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Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum
About Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum
Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum is produced by J. Wray & Nephew – a Kingston, Jamaica-based spirits company founded in 1825. The name of the brand refers to founder John Wray and his nephew, C.J. Ward, who joined the business in 1860. It is currently owned by Grupo Campari. As a brand, Wray & Nephew carries great cultural significance in Jamaica. Their rum is popular as a drink, and also used for various other things such as medicinal purposes and warding off evil spirits. Wray & Nephew’s master blender, Joy Spence, was also the world’s first female master blender when appointed back in 1997.
This bottle of overproof white rum is made using sugarcane molasses, which is fermented with natural spring water. The final product is blended from various distillates, which are distilled using a mixture of copper pot still and column still methods. It is filtered and proofed to 63% ABV before bottling.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 63%
❖ Distillery: New Yarmouth Estate
❖ Aging: none
❖ Price Point: lower moderate price
My Tasting notes
I took a whiff of this rum, and it smelled sweet and surprisingly smooth on the nose for an overproof. The quality of the sweetness reminded me of yogurt.
Before trying out this rum straight, I did dilute it a little bit with filtered water in order to protect my tongue and judge the flavors more effectively. When I took my first sip, I found it to be a bit sweet, with the same yogurt-like quality to the flavor. It had a fair amount of heat, but overall there wasn’t harshness to it.
As I continued, the flavor got a bit more bitter over time. I could tell that this spirit is not really meant for sipping, although it exceeded my expectations for an overproof spirit in this regard. It was reasonably easy to sip.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I wanted to try out a classic Jamaican drink – the Wray & Ting! Unfortunately, even after quite a hunt, I was not able to locate a bottle of Ting grapefruit soda in my area. I had to settle for Jarritos brand, which I’ve heard is the most similar substitute. Funnily enough, I also had a hard time tracking down the grapefruit flavor of Jarritos, but eventually did manage to find one Mexican market in my area that stocks it.
Wray & Ting
❖ 1.5oz overproof rum
❖ 4oz Ting grapefruit soda
- Add the ingredients to a tall glass with ice, and gently stir.
- Squeeze the juice from 1 wedge of lime.
- garnish with the squeezed out lime wedge.
When I took my first sip of my Wray & Ting, I was immediately impressed. The sweet, yogurt-like notes were nicely balanced by the citrus-forward mixers. It was so smooth that I honestly couldn’t tell the rum is overproof. As I continued, the sweet flavor got more clear and identifiable as molasses. Overall, I found the rum’s flavor to be simple, consistent, and tasty inside of a drink.
Bottom Line
RATING: 5/5
At the end of the day, I was quite impressed with this bottle of Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum. I think it is a good value, and makes for an excellent mixing rum. The flavor was simply tasty, and I can definitely see why it’s beloved in the Jamaican community.
Also, as I mentioned above, I was surprised by just how smooth it is for an overproof spirit. If I didn’t know any better, I would taste this and assume that it’s a standard proof. It’s very easy to balance in a cocktail. I can already tell that Wray & Nephew will be one of my go-to rum bottles for mixing this Spring and Summer. I recommend picking up a bottle for yourself if you get the chance!
As always, drink responsibly.
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