Appleton Special Gold, which I believe has been replaced with Kingston 62, is a better than average gold rum. The funk that is missing in most Appleton rums shows up here more than I expected. It is a very young rum, so it does have some heat and won't blow you away, but it's great in cocktails. The funk is evident on the nose, along with banana notes. The palate is watered down quite a bit and a bit hot initially, but it does give way to dried fruits and a bit of charred oak. The finish is short and sweet, but only a touch hot. This is not meant to be a sipping rum, so if you plan to only use this in cocktails, you will be happy with the purchase. There are better sipping rums out there, but I have to say for the price it's worth owning for the use in cocktails alone. Unlike most Appleton rums when a cocktail calls for Jamaican Gold rum, you can safely use this one.