I am kinda sad that I missed the Astor Wines sale yesterday, because I was actually in the city, and I would have totally gone out of my way to pick up some rums. Unfortunately, living in South Brooklyn, most liquor stores around here don’t have very much that’s interesting. If they even have a rum section, it’s mostly taken up by every different flavor variation of Bacardi and Malibu, and some space for Captain Morgan, and then, often, at least some of the other controversial classics, like Diplomatico Mantuano, Ron Zacapa 23, Bumbu, Kraken, Rumchata, etc. and very rarely do I find anything from the actual recommended list (like the one place that actually had Appleton Estate Signature). But, while looking at the big bottles, I failed to realize that behind the cashier there are often smaller bottles— mostly just the big brands like Bacardi and Captain, but one store had a 200mL bottle of Wray & Nephew!

Review

Smell

It smells insane, like no other rum I have ever tried. It’s over the top funky and fruity, with pineapple, overripe banana, and it’s basically everything about the funk from Appleton Estates Signature, but cranked all the way up.

Taste

I don’t think that this is meant to be drunk straight. It’s so strong and so powerful that it tastes like I have a mouthful of burnt rubber (sort of that same medicinal taste that I got from Kirkland Signature). It’s slightly bitter, and the alcohol numbs my palate instantly. Once it subsides, I am left with a very strong taste in my mouth of the classic jamaican funk of that fruity, pineapple and overripe banana flavor.

For the daiquiri, I dialed it back and used half as much rum, and the rest water. It is very interesting. I really enjoy something that just makes me stop and think about all of the flavors that I am tasting all at once. I did notice that when the rum is too strong, it tastes like burnt rubber, and that flavor is still in the daiquiri, but it’s mellowed out by being watered down to reveal these interesting funky flavors. Much like Appleton, on the exhale, I get the funk, but unlike Appleton, I get the funk even when drinking the daiquiri, because the funk is just so intense. It very much compliments the daiquiri, I think that if you take a more neutral or maybe an aged rum, you can do a lot to mix it and add a funky zip to a drink, but I would probably not choose to make this the only rum in the drink, and if I do, I would water it down. Maybe my perfect daiquiri right now would be 1.5oz Appleton Signature and 0.5oz W&N.

Verdict 6/10

(Edited from 7/10 on 12/18/25)

This rum is really great, and I am really glad that I found it. I’ve seen a lot of posts saying that this is a good rum, but it’s outshined by some of the newer Jamaican white overproofs like Hampden Estate Rum Fire. On top of that, it does have a slight rubbery medicinal taste, but it’s easy to ignore in favor of the bold and delicious Jamaican funk that it provides, especially when mixed in a cocktail. It’s a crazy good rum to just sprinkle into a drink to give it a bit more pop. I feel like I have to rate it 7.5, equal to my favorite rum so far— Appleton Estate Signature, not because I think that they’re interchangable, but because I think that they complement each other, where Appleton Estate Signature is smooth and mixable, but the fruity flavors could stand to be a bit bolder, and Wray & Nephew is extremely bold in fruit flavor, but it needs to be smoothed and toned down by something else.

December 18, 2025 Update:

I mean, I still like Wray, but just looking at it objectively… it doesn’t have much body to it, it’s pretty simple, and it is very bold on the flavor for sure, but the off tastes are pretty noticeable. It’s good, it has its niche, but I can’t say that it’s as good as Appleton Signature. It’s a great mixer, but it’s definitely just for mixing in a punch or something.