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For those who relish Jamaican rum, here are our top picks for robust, high-proof rums that carry a distinctive edge.

Antoine Distillery / The Funk / Worth Park Estate / Paranubes

Until a few months back, Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum, a top choice among Jamaican rum aficionados, was commonly found on shelves. But recently, this familiar yellow and green bottle has started to vanish from numerous liquor stores.

Wray & Nephew Overproof holds a special status in the realm of spirits. Not only is it a major hit in Jamaica, but it is also notably potent. This rum is bottled at an impressive 63% ABV and is renowned for its rich, intense flavors.

“One of its main hallmarks is that it has these big, bold, kind of funky flavors and aromas pointing towards things like tropical fruits, and overripe bananas,” says Arminder Randhawa, the content creator behind the rum and cane spirit-focused channel The Rum Revival.

So where did all of the Wray & Nephew go? According to a statement from J. Wray & Nephew Limited, the current shortage is due to unexpectedly heavy rainfall at the distillery. The abundance of rain has made it incredibly difficult for the distillery to properly dispose of its waste, so production has slowed considerably. To alleviate this problem, a new waste disposal facility is currently being built. Once it’s up and running, we should start to see Wray & Nephew Overproof back on shelves shortly thereafter.

Home mixologists and rum fans aren’t the only ones affected by the shortage, bars have had to adapt as well.

“We’ve been forced to adapt a lot of our recipes, and make tweaks and adjustments to account for the difference in profile,” says Adam Sandroni, the bar manager at Test Pilot in Santa Barbara, California. “This has become something of a routine in a post-Covid world with supply chain disruptions being the norm rather than the exception, so we’ve gotten pretty good at adapting on the fly and finding new spirits to fill in the gaps.”

Thankfully, Wray & Nephew isn’t the only heavyweight Jamaican rum on the market. There are a handful of other rums, from Jamaica and other nations, that present similar, high-octane flavors.

“Some [rums] can come off smelling sweet to sometimes peppery,” says Tony Prosper, the bar manager at Cococabana, a Caribbean-style cocktail bar in Oceanside, California. “I would say ‘funky’ has been used to describe the smell. I have even heard people say it gives off a gasoline smell.”

Until we can easily find Wray & Nephew again, here are our favorite punchy, high-octane rums that have just enough funk to scratch the same itch.

Hampden Estate Rum

Rum Fire, distilled at the famed Hampden Estate, has quickly become a legend among rum aficionados. This completely pot-distilled rum stands out with a staggering 63% ABV and boasts the boldest flavors and aromas available among Jamaican rums. Rum Fire offers a distinctive experience that isn’t universally appealing, yet its fans are intensely devoted.

“Rum Fire delivers a unique profile of sharp, synthetic, fuel-like scents,” explains Randhawa. “It heavily features scents akin to exquisitely fermented grilled pineapple. When mixed into cocktails, it undergoes a dramatic shift, unleashing a burst of lush, vibrant tropical fruit flavors,” he adds.

Monymusk Rums

If Rum Fire offers an intensely flavorful sip, then Monymusk serves as a slightly softer option compared to Wray & Nephew. It still boasts a high alcohol content of 63% ABV without aging, yet it feels less harsh.

“Monymusk overproof white rum has a subtler ‘funk’ quality, highlighted by hints of baking spice and a reduction in overripe fruit notes,” Sandroni comments. “Its smoother nature at such a strong ABV makes it an excellent introductory rum for those exploring the overproof white rum category from Jamaica.”

The Funk

Distilled in traditional pot stills, this Jamaican rum captures the quintessential flavors associated with the region’s rums, including ripe tropical fruits and slight earthiness. Packaged at 50% ABV, it provides a milder taste experience compared to some stronger variants.

“This [lower proof] makes it nice to use as a base for a cocktail since the proof comes in a more approachable range for most people versus the 126 proof the other unaged rums are hitting,” says Sandroni.

Try The Funk in a Daiquiri or Mojito to give those classic cocktails a bit more of a kick.

Antoine distillery

Grenada’s River Antoine distillery, where River’s rum is produced, is almost like a window into the past. It operates the same way as it did in the mid-1800s. The copper pot stills are heated by wood fire and the fresh sugarcane used to make River’s is milled using a water wheel.

“River’s is a truly old school agricole style rum,” notes Sandroni. “It emphasizes less on the tropical fruits and more on the fresh cut grass and sugarcane notes.”

River’s possesses a unique flavor profile compared to Wray & Nephew, yet at 69% ABV, it is remarkably robust, featuring a distinctive briny funkiness.

Two James Distillery

Handled by Two James distillery in Michigan, Doctor Bird stands out in this selection. It is the sole barrel-aged rum and has an ABV of 50%. This lends it a smoother profile with subtle nuances of vanilla and baking spice to temper the potent funky flavors.

Doctor Bird’s subdued aromas have garnered favor among mixologists. “This is one of my favorite rums other than Wray & Nephew,” mentions Prosper. “It presents a sweet aroma yet holds a robust earthy flavor.”

Paranubes

Known predominantly for its mezcal, the state of Oaxaca in Mexico also houses several rum distilleries. Paranubes rum, like many from Oaxaca, is crafted using fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses. Locally, these rums are often called aguardiente de caña.

Despite its sugarcane base, Paranubes boasts a bold and wild character consistent with other notable rums. “Its fragrance immediately strikes with a funky, appealing twist accompanied by notes of ripe banana and spice. The taste starts warmly and ends with a signature grassy note,” comments Prosper.

Worthy Park Estate

The latest overproof rum from Worthy Park Estate combines molasses-based rum with fresh sugarcane distillate, offering a distinctive profile. “The aroma is gentler, with fewer ripe fruit notes and more minerality and grassy elements,” explains Sandroni. “It resembles a rhum agricole more than the typical Jamaican overproof rum.”

While this rum diverges somewhat in its base components, it retains the iconic Jamaican rum characters of tropical fruits and the distinct note of banana that Worthy Park’s rums are known for. “This one definitely carries that signature banana note,” notes Randhawa.

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