Some like to muddle a bitters-soaked brown sugar cube until "smooth paste" to make this cocktail. Depending on your sugar cube, even with a splash of soda...
Tried with Appleton Estate 12 year and Rittenhouse Rye. It's okay, but I prefer a regular sazerac. I'm starting to think I only like Jamaican rum in mai tais.
I love a Sazerac.
Your issue may have been the Appleton. We are big rum drinkers and find that Appleton is a bit tame for a Jamaican rum. I would go with a Hamilton Black or Myer's Single Barrel. The Jamaican funk is needed to balance the rye.
Great evening sipping cocktail. Very spirit forward. Flavours of rye and rum worked outstandingly together. Did back off the sugar syrup by half to make it a bit dryer. To capture more of the cocktails essence, we served in small snifters which concentrated the flavours as you drank.