Wray & Nephew White Overproof

This Is the real thing all the whiners that complain about smell and taste need to go back to suckin on their mommies tit ....Rum is made from sugar cane hence the Molasses smell and taste ...There is a reason that the Jamaican Yardies drink this because its the real deal .....So STOP THE BLOOD CLOT CRYIN ....and enjoy Mon!

Very strong as you would expect burns then quickly evaporates. Leaves a raw taste in the mouth so if your planning on speaking to someone your interested in, have some mints on stand by, excellent rum though

This could go with anything and more or you could rub it on you the best rum ever

If you want to stay warm or to clear a cold drink this!

It is not normal i guess to give a kind of cheap rum such a high rating, but i think it is truly delicious! It has a very unique taste, you can tell the moment you open the bottle, a fantastic smell is released that makes you want to drink the entire bottle, but beware at 63 % , that most likely is not the best idea :)

Even when heavily diluted it still tastes good. Using various levels of dilution seems to reveal different aspects of the potent flavour. The taste is definitely not for everyone -- it's difficult to describe. It feels great in the stomach like something organic. This one seems more like a cocktail rum than a sipping rum.

Many a distiller has envied for the secrets of Jamaican rum. To create an immensely flavorful "arome" rum distillate is no simple task; in Jamaica, they've had several hundred years to practice and develop their technique.
You can buy dirt-cheap and near-flavorless white rums just about anywhere: Bacardi and Don Q are easy examples. To solve the problem of "lack of flavor", many distilleries turn to barrel aging or sugaring (or even adding artificial flavors) to give their rum more interesting qualities. The incredible thing about this bottle is - all the flavoring was created in the fermentation and distillation. There has been NO conditioning of the distillate at all. No added flavors, no barrel aging, NOTHING... and it is one of the most flavorful rums I have ever tasted.

When the funk can be so hard to find these days, old 'Wray and Nephew' in its seemingly cheap bottle is found just about everywhere. The quality of the distillate is what many would consider the holy grail of rum - ultra flavorful and complex, with an uncompromising pungency and brooding raw power. The complex acidity and sheer variety of flavor is enough to drive you crazy... That unforgettable fruity aroma even lingers in the glass after it has been drunk.

It is the rum of so many forgotten punches and mixed drinks, lending an incredible character of overripe fruits that integrates and evolves with equally flavorful syrups, juices, and spices. This is one of my favorite tiki rums, used often in a plantation punch. The contents of the bottle disappear quickly, but alas - Its $18 at Woodman's in WI, so my wallet is smiling too. A benchmark.

Wow, i tried this one in Jamaica the first time and it knocked me, literally. Super super aromatic and it feels like drinking a flower bomb in a nice way.

An excellent overproof rum. These are the folks that make Appleton but put their names on it instead. Challenging to talk about the taste etc of something that is so strong. For sure a mixer.

This is an essential part of my rum blend for daiquiris. Not for the fainthearted!

If one is avoiding the stout 151's this one fits in nicely as a 126 proof. Try mixing it, and it shines through. Not many mid range proofs out there to give heavily flavored cocktails a pleasing ethanol balance. Jasper's Punch recipe below is a good start:
JASPER"S RUM PUNCH ***** (32% ABV before ice shaking)
1½ J Wray & Nephew White rum (126 proof)
1½ Jasper’s Secret Mix (so he could pour 200 a day)
or (if no mix handy)
1¼ lime juice
1/8 strong demerara syrup (2:1)
1/8 Angostura
dash grated nutmeg
Shake cracked ice, pour all into mai tai glass.

It is rare to find something that hasn't been tinkered with these days. In my opinion this is what rum is supposed to be. It doesn't necessarily lend itself to drinking neat, although personally I like it like that. Clearly not for everyone. I appreciate the smoother more sugary rums as well, but this one is special.

For a true experience of Jamaica, try this rum. It's not for everyone but this rum is special for its flavor profile and its history with the island.

I was introduced to this by making my own Falernum using Beach Bum Barry recipe and the 15 lime zested needs a high proof spirit to extract the flavors with almonds, cloves and ginger to make. I also have used this to add a kick to Tiki Cocktails occasionally which it does well because it has good dimensional qualities with its high proof. Astringent nose (thats good for a white mixer) mild candy and burnt banana leaf smells, but tastes of... can't put my finger on it...mild candy cane with a burn and bite? I don't know, but its still complex, unique and quite useful in my home bar for cocktails.

