Appleton Estate

The country’s oldest sugarcane estate and distillery, Appleton makes for a popular day trip from Negril, Ocho Rios, or Montego Bay. Besides tasting an array of different rums, you’ll gain insight into traditional distillation methods using 200-year-old copper pot stills. You can also try your hand at time-honored methods of cane juicing and sugar boiling, visit the barrel houses where the rum is aged, and sample fresh sugarcane juice.

• Even if you aren’t big into rum, the Appleton Estate is a great spot to head to if you want to experience the natural beauty of interior Jamaica.

• On-site dining is available at the estate’s Black River Lounge (reservations are recommended).

• Rum and related products are available at the on-site gift shop.

• The Appleton Estate is accessible to wheelchairs.

The estate is situated in the fertile Nassau Valley, hemmed in by the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Black River. Most visitors arrive on a shore excursion or as part of a tour, but it’s easy to get there on your own by car. The drive takes about two hours from either Montego Bay or Negril, or around two hours and 45 minutes from Ocho Rios.

The Appleton Estate is typically open to the public Monday through Saturday (except for major holidays). Guided tours normally start every hour and last around two hours—booking ahead is advised.

If you’d like to tack on an off-the-beaten-path experience before or after your distillery visit, pop over to the Bubbling Spring Mineral Bath, about a 30-minute drive away. Soak in local-spring-sourced mineral water believed to soothe sore muscles and provide relief from arthritis pain. There’s also a waterslide, volleyball area, and bar and restaurant.

The cost to tour the Appleton Estate in Jamaica varies depending on your needs. Although the admission ticket price isn’t listed on the Appleton Estate website, most tour providers charge about $40USD per ticket. Keep in mind that cost will increase if you want to add more attractions and/or transportation.

The Appleton Estate Rum tour has an average duration of about an hour and 30 minutes. The estate claims that visitors tend to spend an average of two hours in the visitor center, but you’re welcome to stay as long, or as little, as you like following your tour.

Appleton Estate doesn’t explicitly state a dress code, but visitors should dress appropriately. The rum tour is both an outdoor and indoor experience, so comfortable clothing should be worn. Smart casual is a good idea, especially for visitors who may be dining or drinking at the restaurant and bar.

Yes, the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience has a full-service restaurant and bar onsite. The Black River Lounge and Bar has indoor and outdoor seating available. Its food menu is filled with authentic Jamaican dishes, while its bar menu features cocktails made with Appleton Estate rums.

Yes, Appleton Estate Rum was founded and is still produced in Jamaica. The Appleton Estate is located in Jamaica’s Nassau Valley, approximately a 2-hour drive from both Kingston and Montego Bay. Rum production at Appleton Estate dates back to more than 270 years ago—today it produces five primary rums.

Although there have been hundreds of rum distilleries operating in Jamaica since the 1600s, Appleton Estate Rum remains as one of the oldest rum distilleries in continuous operation there. It was opened in 1749 and rose to global prominence in 1862 when it began receiving worldwide recognition for its award-winning wines.