We recommend that you do not rely solely on the information presented here and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before using or consuming a product. More than just a rum, it is an intrinsic part of Jamaican culture, tradition and everyday living, and in the UK it represents the proud, bold spirit of the island and its people. Embrace the full strength of Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum, the original rum of the Jamaican people that has been bottled on the Caribbean island for almost 200 years.

I normally drink dark rum because I prefer the sweetness and I was surprised at how sweet this white rum is (perhaps that’s normal for Jamaican rum?

In an ideal world, we could answer this question by referring to a list of all rums imported into the US during Tiki’s golden era.

As you taste, smooth caramel sweetness and lively tropical fruits give way to pimento spice and a lively pot still rum finish. Jamaican white proof or overproof rums didn’t appear to be exported from Jamaica prior to the mid-1960s and probably didn’t arrive in the US until the 1970s.

By collecting enough advertisements over several years, a reasonably detailed list of each producer’s expressions can be established and when they were introduced and discontinued. Such rums are the high-hogo barn burners bursting from the bottle at a palate melting 63 percent ABV, such as Rum Fire and J. There’s no evidence (thus far) that Jamaican overproof rums found themselves in US tiki bars during the golden era. We’re also fortunate that Jamaica’s rum producers were prolific advertisers in the Kingston Gleaner during this era, and Gleaner back issues are extensive and available online .

The Duppy Share ensures that the Warmth, Fun, Beauty and Excitement of the Caribbean can be tasted in every drop. Please always read the labels, warnings, and directions provided with the product before using or consuming a product.After ageing it is then filtered through charcoal resulting in a rum that is smooth, clean and light bodied with subtle aromas and a crisp, clean taste. The ownership of the distillery has been a bit hectic throughout the years, but nowadays the distillery is part of the National Rums of Jamaica along with the Long Pond Distillery and the Inswood ageing/blending facility – a former distillery that stopped rum production in the 1950s. Run by only three families in 340 years, Worthy Park has now been owned by the Clarke family since 1918 and saw the completion of a state-of-the-art distillery in 2005, and was deemed worthy (ha) to enter the industry once more. Like so many of the classic cocktail favourites, the origins of the Mojito cocktail have been lost and blurred over the years.

Since our quest regards overproof rum and we’ve previously learned that proof rum is “only” 57% ABV, the above might be dismissed as little more than an interesting sidebar. To this day, the molasses from Jamaican sugarcane are said to produce the boldest-flavoured rums in the world. Today’s Tiki bartenders revel in using these rums, but the recipes of the classic Tiki canon — as uncovered by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and others — don’t use them.

Now here’s a showdown between two rums with similar specifications, yet miles apart when it comes to reputation. The white proof term disappeared from the newspaper for the most part until the 1930s, when we see the earliest mention of a specific branded expression dubbed white proof rum. The Appleton Estate is the oldest established producer of Jamaican rum, having been founded in 1749. Wray is a celebrity, a star, even a religion for some, both in Jamaica and abroad and its label is arguably the most recognisable worldwide whereas Monymusk is probably the most “underground” Jamaican overproof even compared to the other similarly less known. Having reviewed two Beachcomber rum lists (1937, 1941) and the Mai Kai’s alcohol purchase records from the late 1950s, no Jamaican proof white or white proof rums are to be found.