This is part [8/9] of the Rum Home Bar series, focused on helping you stock a thorough and versatile collection of rums for your home bar to maximize your home mixology and tiki adventures! These parts are presented in descending order of importance (in my opinion), so make sure you have 1 before 2, 2 before 3, and onwards!
8| Jamaican White Overproof Rum
If you recall, my category 3 of rums in this series was the “Jamaican gold rum” and category 6 was the “overpoof rum.” This one sort of sits between but is an UNaged (no barrel time) “white” Jamaican overproof rum. It is the most popular/common style of rum in Jamaica, where the category is primarily dominated by the famed Wray and Nephew. Flavorwise, it’s potent, bright, and full of ripe fruits (bananas, pineapples, etc). The flavor comes not from infusing with fruits, but from the natural flavor compounds produced in the chemical reactions during the fermentation process….turns out many of those flavor compounds are the same as those you often find in tropical ripe fruits. Strange, hm? Being unaged, these rums don’t have any interference from wood, which lets them maintain their full-force bright flavor, and at 60%+, DEFINITELY packs a punch. Fantastic addition to your bar that won’t go unnoticed in your tiki cocktails
There aren’t too many brands readily available outside Jamaica, but Wray&Nephew is pretty much the standard and dominant player here. Rum Fire is a personal favorite, and packs > 3x the concentration of esters (flavor compounds) in comparison. It is a BEAST and one of my most loved rums.
Bottles to Consider:
Next rum style to stock: *| Wildcard Rums