This is an utterly unique rum. Came across it on the Turtle Bay cocktail list. A Ting Ray perhaps isn't for everyone, but the strength of the rum means that its character doesn't get lost or seem diluted in combination with the other ingredients. Great way to start an evening.

So much flavour, it's bold and round with strong taste of Jamaica.

Even without lime (which is preferable) this gives a great citrusy taste when mixed with coke, pleasant burn and a gentle warming feeling.

I don't think you need another white rum.

Funky and direct rum. Great as a base to build home made liquors and punches.

THIS IS NOT A SIPPER. But it is a terrific mixer in small amounts when you want to bring those classically Jamaican funky notes into a cocktail, and add a little bit of heat.

Original review 4/17:

You should know what you're getting into if you ask/reach for this rum. This ain't no Bacardi. You're going to get lots of funk, rotten bananas, rubber, and ethanol on the nose. Loads of fruit. The flavor... I can't really describe. There's so much going on! I love the concentrated flavor.

If this is an example of raw Jamaican distillate, it's easy to see why Jamaican rums (of any age) are so popular among rum aficionados. Like IPAs, they're a bit of an acquired taste, but they are almost unfailingly interesting, and more often than not, delicious.

I only had it neat, but I look forward to trying it in a Wray & Ting and other cocktails someday soon.

7+

Update 11/17: Screw it. This rum is so straightforward, tasty, and versatile, I'm giving it an 8. Not only does a little bit jazz up any cocktail, it does wonders when added to any 80-proof sleeper rums you have lying around gathering dust. I also vastly prefer the flavor profile (not the strength—the profile) of this to Rum Fire, though I'm still looking forward to trying Hampden Rum Bar Overproof sometime. (Update, I prefer this to RBO, but only just.)

8-

This is delicious. Imagine a very sweaty person standing in overripe and rotten tropical fruit while frying bananas, papayas and pineapple on a grill which is occasionally doused in gasoline and you'll be somewhere in this rum's fun park of flavour. It is packed with that distinct Jamaican estery funkiness. Bacardi white this ain't.

I believe it is a mix of pot and column still distillate (I'd love to see a pot still only expression, btw). Although it is intended as a mixer--it's pretty much an essential white OP for many cocktails--I actually quite enjoy this neat, albeit with a few drops of water to bring it down to a more manageable 45-50%.

It is truly bold, singular stuff! This IS rum! If you like flavourless white rums may I suggest you check out a little drink known as vodka. And just as an aside, many of the people who gave this a negative review apparently rate stuff like Zacapa and Diplomatico Reserva very highly, which, in my opinion, are more like rum liqueurs. These "rums", although popular, are invariably overly sweet, characterless and inoffensive spirits that have had whatever soul they may have possessed blended, sugar'd, glycerol'd, vanilla'd, prune'd and mystery-ingredient'd out of them. This, on the other hand, is simply rum, as all rum should be. Anyway... just something to keep in mind when reading the negative reviews.

Recommended for:

People who like real, characterful rum.

Fans of flavour.

Folk who enjoy the peculiar funkiness typically found in Jamaican rum and many unaged agricoles, cachacas, clairins, etc.

The first overproof rum I tried, and the one I always keep on the shelf. It's aroma and flavor are unmistakable, perhaps a bit "headsy" but pungent and bright. Compared to it's brethren Rum Fire, this is far more versatile, a bit smoother, and also less costly. It packs a wallop of flavor that doesn't overpower the drink.

Don't waste your time drinking it neat. This is a solid base for anything calling for a white spirit or tequila. And for that, there is no better white rum than the W&N Overproof.

very delicious nose of tropical fruits, dominated by ripe banana and mango. These notes are also present at the first sip, however there is some little burn which I had expected to be much stronger given 63% alcohol. Extremly long finish. So here you have a very interesting price/value relationship. The rum is dominant but still fine at this alcohol degree. This rum certainly also makes a very good figure when used in cocktails.

On the nose it's a little sharp as you would expect form an overproof Rum. It smacks you in the face a little like Animal going off on a belligerent drum solo delaying the coda as Dr. Teeth grows wary of certain destruction. However, there is an ensemble of fine instrumentalists waiting their chance to solo in the background. A little pineapple, papaya, grass and sweet mustiness along with buckwheat honey and toffee brittle showcase the supporting orchestra. This isn't meant to sip but feel free if you can dial down your intake to keep your throat from whimpering in fear. Yes, its hot but not a hellhound by any measure. This is a constant staple in my bar to brighten up and add depth to many cocktails. My favorite is substituting in a 1/2 ounce for cachaca and making knock-out Caipirinhas.