Food · St. Elizabeth · written in Patois with an English translation
Dung inna di Nassau Valley, unda di Cockpit Country hill dem, yuh fine Appleton Estate. A deh-so dem a mek rum fram 1749 — dat mek i di oldes distillery inna Jamaica weh run straight tru fram dat time till now, more dan 275 year. Di estate grow im own sugar cane inna di valley, an di wata weh dem use spring up tru di limestone rock dem — dat deh combination gi Appleton rum im own special taste, dem seh. Rum weave up inna Jamaica big-people culture fram long time: dem use i fi toast di couple a weddn, dem pour likkle pon di grung fi di ancestor dem a nine-night, an granny keep a likkle white rum inna cupboard fi rub cold outta chest. One more ting fi big up: Joy Spence, a Jamaican ooman an scientist, tun master blender a Appleton inna 1997 — di fus ooman inna di whole worl spirits industry fi hold dat deh title. Nuff a di sugar wukman family dem roun Siloah an Maggotty get dem living fram di estate fi generation. But hear di serious part, an wi naa mek joke: rum a fi BIG PEOPLE alone, an even fi dem, likkle-likkle a di way — too much a i mash up health, family an pocket. Wi study i ya as history an culture, no as invitation. Respect i, no glamorize i.
Down in the Nassau Valley, beneath the Cockpit Country hills, you find Appleton Estate. It is there that they have been making rum since 1749 — which makes it the oldest distillery in Jamaica in continuous operation from that time until now, more than 275 years. The estate grows its own sugar cane in the valley, and the water they use springs up through the limestone rock — that combination gives Appleton rum its own special taste, they say. Rum has been woven into Jamaican adult culture for a long time: it is used to toast couples at weddings, a little is poured on the ground for the ancestors at nine-night, and grandmothers keep a little white rum in the cupboard to rub a cold out of the chest. One more thing to celebrate: Joy Spence, a Jamaican woman and scientist, became master blender at Appleton in 1997 — the first woman in the world spirits industry to hold that title. Many of the sugar-worker families around Siloah and Maggotty have earned their living from the estate for generations. But here is the serious part, and we are not joking: rum is for ADULTS only, and even for them, moderation is the way — too much of it ruins health, family and pocket. We study it here as history and culture, not as an invitation. Respect it, don't glamorize it.
Dong iina di Nassau Valley, onda di Cockpit Country hil dem, yu fain Appleton Estate. A de-so dem a mek rom fram 1749 — dat mek i di uoldis distilari iina Jamieka we ron schriet chuu fram dat taim til nou, muor dan 275 yier. Di estiet gruo im uon shuga kien iina di vali, an di waata we dem yuuz spring op chuu di laimstuon rak dem — dat de kambinieshan gi Appleton rom im uon speshal ties, dem se. Rom wiiv op iina Jamieka big-piipl kolcha fram lang taim: dem yuuz i fi tuos di kopl a wedn, dem puor likl pan di grong fi di ansesta dem a nain-nait, an grani kiip a likl wait rom iina kobad fi rob kuol outa ches. Wan muor ting fi big op: Joy Spence, a Jamiekan uman an sayantis, ton maasta blenda a Appleton iina 1997 — di fos uman iina di uol worl spirits indoschri fi huol dat de taitl. Nof a di shuga wokman fambili dem roun Siloah an Maggotty get dem livin fram di estiet fi janarieshan. Bot ier di siiryos paat, an wi naa mek juok: rom a fi BIG PIIPL aluon, an iivn fi dem, likl-likl a di wie — tuu moch a i mash op helt, fambili an pakit. Wi stodi i ya az hischri an kolcha, no az invitieshan. Rispek i, no glamaraiz i.
Higman documents the Jamaican rum industry of this period. He does not confirm the estate's founding date; his earliest documentary trace of Appleton rum is an 1890 Kingston advertisement — see the sourcing notes.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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