1940s J. Wray & Nephew 17 Year Old is a very special rum; it has been valued at 54,000 dollars and contains rums dating back to 1915
1940s J. Wray & Nephew 17 Year Old is one of the most sought-after rums in the world, from one of Jamaica's most famous distilleries. Its reputation is linked to its medium body, its purity and its age. Bottled in 1940, some of the rums it contains date back to 1915.
1940s J. Wray & Nephew 17 Year Old is one of the most sought-after rums in the world, from one of Jamaica's most famous distilleries.
It was originally used by Trader Vic, an American restaurant chain inspired by Polynesia, to create the famous Mai Tai cocktail in 1944. The Mai Tai became so popular that by the 1950s demand had exhausted the stock of 1940s J. Wray & Nephew 17 Year Old.
Supplies had almost disappeared by the 1930s because of the rise of Mai Tai cocktails, which were made with 17-year-old J. Wray & Nephew rum.
Today, if one of these bottles can be found, it may cost close to 54,000 dollars. For these reasons, this expression is believed to be the most expensive individual bottle of rum in the world. When it was displayed at RumFest in 2007, it was only one of four unopened bottles left in the world.
The price is due to the purity, age and exclusivity of the drink itself.
1940s J. Wray & Nephew 17 Year Old.
About J. Wray & Nephew
- J. Wray and Nephew is one of Jamaica's oldest rum producers and one of the country's largest rum exporters. The company was bought in 2012 by Campari Group.
- The story began in 1825, when company founder John Wray opened The Shakespeare Tavern in Kingston, Jamaica. Kingston grew steadily and eventually became Jamaica's capital in 1877, while The Shakespeare Tavern became a major success.
- In 1860, Wray hired Charles James Ward, his brother's son, to run the commercial side of the company. Ward was a dynamic and talented entrepreneur, and under his leadership J. Wray and Nephew began a period of growth and prosperity.
- Ward turned the liquor and tavern business into one of Jamaica's largest exporting commercial companies. At the International Exhibition held in London in 1862, J. Wray and Nephew won three gold medals for its 10, 15 and 25-year-old rums. The company's rums also won awards at international exhibitions in Paris in 1878, Amsterdam in 1883, New Orleans in 1885 and Jamaica in 1891.
- It is said that 90% of rum sales in Jamaica belong to this famous brand, used in Jamaican rum punches, Mai Tais and daiquiris.
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