When Wray’s 43 Full Proof Rum first appeared online, the immediate reaction from a lot of people was fairly simple: this can’t be real.

Blurry photos did the rounds. Labels were scrutinised. The ABV was checked and re-checked. Why? because Wray & Nephew already have a white rum that has achieved near-mythical status.

The 63% Overproof doesn’t really leave much room for interpretation, so the idea that a quieter, toned-down sibling existed felt… unlikely.

Yet, here it is. Very real. Very much positioned as the younger brother (or nephew) to the (in)famous Overproof Jamaican powerhouse.

Wray;s 43 is a Jamaican White Rum bottled at 43% ABV by J. Wray & Nephew. It shares clear visual and stylistic DNA with the 63% Overproof, with the familiar green-and-white label right down to the slightly yellowing cap and closure but with the strength dialled back to something a little more sedate.

At 70cl it retails at around the £22-25 mark. This is clearly not meant to replace the Overproof, nor compete with supposed Premium White Rums. Instead it sits somewhere in between which is both its strength and its problem.

The 63% Overproof is, for many, the reference point for Jamaican white rum. It’s loud, aggressive, and utterly unapologetic. It’s also a rum that people either love or fear.

Wray & Nephew Wray’s 43 Full Proof Rum 43 feels like an attempt to broaden that appeal without completely losing the house style. The trouble is that once you’ve encountered the Overproof, anything in its shadow is always going to be judged against it and not always kindly. I have already  seen comments in The UK Rum Club and elsewhere which essentially say “What is the point of this?”

That is the polite version……..

In the glass, it’s clear and clean. There’s nothing visually exciting going on here, but there doesn’t need to be. This is a white rum doing white rum things.

The nose is recognisably Jamaican. Its funky.  There’s banana, light pineapple, grassy sugarcane, and it is still quite “boozy”. Compared to the 63% this isn’t as pungent from 50 yards but if you stick your fact in it, as reviewers like me tend to do – its still pretty funky and pungent.

Further nosing reveals citrus peel, a little white pepper, and a clean, slightly herbal note. It’s a nice nose and is noticeably more funk forward than its counterpart from Appleton Kingston 62. Same DNA but slightly different in intent I think.

Sipped its certainly more agreeable than the Overproof. To be expected as this is a rum which is 20 percentage points lowers in terms of ABV..

It’s initially sweet but still carries a fair amount of funk, banana, pineapple and light tropical fruit. Citrus and mild spice appear mid-palate, and the alcohol is well integrated. Maybe too much to offer a real “alternative” to the Overproof.

At 43%, there’s enough body to stop it feeling thin. Its certainly better than the 37.5% ABV fayre often presented at this price.

The finish is short to medium, with lingering cane sweetness, light citrus, and a touch of peppery dryness. It fades quickly and cleanly, without bitterness or too much heat.

It’s so so as a sipper and not something I would really use for that purpose. This is very clearly a mixing rum first and foremost.

In a Daiquiri, it behaves well, providing structure without dominating. In long drinks, it adds Jamaican character without overwhelming the mixer which some will see as a positive, others as a missed opportunity. It’s not completely dominating drinks but at the same time it delivers plenty funky flavours.

It’s quite punchy and there really isn’t a great deal 100% Jamaican White Rum out there. That said Wray’s 43 Full Proof Rum feels like it exists because it makes commercial sense, not because the world desperately needed it.

It’s a competent, well-made Jamaican white rum that deliberately sits in the shadow of its far more famous sibling. It keeps enough character to remain identifiable, but loses the edge that made the 63% Overproof iconic in the first place.

For those who find the Overproof too much, this may well be a welcome alternative. For everyone else maybe something to have if you want a good hit of cheapish funk without a hangover. Having said that there is nothing stopping you diluting down the Overproof.

I have perhaps been a little harsh judging it largely against the Overproof. I have done that mainly for the simple reason that if I hadn’t ,it would have been the first question I was asked…………

If it had been released by say a “brand” bottler it wouldn’t have had to endure the scrutiny it has. This is despite the obvious comparison a very nice pretty funky Jamaican Rum. After a few I’m not sure how noticeable the difference between this and the Overproof would be. Particularly in longer drinks.

All in all this is still a very solid good example of Jamaican White Rum.