Is it really true to say that all brands of white Jamaican overproof other than Wray & Nephew appeared in the last 20 years?
Obviously Worthy Park is a new distillery, and Hampden and Monymusk only recently began bottling rums under their own brand names. So in that sense the current main competitors to Wray & Nephew Overproof are new.
But going back further weren't there other brands? I'm thinking of things like Sangster's Conquering Lion, Charley's JB, probably also Estate Rum (aka Redface), etc. There must be others that have come and gone over the years. The above are just examples you can still find on a shelf today.
You raise a valid question. There certainly are other White Overproofs that don't make it off the island. But when did they launch? That's a question that requires more research. I'd bet that if I said 30 years, I'd encompass most of the rest.
Great read! I also naturally clusters my rums into these categories as they work great for cocktail usage (I’m not a sipper)
Interesting to put Hamilton’s Jamaican potstill black in the “darkened” category. I’ve always considered it in the “tropical drink focus” category. Did you categorize it as such bcs of the inclusion of a caramel coloring?
Thank you (as always) for the clarification. I noticed you included the Appleton Legend (17 yr.) Have you had the opportunity to sample it yet? If so, what are your thoughts?...is it close to anything currently on the market?
I had a small sample. Being all pot still, it's got more hogo going on than the mainstream Appletons, but I wouldn't call it a funk bomb as we think of them today. That simply wasn't the style back in the 20th century.
Great read as always Mr. Wonk. I’m trying to get my family to see rum as it is, the most versatile spirit on the market(imo) and this will surely help.
Is it really true to say that all brands of white Jamaican overproof other than Wray & Nephew appeared in the last 20 years?
Obviously Worthy Park is a new distillery, and Hampden and Monymusk only recently began bottling rums under their own brand names. So in that sense the current main competitors to Wray & Nephew Overproof are new.
But going back further weren't there other brands? I'm thinking of things like Sangster's Conquering Lion, Charley's JB, probably also Estate Rum (aka Redface), etc. There must be others that have come and gone over the years. The above are just examples you can still find on a shelf today.
You raise a valid question. There certainly are other White Overproofs that don't make it off the island. But when did they launch? That's a question that requires more research. I'd bet that if I said 30 years, I'd encompass most of the rest.
what is a Glencairn??
Great read! I also naturally clusters my rums into these categories as they work great for cocktail usage (I’m not a sipper)
Interesting to put Hamilton’s Jamaican potstill black in the “darkened” category. I’ve always considered it in the “tropical drink focus” category. Did you categorize it as such bcs of the inclusion of a caramel coloring?
Thanks!
And yes, I put Hamilton in the darkened category because to my palate (and many others), the caramel has a noticeable flavor influence.
If it weren't for that, it would be in the Tropical Drink Focused substyle, but (again), as an outlier due to no aging influence. YMMV.
Thank you (as always) for the clarification. I noticed you included the Appleton Legend (17 yr.) Have you had the opportunity to sample it yet? If so, what are your thoughts?...is it close to anything currently on the market?
I had a small sample. Being all pot still, it's got more hogo going on than the mainstream Appletons, but I wouldn't call it a funk bomb as we think of them today. That simply wasn't the style back in the 20th century.
Great read as always Mr. Wonk. I’m trying to get my family to see rum as it is, the most versatile spirit on the market(imo) and this will surely help.
Thank you sir! Just doing my part to try to explain rum's diversity in a way that makes sense to people.