APPLETON 2002 20 YEARS OLD 63% VELIER - HEARTS COLLECTION

Distilled in 2002 on the Forsyth pot still, aged in Jamaica for 20 years and bottled in 2022.

The Hearts Collection owes its name to three reasons:

- The rum is obtained from a distillation 100% pot still, cutting the heads and tails, and keeping only the heart of the distillate

- Appleton rum is born in the heart of Jamaica

- The heart is the symbol that Joy Spence designed on the sample that she left to Luca after meeting him in Jamaica and the heart is also the emblem of the passion shared by Joy Spence and Luca Gargano.

THE BRAND

The Appleton Estate, officially founded in 1749, was born in the oldest sugar cane plantation in Jamaica, although the legend tells that the plantation where it stands, was officially planted by Sir Francis Dickenson, English soldier born in "Appleton", a small town in present-day Oxfordshire, Great Britain, which took part in the invasion of the continent almost a hundred years earlier, in 1655. Situated in the heart of the country, in the lush Nassau Valley and crossed by the Black River, since 1916 is owned by Wray & Nephew.  Since 2012, is controlled by the global giant of beverage industry, the Italian Davide Campari-Milano, better known as the Campari Group. The Appleton Hearts Collection is a world premiere: they are the first 3 single marks rum 100% pot still and vintage, in the history of the distillery, selected by Luca Gargano and the legendary Master Blender of Appleton Estate, Joy Spence, the first woman to play this role in the entire distillate industry, since 1997.

THE BOTTLER

Velier was founded by the Chaix family in Genova in 1947 as a small traditional company specialised in the importation and distribution of wines, champagnes and spirits. In 1983, a young Luca Gargano, former brand ambassador for Saint James at that time, acquired shares in Velier. Under his influence the company began spacialising in the importation of outstanding spirits exclusively destinated to the Italian market. By the early 90s Luca heard about a legendary stock of Saint James rum dating back probably to 1885 and bottled in 1952. After a complex negotiation, he finally managed to acquire the entire stock. This was only the first of a list of legendary selections to come in the following years.