To understand Jamaican overproof rum, open a bottle and inhale—just not too deeply. It clocks in at 126 proof, or 63% alcohol. You’ll get the point without sticking your nose too far into the bottle. One of the best things about Jamaican overproof rum is that you smell what it’s going to taste like. It teaches you what an ester is, what funk is. It’s a concentrated punch in the face of flavor.
Use overproof rum in cocktails like you would use salt in cooking. Add a quarter-ounce or a few dashes of overproof rum to cocktails that need a little oomph.
While this approach is familiar to American bartenders, is all but unimaginable in Jamaica. Traditionally, in Jamaica overproof rum was thought to be something for old men. Only in the past few years has the perception changed, and now more young people drinking it.
Esters Are the Key to Its Distinctive Flavor
White rums from the island of Jamaica are potent queens of funk, a title earned from the quantity and combination esters found in each bottle. Esters form when an acid combines with alcohol. Aromas like pineapple, overripe banana, stone fruit, and even cake occur when foul-smelling vinegar mingles its molecules with booze.
Just as whisky nerds know how many parts per million (PPM) of peat there are in a bottle of scotch, rumheads measure ester PPMs in the three major Jamaican overproof brands. While there are other styles of rum with a proof to match Jamaica’s white rums, and bottles labeled as overproof or navy strength—they don’t have the same depth of flavor as their Jamaican counterparts.
On paper, Jamaican overproof rums are all very similar. They all do two- to three-week fermentation, but Jamaican rums are different based on a few variables. Those variables include yeast strains, molasses, the use of a muck pit (more on that in a moment), and still type. Jamaicans understand their rum’s strength and how to use it socially and in different cultural practices.
How to Use It in Cocktails
Back in the States, bartenders have fully embraced the rums. Jamaican rum is fun to float on top of a drink because of its powerful aromas. Floating is usually pointless, but in the case of overproof rum, the float has a sensory effect. You really get that nose from the esters.
When making cocktails with overproof rums, make sure the drinks don’t go down too easily. A chuggable overproof rum cocktail is a dangerous drink. Experiment with using more mixers, more sugar, more juice or soda. You often can also dial back the rum in the drink recipe from 2 to 1 1/2 ounces.
To start mixing with overproof rum at home, do as Jamaicans do and keep it simple. Try overproof Daiquiris, or mix the rum with cola or grapefruit soda. Home bartenders should note, when using overproof rum for the first time, a small amount gives an unusual depth of flavor to any cocktail. It’s the experienced bartender’s flavor standardizer for their cocktails. It gives a touch of class to any cocktail. Whatever you make, there’s no hiding Jamacian overproof rum. The flavor of the rum speaks to quality. Jamaica is the birthplace of flavor for overproof rum.
