depth of its range.
As part of DramFest 2025, New Zealand’s premier whisky and spirits festival, Appleton Estate’s Matthew Barnsley hosted an exclusive tasting session showcasing rare single-marque bottlings from Appleton’s Hearts Collection, including the 2002 and 1993 vintages.
Attendees also had the rare opportunity to sample Appleton Estate 17-Year-Old Legend, one of only 1,500 bottles available globally. This release is a recreation of the original Wray and Nephew 17-Year-Old, a historic rum essential to the original Mai Tai recipe, which had been considered extinct. Bottles of this legendary rum, when found in the early 2000s, sold at auction for over NZD 10,000. This new release allows rum enthusiasts and collectors the unique experience of revisiting this iconic spirit.
DramFest drew over 4,000 attendees, and all main event tickets sold out. The festival welcomed spirits enthusiasts, hospitality professionals, and global industry experts such as award-winning whisky writer Dave Broom.
“DramFest is a world-class celebration of fine spirits, and we were thrilled to see such strong engagement with Appleton Estate’s aged rums,” said Matthew Barnsley, Campari, New Zealand.
“The appetite for premium, complex rums is growing in New Zealand, particularly among hospitality professionals looking for elevated cocktail ingredients or those who appreciate a refined neat pour.”
The celebrations extended beyond DramFest with a one-night-only takeover at Austin Club, Christchurch’s underground cocktail bar, on March 1. The event showcased a bespoke Appleton Estate cocktail menu, curated by internationally acclaimed bartender Alastair Walker, co-owner of Auckland’s most popular cocktail bars: Caretaker, Deadshot, and Rocketman.
The menu showcased the versatility of rum through a range of bespoke cocktails, including the Betsy Flanagan, Jamaican Hop and Sloppy Joe’s Planters Punch. Following the event, the bar will continue to serve the Betsy Flanagan cocktail throughout March.
“Appleton Estate’s rums are legendary for their rich, complex character and signature Jamaican funk,” said Alastair Walker.
“For the Austin Club takeover, I designed a menu that allowed these bold flavours to shine, while incorporating classic cocktail techniques.”
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