Warehouse 1
NYE/WK New Yarmouth

The second rum is labeled NYE/WK, "NYE" standing for New Yarmouth Distilleries. The beginnings of this Jamaican distillery date back to the mid-eighteenth century, but otherwise, it is shrouded in mystery, as no visitors are allowed to enter for centuries. "WK" is the initials of Winston Kennedy. While it's unclear whether Winston ever worked in New Yarmouth, thanks to research assisted by rum historian Matt Pietrek, we've uncovered some interesting details about his life and career.

Winston Kennedy was an important figure in the Jamaican sugar industry. After successfully completing his studies at the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture in Trinidad in 1955, Winston returned to Jamaica. He worked in several now closed sugar factories such as Bookers, Frome and Rose Hall. In 1964, he became chief chemist at the now-defunct Barnett Sugar Estate in Montego Bay. He remained in Montego Bay until 1973, when he moved to the Hampden Sugar Factory in Trelawny as assistant manager. After a few years, in 1979, Winston was promoted to plant manager at the Hampden plant, located near Duncans. A few years later, he was appointed to the board of directors of the Long Pond Sugar Estate. From then on, his career was already obscure until 2005, when he was the guest of honor of JAST (Jamaican Association of Sugar Technologists). Some places remain empty in Winston Kennedy's biography, but we know for sure that he was an important figure in the Jamaican sugar industry for more than 50 years. It is not known whether Winston left Long Pond and moved to New Yarmouth at any point. As with almost everything related to the New Yarmouth distillery, we'll probably never know. However, we know that we are fortunate to present a rare rum brand that pays tribute to this key figure in Jamaican history. The ester level in NYE/WK rum is between 1500 and 1600 ppm, which is higher than typical overproof rums. There are notes of acetone, citrus peel, white pepper, with a hint of pear and peach and a powerful and long finish. Discover another piece of Jamaican history in the rum of its most mysterious distillery and raise a glass to Winston Kennedy, the man whose name is immortalized by New Yarmouth Distillery and Warehouse #1 Overproof NYE/WK Rum.